Seth Troxler peddles the kind of funky, minimal, beat-driven music that one would expect from a man who's admitted that "Richie Hawtin is my favorite DJ."
The producer, originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, honed his sound while throwing techno parties in Detroit, and later moved to Berlin, where he's continue his tech-house odyssey.
But on Valentine's Day, this world-traveled dance music star (who sometimes appears fully nude for festival promos) brought his Terrace of Love party to Space Miami. And it was a late night for the lovers of the Magic City.
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Anything other than sheer prowess in the DJ booth would be unacceptable from Seth Troxler.
And of course, when stepping foot on to Space's Terrace and seeing London party pro Ibellini warming up the crowd, it's inevitable that a good time is going down.
A quick trip to the club's Loft also revealed a pounding set from Allen Gallego. But the pheromones were stronger on the Terrace, where Ibellini was dropping banger after house-infused techno banger, which just rippled through Space's Dynacord sound system.
The crowd was divided, though. Half completely uninterested in the music, talking to women, ordering bottles, wandering around and attempting to grind on various strangers, while the other half danced, bobbed to the music, or simply stood transfixed at the wonder that was Bassam Ibellini's set.
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Around 3 a.m., Troxler took control, showering the Space party people with throbbingly romantic vibes.
The transitions and song selection not only fit with his hilariously themed V-Day concept, but showed off his uncanny ability to match both the atmosphere of wherever he plays, both geographically and in terms of venue.
He was playing half for himself and half for a Miami crowd, giving it the type of Euro-club feel that you'd expect from a Berlin-based tech enthusiast.
It wasn't quite a Troxler festival set. But then again, who would expect such a thing? And there were plenty fans who were deeply appreciative of Troxler's sophisticated touch.
And yet... Overheard a few feet away was sheer blasphemy: "Who is this guy? Let's go upstairs."
Still, even if some of the crowd was lukewarm, it was a nonstop party for the next two hours, with Troxler hilariously bobbing behind his decks, and seesawing between melodic tech house and straight techno. (Plastikman, Mr. Richie Hawtin, would have been proud had he been in attendance.)
Very few things beat a romantic night of solid dance music and legit mixing skills
Both lovers and clubbers were lovedrunk by sunrise.
-- Steve Vaynshtok
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