Words: Miljan Milekić
Drum and bass in 2019 is in a very beautiful place. So many different artists around the world are bringing so many different styles and subgenres, always bringing something new and fresh. However, there is a group of unique masters, people who are able to float between them, providing eclectic sets, and never failing to surprise. Alix Perez, the London-based producer of Belgian descent is one of them. Headlining Serbian collective Drop Sensei‘s 7th Birthday bash, he proved it once again.
I had a chance to witness his versatility myself. A little over a year ago, Perez played DOT club in Belgrade. Reading the room perfectly, he combined his own production with a strong selection and delivered a memorable set for a packed venue. However, considering the small club, and the intimate venue, he kept in on the more chill and melodic side, incorporating a lot of liquid tracks, and pretty much bringing positive vibes.
Novi Sad show was on the other side of the spectrum. Having a sold-out crowd of 500+ ravers in front of him, in a Petőfi Sándor MMK, which is actually a Hungarian theater and not a club, Alix struck with the full force from the very beginning. The minimalistic approach is some kind of signature of his career in the last couple of years, and it dominated this set. Throwing quite a few techstep tracks in the mix, Perez kept the cold, dark vibe, yet the set never lacked the aggression and energy. Again, he read the room as all real masters do, and the crowd got what they came for.
The rest of the night was reserved for Drop Sensei DJs and their friends – while Leol provided a great warm-up set just before the headliner, Bozne and Rokster delivered a great combination of the old and new school, touching on some legendary tracks from the genre history, but also handpicking some of the deep cuts. Opening sets of the night were given to Revibe and Nobru, Friski had the task to close the night, while MC Bo_Jah took over host duty once again.
