Logic Presents Balance 008: Desyn Masiello @ The Shamrock (18/11/2005)

God on the Decks.

For weeks the excitement around forums was gripping. The chant of “Desyn” meandered here, there and everywhere so that it was exceedingly difficult for a Desyn virgin such as myself, to not be caught up in the propaganda and exhilaration preceding him. At approximately 3.00pm, word abounded that Desyn had just touched down in Brisbane and the thrilling thought that we were all sharing the same air served to increase our excitement to a frenzy.

I entered The Shamrock that night with an eager bounce to my step. DJ Mike Redfearn cordially greeted me at the door  the amiable host. As I crossed the threshold, I marvelled at the masses already infiltrating the interior of The Shamrock. People were simply everywhere, drinks in hand and friends in tow. Their restlessness was palpable, their eyes feverish. And with no wonder, for the pressing beats of BPM were creating havoc with our senses.

There was a depth and fullness to the bass lines from BPM much the same feel as if one were to handle juicy, plump, ripe fruit. At times, there was such a wetness to the basslines that the surrounding colours of the other instruments seemed to swirl and churn around them. The strings and percussion added more tints to the already colourful tapestry. BPM’s ear was so well tuned to his music, that the sounds of the electronic drumkit and his strident bass lines transported me to the plains and deserts of another country. When his tapestry became overwhelmed by colour, BPM would then pull back on the bass to allow the mid frequency colours to shine through. I found his beats entirely unpredictable, the accent placings seemed random and erratic, though his timing was excellent. He had infused a melody into his beats as well, for at times there appeared a subtle dissonance to his melodious rhythms. His fondness for the metallic instruments like triangles or glocks from the percussion family very likely heightened this sense of “melodic beats”. Music is such a well of analogous diversity that its not difficult to produce music that seems replicated or lacking in inspiration. Due to the unexpected accent placings and musical sense to his rhythms, BPM’s music had a fresh innovative significance to it. His penchant for heavy drums assisted here too. From the leaden depths of the timpani to the kick of the electronic kit, the colours in his rhythms were sublime. I noted that he would establish his beats and then move towards creating the outside colours and basslines. The last fifteen minutes of his set was dedicated toward latin rhythms; their compound subdivisions releasing more chances of development into the mix. I was well impressed with my first unearthing of BPM and he had us all well primed for the main feature of the evening.

People had started to position themselves on the dancefloor. Not to be outdone, I chose to stand before the hefty subs, determined to soak in every drop that Desyn would tender. We were all breathlessly awaiting his entrance. I turned my head to look around then just as quickly returned my attention back to the decks – where he had already magically appeared: spontaneous materialisation. I felt slightly cheated at missing his divine entrance, but cheered up at the thought that he had entered the decks arena like the true icon he was touted as being. His shirt was beautifully cut, allowing a tantalising hint of chest hair to peep through. It was not the presence of his obvious masculinity that captured me however. Nor his exceedingly expressive eyes. He had me when the first stunning strains of a soprano saxophone came through the speakers. I was truly overcome. At age 14, I told my parents I would marry a saxophonist. So you can imagine the thrill and pleasure coursing through my veins as the echo of my favourite instrument permeated every corner of the Shamrock. The extended notes served as a beacon – the guiding light towards Desyn. People immediately responded in droves. The dance floor whilst crammed before, was now teeming with bodies. Desyn continued introducing jazz inspired treatments keys into the mix, keeping me powerlessly spellbound. He used jazz beats to slowly modulate towards a meatier meal of funk inspired rhythms. There was plenty of multiplicity for every taste – poignant vocal lines, bass lines that evoked sexual imagery, pumping rhythms with the standard but welcome accents on beats 1 to 4, though his subdivisions were superb. He used melodies as a modulation technique to cover the changes in music and rhythms. I found Desyn’s music to be three dimensional. There was a decided depth, volume and length to every single note, beat and line. Each dimension was thoroughly explored and exploited to its full capacity. I revelled in such hedonism. At each and every opportunity, Desyn subjugated his music. His bass lines were subtle flavours that upheld the wonders of his melodies, and his beats were an execution of rhythmic flair. I felt bound in the grid of his matrix; feebly caught up in the construct of his making. There was no other place I wanted to be rather than standing right in front of the subs and ogling Desyn’s skills. I was not alone, for the dance floor heaved with his vociferous rhythms and the stirring feet of his enraptured audience. The atmosphere in The Shamrock was all wonder and stars.

Prior to this evening, the only thing I knew of Desyn was his name. I have been blissfully ignorant of his incredible talents and devastating musicality for far too long. And I mourn the fact that the wonder of Desyn now remains a mere memory in my frail brain. Such beauty. Such splendour. I beheld them all. As a result of this very evening, I can faithfully proclaim Desyn as the greatest DJ I have ever laid my eyes upon. And I fall to my knees in pious adoration at the memory of such a God. To Him, I pray He returns and thus grace us with His divine presence. To Him, I lift my eyes to regard His musical beauty, and praise the pantheon for His existence. Praise be indeed. Desyn – God on the Decks. May He be restored to us soon.

Love and Kisses, Lady Lex