Structure: A strong and stable techno collective in London

Unassuming and gurgling away in the depths of East London, Bloc. sits at the end of a lane lined with barbed wire just off Bow Road. Waiting to welcome the loyal crowd congregating for a night of solid techno minus the ket spoon wankers, the Structure team have pulled out all the stops for their penultimate party of the year.

Curating intimate, loud and sweaty events for dedicated fiends across London over the last few months, Structure have firmly nestled themselves in the underground community thanks to the their quality bookings and fuck off sound system at stripped-back haunt, Bloc. A main room adorned with a sturdy Martin Audio system, simple bar and a well-worn seating area make up the space home to the collective. AnD, Sunil Sharpe, along with residents Aux1, Mosai and Xavier complete the bill with the combination of the Manchester based duo and the Irish wizard raising alarm bells on London’s techno turf.

Given the nature of the line-up, resident Aux1 faces the challenge of warming up the room without going in too heavy, and does so flawlessly. A pumping B2B entails between Mosai and Xavier as they bounce off each other with tracks like VSK's 'Echinopsis' and Planetary Assault System's 'Groucho' swirling in and out of the speakers, as the pair do a respectable job of getting us ready for what’s to come.

Gracing the decks at 3am, Dublin’s own Sunil Sharpe (highly anticipated from the Irish contingents present) whacks out two hours of exceptional techno with old skool ghetto house thrown in for good measure, all thanks to his extensive vinyl collection. Prostitute's 'Albion Remains' reverberates off the walls before stinkers like Cassegrain's 'Trappist (The Mover remix)' make an appearance amongst the industrial stench. The swift movements of Sharpe ripping records off the 12010’s blended with the intensity of the melting visuals overhead leaves the dance floor positively gurning for AnD’s arrival in the early hours.

Influenced by ‘everything that surrounds us!’, Andy and Dimitri arrive on cue armed with a monstrous live set-up for two hours of hell (good hell) before the BPM reaches a new level of ridiculousness as daylights creeps in. As the sun rises, the squelchy sounds from the pair get bolder, fatter and faster gearing us up for the possibility of an after-party rather than a disorientated Uber ride home.

You get what you need from Structure - no bullshit sound, cutting visuals, minimal lighting and the highest quality cacophony from artists who do not frequent London regularly - playing well into the foggy, confusing hours of a Sunday morning. With no VIP areas and a congealing pizza near the sagging couches outside the main room, there’s a comfortable vibe in Bloc. which carries through the positive energy emanating from the Structure residents to the smiles radiating from the ravers all night.

Structure’s goal to reach ‘a state of perfect bliss, oblivious to everything else’ was certainly achieved that night and a blissfully promising future lies ahead for the group as their next party - a showcase of the Manchester based Clergy label along with label boss Cleric, Setaoc Mass, Reflec and Structure resident Aux1 - hurtles towards us on December 16th.

Enough said.

Photos: Larry J

#SunilSharpe #AnD #Xavier #Mosai #Aux1 #Bloc #Structure