If nights had attire made to symbolise them, HQ would be a waistcoast and faded jeans: appealing enough to present to your gran, but not lacking the functionality and freedom for a traditional knees-up. The idyllic apprehension of contemporary drum & bass events would be that those who wandered, and are lost from the non-mainstream (and non-conformist) could find their path and recoil a love for the genre they abandoned. The onset of UK Garage disconnected many heads from the genre in the late nineties, while certain producers left or crossed over. The subsequent demise of experimental labels (think Partisan, Reinforced) and the loss of large imprint backing (Virgin, Talkin' Loud, etc), with Goldie's "Timeless" breaking musical boundaries, means that those jaded have a lot to remember that was superior to the wasteland characteristic of drum & bass today. HQ represent to fix and fuse.
The current measurements are high attendance, newer names integral to the growth of minimalist d&b getting booked, however a small scope of artists for consideration. Underexposed talent is difficult to pin down, and takes time to be recognised. Furthermore, not every producer is a DJ, and those who are could be too inexperienced to support main acts, or headline themselves. Inherently, also, the likelihood is they'll have made a small pool of tunes to present - for fear of tripping up into a mixing trainwreck - or will be looking to push their own productions (most fresh out the studio) so they get more bookings. It's an interesting argument: do you let the "real" DJs masquerade, or compromise the art of set-building for exclusive content to your night? HQ have the balance locked down well: treated by resident DJs Azonica and Chemical to the might of Photek and Source Direct, they return to the 90s, so that for old school heads attending, the evening is not consigned to the category of nonsensical.
The warm-up becomes honey mixed with dynamite. With The Cellar's system now enhanced, these tracks sound glorious. "Ready on the left, ready on the right?" asks Danny Breaks' "Firing Line (Origin Unknown Remix)". I had my appetite whetted for Data. Deep pads harness congruent wholeness, before powering like a steam train into 170bpm bliss. Hypnotic and arresting, the subs really are a peach. Data's "The Enemy Within" rattles the ribcage at 15 minutes in, coming off like the lovechild of Decoder and Surgeon. Thumping bass pressure coalesces with crafty edits and seasick synth growls. The mixing is tight and energetic, a perfect accompaniment to the dancefloor enthusiasts. The militancy is almost frightening, but maintains a sedation thanks to a sparse usage of the elements. The trend of minimalism in d&b is not a token-to-2009 affair; Deep Blue was championing the theories in 1999, but with the introduction of Cylon and their online mixtapes, it seems more and more are perceiving drum & bass as best in its barest essentials, a possible reaction to the stadium rock & bass that is prevalent in the scene. Pendulum swam into the covers of Kerrang! by it, lest we forget.
Data takes the ventures down low and guests are surely appreciative. It's his second stop at HQ and there's a marked improvement in cohesiveness tonight. There are echoes of circa "Piper" Jonny L present. The beats: sharp like razor blades, the bass piercing, comparatively to Azonica's selection, there's not much for the hips to cling onto. Data is expressionless throughout, a robot commanding cyber-domination with an entourage of tech-steppin' mercenaries. Whilst all this is going on, MC Manikular hosts measured, knowing when to shut up and let the beats talk.
Representing Cambridge, Commix have succumb to internet reviews that they look miserable behind the decks when they play out. Tonight they're making an effort, bopping while twiddling knobs. They hold my attention with sparkling melodies. It would be crass to say they plod, but unlike Data, there's not a lot of variation to compensate the raggedy steppers; no half-time, space trapped by rumbling blasts of bass. Legible rewinds aside, they could do with an injection of serotonin to offset the regimentation.
The success of an HQ night belongs to subtlety, not monotony. If you're a punter who's never listened to d&b before, you'd be advised to come for the full duration to sample a wide range of styles that could appear offensive with short exposure. Home listeners crave plenty of variety while not sacrificing musical content. HQ excites its fanbase by booking DJs who feed off the crowd, letting in MCs who compliment the music, playing classics from years gone by, siphoning dubs as unknown quantities, and applying consistency to all of the aforementioned. Watch out for the October 30th all-nighter with d&b legend Doc Scott.
HQ: MySpace
Data: MySpace
Commix: MySpace
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