Volt with Ansome (Live), AnD & SPFDJ @ E1, London

Kicking off 2020 with a bang saw inSYNC defeating the January blues with a trip to London’s reputable E1 nightclub. Situated opposite the huge Tobacco Dock in Wapping, and renowned for it’s incredible Funktion-One sound system, E1 London is a multi-purpose space used predominantly for dance music club nights. An essence of underground bleeds from the doors as you queue up on old cobbled East London streets before entering the dark and industrial space. Although seemingly unappealing to many, for ravers there is something incredibly welcoming about the dark walls, timeworn exterior and pounding bass, which screams the essence of dark and gritty underground rave that Londoners and beyond adore so much.

The night in review; Volt, is a relatively new concept, born on just the 28th June last year. The brand claims to merge sound, culture and friendships with a love for Techno. In it’s seven months of existence, Volt has accumulated a strong following within the underground and mainstream Techno scene, bringing the likes of Ben Klock, Jeff Mills, O/V/R and more to it’s suitably tailored home in E1 London.

E1 resident DJ, producer and instigator of Volt, Antonio De Angelis (aka Toni D), kicked off the night with a 23:00-00:00 set. From doors, a steady flow of ravers, some lone, some in groups, poured out onto the misty dance floor and moved soundlessly to heavy ominous beats.

The Italian born Techno DJ & producer, moved to London in 2000 where he quickly became a resident at Kubicle, which led to performances at several other reputable clubs and cities, including Fabric, Ibiza, Berlin and more. Antonio’s style cannot be pinned to specific margins; he uses technology to manipulate sound and experiment within sub-genres, using his dynamic and strong House roots to dabble with contemporary Techno. Antonio De Angelis has seen his multiple productions released on respectable labels including Dynamic Reflection, Weekend Circuit, Gynoid Audio and Children of Tomorrow. Antonio has shared line-ups with the likes of Rødhåd, Ben Klock, Alan Fitzpatrick, Jeff Mills and Pan-pot, receiving recognition from Loco Dice and many more as he continues his journey as a respected DJ and producer.

Despite opening and playing to a relatively empty room for the first half of his set, Antonio De Angelis differed from some of his most popular House production styles, venturing straight into the depth and darkness of industrial Hardcore Techno, setting the tone for the rest of the night. Like a true master of his trade, Toni D seamlessly incorporated and blended a mixture of House, Acid-Techno and Hardcore, manipulating sounds and distorting rave-goers simultaneously with spectacular light displays, which cut through the fog of the club. By the end of his set, the dance floor was packed with Berlin-esque partygoers, warmed up and energetic from an excellently put together set.

Antonio De Angelis paved the tone of the night, as Damie b2b Marcus L shelled out with even darker, heavier sounds, followed by SPFDJ, Ansome and finally AnD. With each DJ, the harder the style of Techno became. As the night progressed, the crowd and atmosphere became more comparable to a distorted Techno utopia, one that could only be likened to the walls within Berghain.

For a seven-month-old brand, Volt has impressed with its extensive line-up curation. The night is partnered perfectly with E1, which adapts and accommodates a large following of ‘headsy’ Techno lovers, bringing an essence of pure gritty, underground, hardcore Techno to the London dance scene, accompanied by a unique crowd and an atmosphere difficult to find anywhere else in the city.