[Event Review] Anjunadeep Open Air Triumphed In South America Debut

Anjunadeep disembarked within the far continent for the primary time ever — and we had been part of all of it.

The Anjuna household of labels is a gaggle that has been a pioneer of the genres they harvest for years on finish. Whereas Anjunabeats, the principle division, rocked the charts in the course of the 2000s, its little brother Anjunadeep grew to become an absolute sensation in direction of the top of the 2010s, bringing skills similar to Lane 8, Ben Böhmer, Tinlicker and Yotto to the general public eye. You could possibly argue they’re fairly good at discovering the legends of the succeeding 10 years.

And with their very own Anjunadeep Open Air sequence debuting in a handful of locations throughout the seven seas, we had been all in after they introduced they’d be bringing the expertise to South America — Lima and Santiago. I simply so occur to be based mostly within the latter capital, so it was a no brainer to attend. And right here’s what I’ve to say. Beware, it’s lots. A great lot, although!

Arriving

Let me start this by saying, this was my first-ever official Anjuna-branded occasion. Ever. So the stakes had been excessive, and I’ve to spoil it, it didn’t disappoint in any respect. I Ubered to the place and arrived bang on time fortunately, a couple of minutes earlier than the primary act walked into the sales space — my buddy Paul Arcane. The venue took me unexpectedly. I knew the park fairly effectively as much as that time, however I’d by no means been in that nook of it, and its magnificence caught me off guard.

I used to be so misplaced within the excessive of the Anjuna environment paired with the surroundings that I even missed a lagoon in its perimeter. It was all nice, that they had stands for all the things from spirits to electrolytes. I even clocked a stand for my favorite vermouth, although I’d by no means go on to purchase me a cup, as a substitute doing beer all afternoon.

Daytime Bliss

First up on the decks was Paul Arcane, and I need to say, Anjuna’s alternative because the warm-up act was spot on. Not as a result of I’m a mate of his, I’m being 100%, full-on goal critique right here. His set was a RIDE, going between Natural and Progressive, however in a nonlinear style, mixing each at totally different occasions of the 2-hour set he performed. The way in which he’d climb to a extra chilled Progressive solely to drop again all the way down to a extra punchy Natural, all of the whereas holding a correct coherence, he crushed it.

I shared the entire day with a bunch of Argentinians I’d met by way of Fb. Seeing their flag waving amidst the group made me really feel proper at residence. They’d come early to see Ezequiel Arias, and I satisfied them to reach a tad earlier to root for Paul too, and so all of us did. It was pretty, it was all Anjuna within the early hours of the occasion: children, adults, even children with their mother and father having a picnic. The environment was pretty. Paul closed with a remix of that ‘Now We Are Free’ monitor, correct goosebumps, singalong second.

The transition to Ezequiel Arias saved the vitality ticking alongside properly, whereas his dense and distinctive Progressive sound transported me to my favorite nation, Argentina. His sound is so Argentinian Prog. You’ll be able to hear it. When you recognise their present, you’ll be able to’t keep away from recognizing the sound, that four-on-the-floor Argentines do this simply makes you need to transfer. Fittingly, as life would have it, I ran into extra Argentinians throughout this time. A great portion of them flew over to attend the Anjuna pageant, which this time didn’t cease down within the Land of Tango.

As Arias’ set drew to a detailed, I puzzled if Qrion was on the venue already, and like studying my thoughts, she popped from behind the sales space whereas Eze was closing his set. I went for a fast water checkpoint to down the beer I’d had, and winged it again into the group, anticipating my first Qrion set. She did phenomenally.

Momi kicked issues off with a contact of Progressive, not as purist as correct Argentine Progressive, as a substitute it was extra of a hybrid with Home influences. After which she went full-on Home. Not your customary tacky Home from style runways although, Anjuna-tinted Home with its personal identification. She dropped a remix of ‘Bailando‘ that I STILL can’t get out of my head. I’ve connected it to your proper so you can also assist your self. Q additionally dropped a remix of ‘Silence’, correct goosebump second, alongside tracks from her newest album, We Are All the time Underneath The Similar Sky. I by no means imagined these laidback tracks would translate SO WELL into the dancefloor. They’re correct sleepers.

Because the minutes glided by, Momi had the pleasure of pairing that day’s sundown, and the timing was spot on, pure magic. The gang at that time was pretty, a correct mixture of households, respect, and loads of Anjuna vitality.

Nighttime

As evening fell, increasingly more ravers began to reach, a extra combined bunch and, I need to say, much less centered on the music. The dancefloor bought packed to the purpose the place shifting grew to become a correct mission. My mates and I had been within the geographical center of the dancefloor, and I couldn’t dance correctly anymore. So I made a decision to retreat to the VIP space, having fun with the music from a barely extra distant vantage level. And I used to be fortunate to take action, as a result of I bumped into Marsh again there.

I used to be chatting with Paul and his household who’d come to see him play, after which one way or the other Tom spawned. A distant nod became a pleasant chat, apparently he recognised me from the occasions I noticed him in Buenos Aires. Such a cool lad. All of us loved a longish chat backstage plus nonalcoholic beer and water, whereas Dosem was tearing up the dancefloor along with his iconic Housy beats. It was a really attention-grabbing expertise, it was very Anjuna to be surrounded by a lot Anjuna at one time, surreal even, given the low frequency of label-related events we regularly have in South America.

Lastly, it was time for Tom to rock. Marsh’s set was, for me, the second-best of the evening, solely dethroned by Paul Arcane’s brilliance. Marsh by no means, ever disappoints, however Paul was such a fantastic act that I’ve handy him the medal this time. Tom… Tom performed completely in his 90-minute bracket.

All of the tracks I hoped for had been there, it really felt like listening to my Spotify picks with excellent transitions in between. His choice was spot on, from his chilled Home to ‘Rabbit Gap’, his remix of Bedrock’s ‘Heaven Scent’, his flip on ‘Sirens Of The Sea’, which he instantly adopted with the impeccable Antrim remix of Yotto’s ‘Silhouette’. Do you ever get to a degree at a present during which you shed tears? This was the purpose for me. Sirens to Silhouette was simply an excessive amount of. I used to be already feeling fairly jelly-hearted earlier than as a result of he’d performed ‘Solar In Your Eyes’ a bit again. Anjuna, in case you’re studying, please launch that Antrim remix. I’m begging you. On my knees.

Last Phrases

The evening might’ve gone on for hours, and nobody would’ve complained. It was an unimaginable day, with unimaginable artists of the best calibre, a gorgeous place and wonderful climate. My solely however is the group, although you’ll be able to’t do a lot about it, my purist self LOVED the daytime crowd, so the bar was excessive for the nighttime fellas. In my case, I used to be fortunate sufficient to have an space to relax out and mainly zone out listening to the music that has been marking my life for a complete decade, so I can’t complain.

Thanks to everybody who made this doable, and thanks a lot to all of the artists and their groups for displaying up simply after taking part in Lima, on little to no sleep, but nonetheless placing on a smile and sharing the love solely they know learn how to ship. Thanks, Paul, Eze, Momi, Marc, and Tom. You all rock. Oh, and for sure: we’re already counting down the times to your return.

*Cowl picture credit score: Victor Norambuena