Review: Drumcode Halloween @ Great Suffolk Street Warehouse 26th October

Image: Tony TK Smith Photography

Please note this is a review of a past event - the ticketlink in the middle is for a related forthcoming event.

A Drumcode club night is about as raw a musical experience as you can get, and is most certainly not for the faint-hearted. The Swedish techno label has been going for 17 years – which is practically prehistoric in dance music circles – and has built up a following that has elevated it to almost cult status. Surely if we Skiddleites list it on the next census, we can make it an actual, proper religion?

Techno fanaticism aside, Drumcode Halloween has, undoubtedly, been one of our most immersive clubbing experiences of 2013. Set within the cavernous Great Suffolk Street Warehouse, with its cracked white paint, sticky floors and even stickier portaloos, Adam Beyer headlined a night that would have turned even the most sceptical of attendees into a fully-fledged convert.

‘Drumcode Techno’, as it’s affectionately known, has built its own niche within the industry, creating a sub-genre that is more emotionally-charged and accessible than your standard techno fare. It’s techno Jim, but not as we know it.     

The six strong DJ line up would suggest a night of various styles; however, you’d be hard-pushed to differentiate between acts, with the transitions astonishingly seamless, as if the night is one long set. And there-in lies the beauty of Drumcode, with its ability to take clubbers on a night-long journey, with no pit stops along the way. 

Nicola Moudaber, Joseph Capriati and Alan Fitzpatrick induct us into the first half of the night, with founder Adam Beyer also staking his claim, with an early set in Arch two. The dingy archways are filled with clubbers in a variety of fake blood-soaked Halloween costumes, from vampires and werewolves to zombies and skeleton brides – there’s even a (presumably not ordained) nun raving away at the front.

The culmination of Ida Engberg’s set is when the vibe noticeably changes, stamping her mark on the night with an emotional set ending. No one’s really sure how long she played, and we’re sure many present are unfamiliar with the set list, but that really isn’t the point of Drumcode – to play a list of songs people know, ticking them off like musical bullet points. It’s about an emotional connection. 

Beyer ends the night in sublime form, with a set that’s deep, soulful and uplifting; the sound’s big, the visuals are stunning and people continue to dance when the main lights are harshly switched on at 6am, illuminating a room full of crushed plastic cups and wonky eye makeup. Those unfamiliar with Drumcode before tonight have seen the light. Sweden is much more than meatballs, Abba and IKEA.  

LWE will return with another techno masterclass in November, when they team up with LEAF to present an extended set from Chris Liebing (main ticketlink). Head here for further details.

Tickets are no longer available for this event