TuneLab
Awakenings Festival 2018 Saturday - Liveset Carl Cox
Area V
Carl Cox at Awakenings is like watching a master mechanic fine-tune an engine that’s already redlining—he doesn’t reinvent the wheel, he just makes it spin with impossible, joyful precision. Area V on a Saturday night is pure, undiluted techno communion, a sea of nodding heads in the strobe light. This is driving, expertly curated techno, sitting in the sweet spot of 128.2 BPM and masterfully navigating the powerful 12A harmonic field, with shifts to 3B for added grit.
The energy is a masterclass in sustained intensity, Cox weaving a tapestry of robust basslines, crisp percussion, and subtle melodic hooks that keeps the dancefloor in a perpetual state of motion without ever feeling monotonous. The track selection is a global tour of techno’s underground: the iconic, bass-heavy rework of 'Touch Me' is a perfect, sensual opener. Andrea Salerno's 'Teleri' is a hypnotic, rolling gem, and Krysenstern's 'Physicality' lives up to its name with raw, physical drive.
The surprise of Ohmme's 'Fashion' adds a quirky, minimal touch, and the live energy of 'Bang' by Anti-Slam is pure peak-time fire. It begins with the deep, familiar throb of 'Touch Me', builds momentum through the relentless drive of tracks like 'Teleri' and 'Optimus', and winds down with the warm, melodic sunrise chords of KC Lights's 'Sol'.