When we left the house it was cold and dark, but our spirits were warm and high. Our taxi driver was perplexed by our high energy and curiosity, yet indulged us in conversation and obliged by cranking the radio volume. Having never graced the dancefloor of The Night Owl I was all the more eager for the party ahead. Two weeks after the fantastic Easter celebration that was Somatica, we now enter the official after party.

The Night Owl is a quaint, underground club that really feels like a house, and I instantly liked it. It was to be our abode for the night. The lamp shades gave off a surreal red luminosity to the room, and as we arrived Anna Ce was on the decks spinning some decent prog-tech tunes. The party was small and intimate, with everyone mingling with one another with no hesitation. The vibe was very relaxed and laidback, which was consistent with the setup. The music, however, started to increase in intensity and the dancefloor began to fill. Discussing Somatica and the roaring success that it was, sheer enjoyment of the weekend definitely dominated conversation. But this night was still young.

Kojiro came on next and made his presence felt. Kojiro provided the impetus for partygoers to get their blood pumping. He continued in fine form from two weeks ago with more dark progressive beats and smooth transitions. Pondscum followed, continuing the dark progressive beats which came in constant waves. His thick pounding basslines and driving percussions kept the standard of music high. He played his set live with a mixture of progressive trance and Goa influenced tunes. People were more than happy to have a chat in the chairs, on the dancefloor or even in the toilet, making the atmosphere of the night that much more enjoyable.

Pondscum picked up next, right through until one of our local favourites graced us with his presence. Sensient, who is always a crowd pleaser! He played smooth progressive tunes that were melodic and driving and his unique style lifted people’s energy into the early morning. At around 5am Shadow FX stepped in for a DJ set, starting his performance after possibly the best showing at the Somatica main event two weeks prior. He did not deflate my high expectations.

The Somatica parties are always intimate affairs, and tonight was no exception. The Night Owl hosted a great party, and gave us the chance to catch up on the ’good old times’ all to a soundtrack of pumping tunes. The small bush parties have a vibe like no other, and their overwhelming friendliness and openness carried through to Saturday night. A job well done to the Somatica crew for putting on a fantastic Easter celebration and another brilliant after party event!