Drumcode Takes Over Exchange LA

This past weekend, the brainchild of techno lord Adam Beyer, better known as Drumcode, orchestrated a night of top-notch techno with four of their rising stars. Each of these DJ's can tout their musical and production prowess as they represent the next generation of dance music, particularly in the heavily rooted genre of minimal yet complex techno. There was no other fitting venue to host such a finely integrated sect of the scene with proper 90 minute set times than the notorious Exchange LA. Read on as we go into the nitty-gritty of one of the best nights we have experienced.

The night began with an opening set by dubspeeka, who set the pace with some lower tempo beats. A newer member of the Drumcode roster and making his debut across different cities in the US, his set was the right combination of unique sound design, a good pulse, and the nuances that define quality and creativity in a genre that some consider repetitive.

After the opening set concluded, the Amsterdam native producer Bart Skils stepped in next. After hearing Adam Beyer drop his monster melodic track Ocean Drive at this year's Ultra Music Festival, this man has been on my radar of DJ's I had to see. Needless to say, he surely delivered. Let's just say that my Shazam was working hard to find out what he was spinning.

After Bart completed his time slot, the next DJ up was the creator of complex yet refined techno from New York, Layton Giordani. There was no more warming up needed as he flung the gates open and unleashed a slew of absolute belters. Some highlights from his set included his recent collaboration with Danny Tenaglia, Live Again, and tracks from his debut album on Drumcode Where It Begins. 

As if you started to think the night would wind down after 2:30am hits, we were proven gravely wrong as Harvey McKay stepped up to the decks and kept the momentum going strong. A sort of veteran in the scene coming from Glasgow, the excitement did not dip for even a second as the crowd continued to lose themselves in the music. Harvey's latest release on Drumcode, the Black Dolphin EP is a carefully concocted masterpiece.

The night finished off with a bang as the clock quickly reached 4am. We were sad to go, but our souls and minds were both full yet completely open. It was an inspiring night full of new sounds, great people, and an always great atmosphere. We're looking forward to the next great night at our favorite spot in downtown!

Photos by Troy Acevedo