Cocoon London Review

Sven Väth’s Cocoon imprint proved once again why they are kings of the jungle. After another hallmark season at Ibiza's Amnesia, Cocoon returned to London in conjunction with London Warehouse Events in what was billed as their biggest event since 2010. Head honcho Sven Väth topped an impressive line-up which had techno fans foaming at the mouth. 

Tucked away around the back of the O2, the newly opened Building Six sits in the former home of London super club Matter, and Proud2 - both of which were forced to close their doors.You get the sense that Building Six is still very much trying to find it’s feet as a venue but Saturday’s Cocoon was one in a string of star-studded bills to grace the North Greenwich peninsula.

Kicking off the main room, Mathew Johnson’s live show served up a delicious platter of techno laced with future funk. There was a party atmosphere hung in the air - with Johnson building up a high energy level which would be sustained for the rest of the night.

Dutchman Joris Voorn put in a jaw dropping shift, hitting the crowd with wave after wave of soaring house and techno. He reached the pinnacle of his set with the shattering piano riffs of Paul Woolford’s 'Untitled' (below)- an illuminated room filled with raised arms and wide smiles.

It was a standout moment of the night, only to be topped by the arrival of ‘Papa’ Sven himself. Showing much less hair than we’ve seen in years previous - he emerged fresh from a headline set at the Warehouse Project 200 miles north in Manchester just a few hours earlier. Stepping up at 3.30am, he didn’t disappoint. His two and half hours set was a no-holds barred, full frontal, audio assault. 

A huge grin beamed across his face during every breakdown. Fists pumped to every beat which thundered out of a top class sound system. The bass thumped through the club’s ‘body sonic’ dance floor, shaking your core with a relentless yet insatiable energy. He has lost none of his charm or charisma the club was still nearly completely full when the lights came up at 6am.

Cocoon has stood the test of time by moving and adapting their without bending over to the latest fads and bandwagons, circa this new brand of so-called ‘deep house’, for example. Instead, it delivers a signature brand of party techno that stands head and shoulders above the rest - they are a hedonistic force to be reckoned with.  

Saturday night’s show underlined that Sven and the Cocoon crew have no sign of slowing up. With Sven announcing on Facebook last week that London was his new home, the capital’s ravers will be hoping they won’t have to wait as long for the next one.

Like this? The Next London Warehouse Events party is on New Year's Eve with a TEED DJ Set, Breach, Bondax and more.