Event Reviews
‘Space Tribe’ Olli, Enlightenment,
Tyssen Street Studios, March 15, 1997
Olli has been my favourite DJ from my introduction to trance. The first real trance party I went to, in Tokyo, October 15, 1994 (how could I forget?), featured Olli playing ALL NIGHT and just blew me away…as did the clothes. I felt that I had wandered into an alien nightclub, and that this was what mathematics sounded like…The next blinding occasion was his Full Moon party overlooking Mount Fuji almost exactly one year later (October 10/11), where he also played the whole night – that was like being inside the filming of Baraka. I was naturally thrilled that he would be coming to London. He had just had a bout of double pneumonia, but fortunately didn’t cancel… He shrugged off an interview, not liking Dream Creation itself (and I can now hardly blame him)…but I was interested to see my review referred to in an interview shortly afterwards in Mushroom Magazine, where they stated something to the effect that “the London critics raved about your recent party…”
If ever there was a party that showed the power of psychedelic trance, it was Enlightenment's Space Tribe party. Perhaps much of the crowd was not aware of the power of DJ Olli's communicative skills before they went, but they soon realized that he is more than a DJ: he is a musical messenger, a psychedelic ambassador. It is no surprise that the artists behind TIP, Psychaos, Cydonia, Man With No Name, System 7 and others were there - they went not only to hear their friend and colleague in action, but to hear how their art is meant to be presented (as well as to have fun, of course).
Tyssen Street was beautifully tidied up, and Phil (Koyote) played a highly danceable opening set. As soon as Olli put on his first DAT, though, things took a quantum leap. The air became charged with excitement, and the music took on a completely different flavour. Proving that the DJ's intellect can travel through the music to permeate the atmosphere, Olli highlighted this music's building blocks and how each unit, phrase, and piece was structured relative to everything else...it all sounded so weird and alien, yet thoroughly organic. In the hands of this shaman, new tracks crackled with tension, and familiar favorites sounded completely fresh, due to the adventurous mixing, brilliant storyline, and the intelligence which bound it all together...evidence indeed that the age of a track is irrelevant, but quality and intention are not.
After Olli's massive set (about 4 hours - the other times I've heard him, he did the whole party), Antaro from Spirit Zone took over. His sound consisted of dark, growling, streamlined tunnel-vision music, a kind too seldom heard at London parties. It was a little too much of the same sound for me, however; I could have gone for a change of pace after a while. The music was consistently quite amazing, though, and the crowd showed no signs of wanting to leave, even when the party twice seemed to end. By the time things did finish up at 7:30, most in attendance had had a satisfying, cleansing stomp.
This is the kind of party that should carry a health warning ("extremely beneficial to mental health"). It was a reminder of why we started going to psychedelic trance parties. I suspect that many had never experienced anything like it; indeed, all parties should have this kind of vibe. We need more intelligent, music-loving DJs who enjoy what they do - perhaps this party will serve as inspiration. In any case, let us hope that we will not have to wait long before Olli plays here again - his message and the way it was delivered are all too important.
© 1997 Mark Ainley
