Words: Miljan Milekić
A lot of things can change over the course of two and a half years, and this show can be just a little reminder of that fact. In December 2015, Hybrid Minds visited Novi Sad, and Serbia for the first time. They were announced practically as support for InsideInfo, ending up playing with Prolix, after InsideInfo‘s unfortunate cancellation. However, even then, it could be seen that something special was in the making.
With their sophisticated, emotional sound, Hybrid Minds gained quite a few fans. ‘Mountains’ was a strong record, and slowly but steady, they were moving forward in the drum and bass scene. Then, the madness began. Last June, Hybrid Minds released their sophomore record – ‘Elements.’ Easily, one of the best drum and bass records in the last decade, ‘Elements’ quickly propelled them to the stars. Songs like ‘Touch’ or ‘Brighter Days’ quickly became the anthems and reached many people beyond the drum and bass scene.
So, two and a half years later, Hybrid Minds came back to Novi Sad, this time headlining the event. Supported by hosts – Drop Sensei DJ’s, Rcallz, Bane, and the winner of the Play @ Exit contest – Same, they easily filled up the venue, I’d say exceeding the expectations. To be honest, I’ve seen quite a few events at The Quarter, but I’ve never seen it this full.
Having a packed club in front of him, Matt Lowe didn’t really have a hard task of getting the crowd going, but still, he did it in style. Combining new songs with older fan-favorites, he quickly took things into his own hands. However, it was incredible to see how much energy and love was transferred from the speakers to the crowd, and vice versa. There wasn’t a single person in the crowd who wasn’t dancing, jumping, and even singing. Songs like ‘Touch,’ ‘Skeletons,’ ‘Kismet,’ ‘Pretend’ and ‘Brighter Days’ was followed by huge singalongs, more expected at a rock concert than a drum and bass show.
A shoutout also has to go to MC Bo_Jah who was there to help. I know for a fact that he’s a Hybrid Minds fan, and it was evident in every aspect of his performance. Not only he enjoyed every bit of it, but he knew exactly what to do on the stage. He knew exactly when to hype, when to call for action, and most importantly – when to shut up.
