A chalky white cocoon-like mass hung menacingly above the centre of Space's Terrace dance floor. Conceived as a musical 'womb' the creative heft of the Kehakuma project, now entering its fifth year of operation, has been newly turned to look upon the highly competitive Saturday night slot after splitting from Richie Hawtin's ENTER project. A post apocalyptic cave of hungry rhythm and creeping ghosts, Kehakuma presents itself with unflinching style.
Dedicated to a harsh and boldly artistic vision of waxy ghosts and blood-red propaganda you are invited this season to 'lose your mind; find your soul'. Although on first glance its inky facade seems to entirely juxtapose itself with the sun-covered positivity of the island, beneath the surface is a brand that lies in pursuit of the very DNA of dance music.
A line up featuring the Godfather of Techno alongside innovators-come-veterans Vincent and Huckaby represented a long low bow to the past that created our present. The addition of Nina Kraviz - who of late has been pushing an increasingly avant-garde sound - embodied the joining link between the colder, metallic world of today and the rough-edged soulful groove of a distant chimney-stacked skyline.
Ever the beloved and dedicated teacher, Mike Huckaby began the night with a gentle showcase of his classic sound, using vocals bristling with groove and muffled, compressed sounds to address a filling room. His silky analogue productions can be considered amongst the most soulful and authentic sounds of the last twenty years and Huckaby delivered a set bustling with classic house sounds, claps and vibes.
New York's renaissance leader Levon Vincent led a dry pacing march. Exploring gritty, stripped sounds in an oddly subdued manner; sharp tribal drums were a constant motif in his percussively led set. Using a linear mixing style and use of solid minimal elements, Vincent seemed to be deftly and imperceptibly drawing the crowd downwards, away from the sunshine and into a shadowy lair far removed from the glitz of his surroundings. If Ibiza is experiencing a return to the underground then Kehakuma seems miles beneath - or ahead of - it.
There was a spark of energy as the much-discussed Kraviz took to the stage. Opening with a swath of ringing industrialism the Siberian artist - who is currently working on her debut LP - has experienced a meteoric rise in recent years. Berlin influences were obvious as a slog of clacking 303 patterns and travelling shadows framed a unique sound that peaked with a broken, stuttering interlude of screeching sirens. After some minor hiccups, Kraviz produced many smooth tight transitions in what was a varied set dipping between acidic Detroit, hard clunking, and left-field creeps.
El Salon, modeled as the Zen Garden, was hosted by KALUKI who presented a collective of fledgling DJs. In the earlier hours soft, brass infused house drifted around the lounge space, a refreshing change from the strictly moodier grooves in the main room. Later, the move from hushed; rasping piano keys into a needed minimal groove was made with The Dolphins 'Technopanico' courtesy of resident Webby.
'Detroit is the most advanced in the transition away from industrialisation'. If the creation of techno can be attributed to the mind of one man it is Juan Atkins of Detroit. Original member of the Belleville 3 alongside Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson, Atkins set down the original mission of Techno, to present a futuristic, innovative sound that used the clinical coldness of machines to project soul and humanistic self-reflection into space. Evil wonky keys signalled an infectious and appreciative reaction from the audience, many recognising this as a once in a lifetime experience. Warmth flowed from Atkins as his simplistic construction and an effortlessly spun groove was cradled in the soulful thump of the Motor Cities heartbeat. Perhaps Ibiza is the real world version of the 'sun and soul' embodied within the claps and synths of Detroits techno output.
Whilst musically the night is committed to pushing the most overtly underground policy on the island it is in danger of losing itself and its audience in a search for the perfect visual aesthetic. As experience tells, a feeling cannot be manufactured, and Kehakuma must allow the chaos of human nature to play out, rather than clinging to an empty, but highly polished idea. With an exciting and original music policy Saturdays at Space are surely the perfect home for this rising minimal troupe from another dimension. Expect refreshing things.
