Maybe it was a nod to the French Revolution as Uhall hosted producers from the label French Express on Saturday, just a few days before Bastille Day (sacré bleu!). The lineup of Moon Boots, Perseus, Jonas Rathsman, and Isaac Tichauer, combined artistic energy of four independently intriguing producers. All four have a common sound characterized by bright melodies and samples, but still deep bass and beats– while maintaining their individuals styles.
Moon Boots started the night off as any good opener should. Playing an eclectic mix of tunes with a heavy emphasis on female vocals and strings, he got what was a burgeoning crowd moving early. It was difficult to distinguish who was actually there for the music and who had been dragged along either by a significant other or by a lack of other options. Regardless of why individuals found themselves at UHall Saturday night, the dance floor was packed early, and the crowd was grinding and grooving to the French je ne sais quoi that was present from the start.
After Moon Boots wrapped up around 11:30 p.m., Perseus took to the stage. He opened with his original track “Shadow of the Beast”, a sultry tune with a deeply melodic atmosphere that burrows into your head and refuses to leave, which explains the waves it made in its release late last year. From there, he transitioned into a set that was characterized by throbbing basslines and sparse percussion. I personally love this sort of set, as it forces the crowd to find the groove and stick with it, gyrating with the deeper and deeper beat until, the next thing you know, an hour has passed and you’re covered in sweat (and sometimes spilled drinks), and still can’t think of anyplace you’d rather be. Melodic elements were certainly present as well, often times a disparate organ would float through the mix, reminding everyone in the crowd that they were listening to a crew that values atmosphere among all else.
On that note, Jonas Rathsman transitioned the atmosphere of UHall to a darker, moodier place. As the night progressed, each DJ brought heavier basslines, pushing the mood deeper and deeper into an introspective space. Any moodier and we could have found ourselves sipping black coffee reflecting on the philosophies of Descartes or Sartre in a Parisian cafe. Rathsman placed his personal style of on-point sampling and percussive excellent on full display, utilizing his superb mixing skills to work the now heavily involved crowd into a veritable frenzy, before dropping the beat and starting it all over again.
This mixing style of long peaks followed by deep valleys was brought to a head by the night’s final DJ, Isaac Tichauer. Monsieur Tichauer’s album Devotion was one of the releases that dragged me, willingly, into the abyss of deep house. His fantastic mix series solidified my love of the genre month after month. I was very excited to hear what he would do behind the decks of UHall.
https://soundcloud.com/isaac-tichauer/sets/devotion-2
While my expectations were undeniably high, I’m pleased to report that I was in no way disappointed. His unique brand of oozing, soulful house permeated the room from around 1:30 a.m. penetrating the hearts and souls of the loyal party people until the lights came up around 3:00 a.m. Those who stayed late were rewarded by an odyssey of soul conducted by Tichauer, moving from tracks characterized by simple beats and sprinkling in samples of lush soundscapes. A night that started with the disco of Moon Boots, capped with the house of Isaac Tichauer, this label night provided us with what we were looking for, a night of unmitigated Francophile funk (trés bon!).
Be sure to check out the French Express label and their Soundcloud, I guarantee that you will find at least one new track that taps your soul.
Article by Christian Pandtle