It seems like a whole lot has changed since the last time the Beck’s Berlin Sessions rolled through Brisbane and the rest of Australia. Suffice to say, the last installment of this groundbreaking event was very successful, managing to overwhelmingly pick up more than a handful of fans – including this reviewer – as one of the converted. On the cusp of Brisbane’s party season, and a welcome balmy winter’s night, Brisbane prepared herself for a special evening of lush beats. Once again, our venue was Barsoma – the undisputed mecca for underground house music in Brisbane. The intimacy and laid-back vibe this venue has makes it a perfect host for Beck’s Berlin Sessions. The intimate dance floor, a semi-outdoor courtyard and a bar stocked with some of the best available cocktails and beers, especially Beck’s, makes it a favourite evening destination.

Mike Redfern and Nathan McLay were first to hit it on the decks. Usually around this time when you arrive at a venue, you can only expect a handful of people there and I was pleasantly surprised to see how full the crowd already was. The atmosphere was buzzing and there were quite a few people. Outside the awesome visuals were bringing the venue walls and ceilings to life. I was very impressed to see such a wide variety of people at this event. It’s always a pleasure to see a mixture of the crowds coming together to enjoy quality music and production. With senses satisfied and the scene perfectly set, my attention was drawn to the main event of the evening. The music is what brings us out to these events after all.

Arto Mwambe followed from Redfern and McLay. He progressed slowly and seamlessly through a selection of fine deep house cuts, with smatterings of layered, atmospheric minimalism. I love it when artists produce really good tracks so that when you go along to see them play a DJ set, they are just as good as a live performer as well. The night was truly owned by the unique deep minimal-tech sounds of Germany’s Isolee as he played a deeply moving set that stimulated my mind as much as my feet. I couldn’t help myself from drifting towards the very welcoming and animated dance floor.

Before too long, the night had come to an end. Although I walked away with fond memories of Berlin Sessions this time around, I found myself a little bit disappointed that there were less of the loopy, minimal, robotic sounds heard from the last Berlin Sessions. All the elements were there to make the night a success, and overall, the quality of the music and production was exceptional. I will definitely be looking forward to the next one!