Phunk You feat. Phil K & Elite Force @ Step Inn, Brisbane (07/03/08)
Few DJs have the ability to amaze, inspire, excel and surpass the achievements of their predecessors. An audio and video genius in his own right, the man known as Phil K is most definitely in a league of his own. Rocking crowds and making jaws drop, it’s not a new experience by any means for this pioneer. He’s cemented his name and reputation in the music industry over the past decade, and he’s been given the support of world renown DJs and producers like James Zabiela, who was quoted as saying; “you’re without a doubt my favourite DJ – someone who’s not afraid to take risks and try new things, and someone who executes techniques in a unique way”. With these preconceptions I walked in to Step Inn with an open mind, although I also held high expectations. My expectations were blown out of the water!
Phil started off spinning very techy beats with rolling and minimal basslines – an excellent way to get the night started. Soon enough, the direction of the set moved into the more euphoric side of house and minimal, exploring new depths of these genres which I’d never had the pleasure of hearing before tonight. One thing that I should mention is that this was the first time I’d witnessed a VJ set. The film clips were excellent, adding dramatic effect and working in symbiosis with the music and progressive nature of the performance. Phil’s beat matching and mixes were flawless every time, which assisted greatly in keeping the crowd moving. Mix after mix, I was amazed and in awe with the track selection and arrangement. It took the crowd on a sonic and melodic journey, from techy and driving, through to the uplifting world of audio/visual bliss.
Moving on from the euphoric side into more bouncy and groovy basslines, at one stage it felt like the dirty and crisp saws of one bassline had transformed into a growling tiger. Roars of sonic goodness were unleashed onto the dance floor. The breakdowns of most tunes incorporated a good variety of atmospherics and pads, which worked well to set the mood, and they were accompanied by a mixture of glitchy and tweaked out vocals, as well as rolling sub basslines. Once again, I have to say this man’s track selection was second to none. It was a perfect cross section of house, techno and minimal sounds. Movement into a notable trough of the set saw some darker, more driving and melodic tunes, however they would always remain very eclectic.
Towards the end of the set the tracks were extremely driving and uplifting, incorporating a number of trancey melodies with 7ths stabs, but then Phil moved into ‘tough as nails’ beats. The final tune was as chunky as it comes, the thickest bassline around, and reminiscent of Micky Slim’s production style. It was at this stage I remember saying to the punter next to me, who looked as mesmerised as I did, “Jesus Christ where has this man been all my life?” As a genius behind the decks, Phil K genuinely seemed to be enjoying himself, showing the people of Brisbane who was boss when it came to ingenuity and forward thinking music.
At times my jaw would drop and rushes of inspiration would come over my body as I struggled to put my finger on his selection of tracks. After thinking about it for a while, I came to the conclusion that this set was very new-age, upfront, and even futuristic. I would even go as far as too say that Phil K is ahead of his time, similar to the way in which people say Big L was for hip-hop. Altogether, Phil is a master of FX, integrating his Pioneer EFX-1000 unit consistently and effectively throughout the set to keep things interesting, all the while intensifying the build ups. He would often implement delays to create new rhythms, all the while seamlessly mixing in to the next track. It’s a shame there aren’t more artists of his caliber to share around the world. Undoubtedly, Phil K is a genius and master of the game. The man definitely deserves a lot more credit that what he’s received to this point. I feel sorry for anyone that missed an opportunity to see a DJ of this calibre!
Meanwhile, I had been unsure of what to expect from Elite Force. Having been a conqueror of breaks for so many years, I was interested in how his shift in direction towards the tech and grimey house movement would be greeted. There was no holding back as he forcefully commenced with a twitchy, melodic, 4-to-the-floor style, soon moving into dirtier, pulsating rhythms. The meters reminded me considerably of Dopamine-style tunes – very jackin and body poppin’. The mixing and beat matching were spot on, though also very straight forward and uncomplicated. The bass was thick and resonant lines cut through the speakers like razors, as the sub basslines rocked and rumbled across the dancefloor. There was an underlying groove and cool, glitchy, chopped up vocal stabs to accompany the dirty bass tones. It was a good progression throughout the set, from minimal beats to driving basslines with a few breakbeats towards the middle. Exactly what I had been waiting for. Oh how I love the groove of a tasty break!
The inclusion of some very abstract fidget house in the middle and towards the end gave the set a nice change of pace, keeping the mix from seeming staid. It was great to be able to recognise a lot of the tunes, with a number of his own productions thrown in for added flavor. In many ways, the tunes he played seemed generic – the usual electro house with dirty basslines that you’d expect to hear in clubs across Brisbane – but Elite Force kept up a solid energy and momentum. The powerful breaks towards the end brought the beats home and cemented, in my mind, that Elite Force is indeed a solid DJ who I would check out again.
This night at the Step Inn was definitely memorable – a taste for those who savour the diverse and unusual.
