TuneLab
Joris Voorn
Awakenings x Spectrum ADE 2024
Joris Voorn at Awakenings x Spectrum ADE promises a more colorful, psychedelic take on the techno template, and this set delivers a journey through BPMs and moods with the Dutchman's characteristic narrative flair. It's for those of us who appreciate a set that starts in one postcode and ends in another, geographically and sonically. The vibe is immersive, fueled by Spectrum's legendary visuals, a synesthetic experience where the music paints the lights. Voorn navigates a wide BPM range from 94 to 140, averaging 138.7, and heavily favors the 12A and 3B keys, allowing for both driving energy and melodic depth.
The energy balance is more even than a pure techno slammer, with a strong but not overpowering low-end (0.56 avg), significant melodic content in the mids (0.34 avg), and strategic use of highs (0.10 avg) for accent. His mixing is, as ever, impeccably smooth, making the wild BPM transitions feel natural. The opener, Relapso's 'Nine Lives of Light', sets a mysterious, atmospheric tone. Kaan Pirecioglu's 'Human Engine' is a standout, a complex, chugging beast of a track.
Bjoern Torwellen's 'Codebreaker' offers a dose of hypnotic, loop-driven techno, while Nicky Romero & Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano's 'S.O.T.U.' is a surprising and effective fusion of big room energy with a techno backbone. The journey begins with the ambient-leaning 'Nine Lives of Light', builds through relentless rollers like 'Human Engine', and concludes with the driving, optimistic synth lines of Michele Garavini's 'Different Prospective', a satisfying resolution to a varied trip.