October 10 saw the return of ‘Together’ to London’s Ministry of Sound after a heavyweight Ibiza season this summer, having featured the likes of Chase ‘N’ Status, Sub Focus, Hot Since ‘82, Pete Tong and their pick of Defected DJ’s through the summer months, ‘Together’ brought the party back to London for a one night only festival of bass.
An assortment of the best established and emerging talent which included Zinc, BBC 1Xtra’s Mistajam, Roska, Jack Beats, Kry Wolf, and Kayper, took over Ministry Of Sound’s The Box room while inside room 103, New York Transit Authority, DJ Klose One, Double Cream and Beth Yen were all on hand spinning ones and twos for bass hungry ravers.
With the Ibiza season over for another year, this was the kind of send off that had plenty of people counting down the days until next summer. In the heart of South London with it’s typically eclectic mix of music lovers, Zinc opened the party with a set that held nothing back. Diving head first into some of the best dance music the UK has to offer, shifting effortlessly between the main room sounds of Groove Armada, the upfront vocals of JME and his own brand of crack House, this was the kind of set that has you sweating from start to finish.
Up next was Mistajam with the crowd now fully warmed up, he took the reigns as the crack House gave way to some Old Skool Garage gems in a mix that spanned at least four genres. Having cemented his place on Radio 1’s ‘urban’ sister station BBC 1Xtra, Mistjam’s DJ sets are often underrated – he came to Ministry with a bag full of tricks and played a set that showcased his taste and musical knowledge in one huge breathless run from Sia’s “Little Man” to Tiga Vs Audion’s “Let’s Go Dancing”, this was about showing off all that is great about the Dance music scene – The Box was a raucous, heaving mess, soaking up the remixes and catting for the reloads.
Taking time out from the current tour, Jack Beats was the event’s special guest in a night that simply went from strength to strength. Playing a set jam packed with new music that hasn’t even appeared online yet, this was a Ministry of Sound exclusive that made it easy to see why Jack Beats’ tour dates are constantly sold out. In a rare treat, revellers got to sample some of the best new music in the bag and it’s safe to say the crowd in The Box showed their full appreciation.
Not to be sniffed at, both Roska and Kry Wolf more than held their own on this stellar bill. Bringing his typical blend of blocky melodies and swung House percussion, Roska was on hand to make sure the vibe never dipped. Dropping his latest release from the Simma Red label of Low Steppa called “Hover”, designed to test the sturdiest of sound systems and Ministry’s crisp delivery passed the test, you can listen back to his full set here.
Hailing from Bristol and South Sea, Kry Wolf came with a few choice picks from their labels Sound Of Sumo and Food Music, enjoying the success of their recent EP The Feels – released earlier in August – these two brought a taste of what anyone uninitiated can expect from their Food Music label, a partnership with Shadow Child that is home to a wealth of remixes and refixes by both artists and a host of others.
Ministry of Sound remains in the foreground of London’s Dance music scene, and with the recent spate of club closures, you can’t help but be impressed at the longevity of this venue. No trouble, no gimmicks, great bookings and a heavyweight sound system. Magic words to music lovers and you can listen back to the sets right here, if you didn’t get the chance to make it down for this Ibiza Homecoming, there are always plenty of other parties on the horizon you can keep up to date right here too.
Words by Akua Ofei
