It was a warm summer night, in the middle of a secluded woodland. My skin was caressed by the cool midnight breeze. I was surrounded by a family not of blood or my own choosing, but one I was united with in rhythm, as Black Coffee & David Guetta's "Drive" was the soundtrack to my profound realisations of the beauty of life. If I could create the perfect setting for the communion of house music, this would be it.
A moonlit night, with a star speckled clear blue sky. An intimate crowd, moving as an extension of the decibels of rhythm emanating from the speakers. Music as an art form that occupies sound. Pictures painted with transitions. Deep End: Under The Stars. The 61st edition of one of Zimbabwe's pioneering electronic music events. An Afro House herald whose excellence is measured in Shazams.
Intermittently hosted throughout each year, Deep End: Under The Stars, is a concept that's easy to love. An indulgence of electronic music out in the open. Something that fits right into the mould of Afro house's need for uninhibited self expression.
Hosted at the Art Farm, which was the near perfect venue, the most recent edition of Deep End had a lineup of brilliant up-and-comers, along with cherished favourites. Mimi Bouvier, Bam Bam Madame and Jason Le Roux were on the decks, and the line of street food outlets had Pistachios, Ciao Bella, The Grind Burgers and Masala Magic Indian. Hidden Culture's curation brought together a wholesome experience.
The DJ booth had a wood finish that blended well into the surroundings. There was the signature red hued light, that we've come to associate with Deep End from it's usual home at The Venue's basement bar.
While only a year into her DJing career, the multi-talented Mimi Bouvier is proving that her and the craft were always meant to be. Brimming with an Afro tech tempo, Mimi's set was one of measured pace and rhythm, with both being echoed in the emotions of the audience. A treasure trove of track IDs (Native P & Eddie Zar's "Hoza Hoza" being the pick of the bunch), that was dominated by MoBlack and his contemporaries. Not significant to the uninitiated, but for house heads it's clear sign of the DJ's ingratiation into the Afro house movement.
From Mimi Bouvier, we went into a set from the gifted duo Bam Bam Madame. Nicky Conolly and Kalai Barlow. A group I first witnessed at Afrobeyond and I've been a fan of, since. What had been an Afro house centric opening set was extended to other house sub genres with a deft touch. Maz, APACHE & MAXI MERAKI's "Nothing On Me," Daniel Rateuke's "Marimbo," Christos Fourkis' "Abantu," Bontan's "Play In This Feeling" and Eran Hersh & Nadia Boulif's "Samba Noir." The selections were greeted by a welcoming crowd and each new note swayed people into further motion.
When Jason Le Roux finally came on, the stage was set just right, and what came next was 3 hours of phenomenal music. Under the starry sky and accompanied by the woodland's atmosphere, it felt transcendent. While cosmopolitan in its selections, at the core of Jason's set was a carefully crafted rhythm, that was elevated and then subdued at the right the moments. At the point of climax, this was paired with house music anthems that had everyone erupting in voice.
From tracks like Alex Wann's remake of the classic "My Love" by Route 94 and Jess Glynne's, to Mörda, Thakzin & Mhaw Keys' highly loved "Yes God" Remix, Dlala Thukzin's 3-step belter "iPlan," David Guetta & Black Coffee's smooth EDM "Drive," Stromae's French pop "Papaoutai," and the crowning moment with "Horns In The Sun." It was as if we had been given a prescription of euphoria and endorphins had to be administered every 5 minutes. The culmination of a celestial night of house music.
Note: Let's keep working on making venues more accessible for person's with disabilities
Greedysouth rating: 7.9/10
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