A hip-hop DJ extravaganza in a coffee-roasting warehouse, starting in the afternoon and bringing the beats until late that night? Sounds like the kind of party I want to be invited to. And it was exactly the kind of party The Operatives presented Melbourne with on Saturday.

The coffee equipment is rattling as we enter St Ali’s Roasting Room a little after 5 on Saturday afternoon, with Mike Kay moving about like a madman as he works his craft behind the decks. The crowd is sparse at this stage and the lack of any seating for such a long event seems like somewhat of an oversight. However, those who have gotten down early were in good spirits, with a well-stocked makeshift bar and skilled bartenders helping the mood. The decks are soon handed over to local whiz-kid Andras Fox, whose impeccable track selection and mixing skills proves an early highlight.

In striking contrast to the coolness of Fox’s demeanour and performance, DJ I-Dee begins his set with some brash Miami hype-ups. Wearing a Playboy cap turned sideways and performing using earbuds, the DMC USA Supremacy Champion of 2005 plays a mix peppered with classic hip-hop tunes, showcasing his impressive scratching and beat-juggling skills. These skills, however, are overshadowed by I-Dee’s demand for applause at the conclusion of any impressive or difficult section of his set. It is both off-putting and unnecessary – the crowd are eager and ready to give applause without being prompted.

After leaving for a quick dinner, we return to find the party really being kicked up a notch by locals Nam vs. JPS. Taking it in turns behind the decks, these two look completely in control as they bring devastating bass and big danceable beats to the now ample crowd. They move between hip-hop, glitch-funk, dubstep and a raft of other genres in their impressive set, dropping Fatboy Slim’s Gangster Tripping and Aloe Blacc’s I Need A Dollar, amongst other favourites. DJ Kuya helps out in a few sections before taking over for his own solo set. Starting surprisingly with System Of A Down’s song Toxicity, before moving into Rustie’s Bad Science, Kuya plays a set that displays his impressive scratching skills and ability to transition seamlessly between completely different genres. His set is varied, danceable and wildly fun.

And then the man we’ve all been waiting for. Armed with a Roland SP-404 sampler, a mixer and loads of enthusiasm, Samiyam enthrals the crowd with a semi-live set comprised mainly of his own quirky beats. Wearing a Snoop Doggy Dogg t-shirt and with his LA Lakers hat placed next to him facing the crowd, the Michigan-born beatmaker is energetic and full of fun from the moment he arrives. Despite impressive sets from the DJs performing beforehand, the crowd is significantly larger for Samiyam, with many more people pushing up towards the front to get a glimpse of his mimed and real (off key!) rapping, mimed keyboard playing and the kind of banter we’ve come to expect from the LA beatmaking scene (“This is some new Samiyam shit…this is some LA shit”). Looking like a mad hip-hop scientist as he tweaks and hits the pads of his sampler, it is a refreshing sight to watch a set devoid of laptops or even decks. Although mixing in tracks from Gucci Mane, M.O.P. and his Brainfeeder label-mates Ras G and Gaslamp Killer, the main focus of Samiyam’s set is his own beats. Made famous through his Rap Beats Vol. 1 release, as well as cuts on the Hyperdub label, the beats are diverse and take cues from soul, jazz, 80s videogame music and classic hip-hop.

Leaving to the old-school sounds of DJ Total-Eclipse, we head in to the night with heads awash from the dizzying array of hip-hop we’ve consumed over the course of the gig. Once again, The Operatives have put on an amazing party, as they continue to bring out the most interesting artists from all over the world.