AFARI

An AFARI live set—the collaboration between Lee Curtiss and SPNCR—feels like being let in on a secret. This isn't about big drops or festival pyrotechnics; it's about the slow, meticulous build of atmosphere, where every synth pad and bass modulation is given room to breathe. The Lab LA provides the perfect, intimate incubator for this kind of deep, melodic exploration. Operating in a warm, inviting 123 BPM range, the set is a lesson in patient, live electronic craftsmanship. The harmonic focus frequently rests on the open, expansive key of 12A, creating a sense of wide-eyed wonder and forward motion.

As a live act, the energy is dynamically shaped in real-time, with gradual buildups, subtle filter sweeps, and layered textures that create a deeply immersive, headphone-quality experience on a dancefloor. The balance is beautifully even between warm, analog low-end, rich melodic mid-frequencies, and sparkling high-end details, resulting in a sound that is both physically grounding and emotionally lifting. The track selection, likely intertwined with their own live manipulations, is a curator's dream. They open with the melancholic, driving beauty of Yankz's 'Wait for Me', immediately establishing a poignant mood. David Glass's 'In My Heart' is a deep, piano-led house gem that feels timeless.

The inclusion of Tinlicker & Solomon Grey's 'Choir To The Wild' showcases their affinity for modern, melodic progressive house. Gaskin's 'A Fresh Energy' is given a monumental, 38-minute treatment, a bold move that pays off in hypnotic dividends. Even the deeper cut from Late Nite 'DUB' Addict, 'Preacher', adds a layer of dusty, atmospheric texture. The narrative is one of sustained, emotional ascent: beginning in the reflective space of 'Wait for Me', journeying through the epic, evolving peak of 'A Fresh Energy', and finally resolving in the gentle, melodic resolution of Sebb Junior's 'Everytime'. A live set that rewards close listening and complete immersion.