Tech-maestro Joris Voorn makes a long-anticipated return to Dublin this Friday as he lines up the Jack and Pod faithful for a tasty night of house and techno grooves. Having been deprived of the Dutchman’s presence since his last appearance here in 2010, the wait is finally over and the hype surrounding his return is gathering serious momentum.
Featuring on the bill for the Ushuaia opening and closing parties this year, as well as performing mind-blowing sets in We Love at Space, Voorn firmly reinforced his image as an annual Ibiza favourite. The breadth of his DJing tenure (having first entered the scene in 1997) coincides with a much-changed scene, yet this man has stuck to his guns, consistently producing floor-filling hits and jaw-dropping live performances. The release of Lost Memories pts. 1 and 2 over 10 years ago is testament to this, with their energy and production qualities affording them a sound that’s as fresh today as it was a decade ago. In the second of these releases lies “Incident”, a huge track boasting a piano line with the potential to embellish even the finest of sets.
His reputation and wide-spread acclaim has really come to form in the last four years or so, starting with a ground-breaking “Balance014” compilation in 2009, containing no less than 100 tracks spanning the two-disc release. Meandering smoothly through any and every genre over the course of almost two and a half hours, the mix garnered universal praise and generated a lot of interest in Voorn’s progress. What has followed since then is a bombardment of top-quality releases which have raised many a roof in clubs both near and far. Take, for example, his remix of De la Roi’s reinterpretation of a house classic “I Get Deep”, in which Voorn generates a rolling tech-house masterpiece designed to get you moving. Still not impressed? How about “Goodbye Fly”, with its euphoric build-up and explosive drop making it arguably the track of 2012?
Despite his tendency towards house-centred releases, Voorn is also a purveyor of all things techno. When it comes to live performances, he offers little respite for the weary, as he bangs out a relentless techno narrative with flawless fluency, occasionally allowing house to permeate proceedings. He’s not renowned for taking it easy on his crowd, so be prepared for a few tired limbs on Saturday morning.
His latest release, Ringo, represents an experiment with a more down-tempo vibe and for long was referred to as the “mystery track” by curious fans. Since its release it has proved to be immensely popular, earning the title of Pete Tong’s Essential New Tune in late August. Whether it’s a precursor for a new stylistic trajectory for his upcoming 3rd album (to be released this year) remains to be seen.
Tickets are almost sold-out for this one. Missing out is highly inadvisable.