Just shy of midnight, I arrived at The Empire Hotel to find what can only be described as a circus of punters. I heard the word capacity, and looked at the line – my heart sank. To say Yuksek had attracted a mere ‘crowd’ on this, the last night of July, was an understatement. As the masses spilled out over the pavement, it was hard to notice where a line began and where it possibly ended. The people waved their printed tickets and pleaded their cases. Even I was assured, a spot on the guest list doesn’t guarantee entry.

With a little luck and obvious pluck, I got myself into the Empire and to the Middle Bar just in time to see Tim Fuchs taming the crowd. The local lad is no stranger to The Empire, and is seen regularly remixing a set list that never fails to delight and surprise. After a quick drink with some new friends in the Cocktail Bar, I noticed a mass migration was beginning to flow into the Middle Bar. With a job to do, I made my way to the head of the right crowd and settled in place at the front of the DJ booth, ready for magic. Unfortunately, it seemed the whole circus of punters in the Empire had made the same affirmation and the density of the floor swelled to what I can only label as standing room only.

My concerns dissolved when Yuksek appeared before me. As the alter ego of the French electro house producer Pierre-Alexandre Busson, Yuksek is a charming if understated chap. Having seen him at Splendour in the Grass the previous weekend, I had been blown away by his energy and sheer audacity for sound. Despite his large set and ability to attract the masses, Busson operated on the small scale. With limited equipment and a single laptop, even his slight stature lent to the illusion that Yuksek was bigger than its maker.

With a coy smile and a focused crease forming between his eyes, he manipulated sound you can dance to. And if you are unable to dance (perhaps because you are sandwiched between a mass of bodies), you can still sway, nod, and tap your way to a happy medium.

Yuksek filled his set with remixes from his debut LP Away From The Sea as well as throwing in some new remixes, including The Gossip’s Heavy Cross. Overall, his beats were catchy and positively tribal, but the sound he produced was pure pop addiction. What impressed me most about Yuksek was his attention to detail and his commitment to precision. There was never a stray beat or melody, rather every note contributed to something bigger. He manipulated sound into an epic journey, allowing it to grow in size and frequency until the final note closed, crisp and spent. By the end of his set, I was left wanting more, such was his spell over me, and about a thousand others.