There are not many reasons that warrant wanting to spend a Friday night on an industrial estate, nestled between Hackney Wick and Bow, East London. But if you were to mention that Detroit disco wizard Andrés was playing a rare set in the UK, the idea suddenly seems far more appealing.
The DJ is mastermind at flipping a soul sample, and clinically engineering it to make it suitable for any dancefloor. Having worked with and been inspired by a lot of crate-diggers including Moodymann, J Dilla and Amp Fiddler, Andrés has picked up one of the best ears for a sample in electronic music.
Once we did our time in the queue and made it into the venue I soon forgot the effort it had taken to actually get there. The bunker-like studio was perfect for Andrés to play at, being small enough to achieve a feeling of intimacy with the audience whilst simultaneously being big enough to offer each punter a generous amount of grooving space.
Andrés’ multitude of samples included work from artists ranging Marvin Gaye to The Lafayette Afro Rock Band. Vinyl scratches gave the show more of a hip-hop feel, but funk and disco were the primary verticals.
As the set approached its midpoint, Andrés began a journey through his own catalogue, playing You’re Still The One and Untitled B2. Although he teased the crowd with some new material, there was still a lot of older work it was a surprise not to hear him play. Things took a Hip-Hop turn later in the night, spinning A Tribe Called Quest’s 1nce Again and Main Source’s Lookin’ At The Front Door.
Finishing his set with Amy Winehouse’s Fuck Me Pumps drew a mixed reaction from the crowd, and it would have been nicer for Andrés to finish on one of his own tracks to please the adoring crowd, such as wispy Moments In Life or the timeless Resident Advisor 2012 track of the year, New For U. Those who’d come expecting to hear a more house-infused set from the Detroit-wonder may have left disappointed, but it was refreshing to witness something a little different.
