TuneLab
DUSKY in The Lab LDN
Dusky in The Lab LDN is exactly why we have trust issues with genre tags—what looks on paper like a house set veers into breaks, disco, and pure warehouse techno. We are, as ever, furiously taking notes. The vibe is that of a classic UK club booth: no-frills, slightly cramped, with the focus entirely on the monitors. Technically, this is a broad-church approach to electronic music, with a BPM range stretching from 125 to 167 and an average of 128, showcasing Dusky's eclectic tastes.
The key of 12A appears eight times, providing a consistent harmonic thread through the more chaotic moments. The energy profile is fascinatingly balanced for such a varied set: lows at 0.51, mids at a prominent 0.43, and highs at a mere 0.06, meaning the punch comes from percussive mid-range and bass, not screeching leads. The mixing is sharp and confident, handling genre switches with aplomb. For crate diggers, the opener Nuyorican Soul's 'You Can Do It' is a flawless, funk-drenched mission statement.
LEON & Shaf Huse's 'Can't Truss' is a tough, rolling tech-house bomb, while Sidekick's 'Deep Fear' plunges us into darker, driving territory. Folamour's 'Ça Va Aller' is the perfect, jazzy closing comedown track, a moment of sheer musicality. The set’s journey is a wild ride from that soulful opening, through a peak likely marked by the relentless drive of 'Can't Truss' or Jack Back's 'Survivor', and finally easing out on the warm chords of 'Ça Va Aller'.