Techno lovers of the city partied till dawn, as Offline x Reality present The Warehouse amped up the volume, at JW Marriott Kolkata on July 9. Featuring headlining acts comprising Holland-based artiste 16 Bit Lolitas, Ankytrixx, Dualist Inquiry and Kayan, along with a dazzling line-up of local city acts, The Warehouse was everything that it needed to be. Great music with captivating visuals by Philip Gordon. In a freewheeling conversation with The Telegraph, 16 Bit Lolitas’ Arriane Ollieroock (above) talked about his style, expanding the base and how progressive music has evolved as a genre.
Is this your first time in Kolkata?
Yeah, this is actually the first time I’m playing in Kolkata. I got to catch a few glimpes from the car on my way. It is a beautiful city with life, colours and energy.
How would you define your act and your groove?
Oh, that’s the difficult question. I have a very specific sort of groove that I like to create and play. It’s all about creating a vibe for me, where people come together, party, dance and enjoy. I don’t limit myself to a genre. People often expect artistes to conform to a specific style and genre. I think it’s boring. It needs to flow freely, with variations and experimentation.
How would you say progressive house has evolved as a genre?
It’s been an evolution of sorts. Earlier, in the 2000s, it was purely progressive house, which eventually took the name of EDM and shaped accordingly, but the core essence was retained. In terms of production, it has most certainly been amped up. People grow up listening to electronic music a lot more than they used to back in the day, with it being more on the radio, YouTube and social media. The stylistic variations differ from country to country. I think, while it has evolved, the general organic vibe has stayed back.
Who were your primary inspirations in the genre that helped you shape your music?
Definitely Sasha and Nick Warren. Over the years, I’ve tried to expand my base and knowledge, thus bringing me closer to a number of other artistes.
How do your setlists usually look like?
I usually play a lot of my own music. With the first few records, I try to read the atmosphere and ease the crowd into the groove, with the vibe at play. It’s difficult to establish a setlist and keep at it for a continuous stretch of a hour and a half. It’s more about being in the moment, and playing into the moment.
What are your favourite places to play at?
Honestly, I love to play in India. Argentina, Brazil, Australia and South Africa are few of my absolute favourites. It depends a lot on the crowd and the club venues at these places have energies touching the roof.
How do you think the concert experience has changed following the pandemic?
I think there were people who probably did not go out a lot, and grew up during the pandemic at home, listen to progressive house. Lately, I think, seeing people get back, all pumped to experience these tracks at clubs performed live, is always a wonderful experience. There is a sense of bonding inching back into our lives with concerts getting back to their old flair.
Any artiste in India whom you love to follow?
Certainly, Ankytrixx.
Any message to your fans out there?
Keep on loving each other. And keep on dancing.
Mumbai-based artiste Kayan, one of the heading acts, quipped, “I have always loved playing in Kolkata. It’s a vibe. The energy’s always soaring.” For the night, she promised, “It would be different from what I usually play. With more of a house vibe, it will probably be a cocktail of house and tech-house, and let’s see where it takes me.” And with her setlist, she certainly did not disappoint the crowd.
“Kolkata will always be special for me. This is where it all started. The scene is exploding here, and has always got a great vibe. I’ll be doing the closing set tonight. Hoping to end it on an absolutely powerful high,” said Ankytrixx who was by far a crowd favourite.
“At Reality, we have been doing techno scenes every Friday. We got requests from numerous people to bring a range of artistes together with something grander and more vibrant in mind. The response was great. This time, we had an international award-winning act of 16 Bit Lolitas here with us and we look forward to do more events like this,” said Rohit Ojha with Ankit Madhogaria, co-owners of Reality.
“The idea was to get good artistes and people together. Techno music is exploding and Kolkata has always been a city with brimming energy surrounding music and good food. Piecing those together, while ensuring the safety of the artistes and the people also stood to be of paramount importance,” said Sumeet Suri, general manager of JW Marriott Kolkata
Dualist Inquiry was here to bask in the energy, while blasting out a wonderful setlist. “It is always great to come back to Kolkata. The place has got incredible energy. I’ll play into the groove and go techno-house for the night,” he added.
“The event was great! As the crowd got bigger, the energy was great and the different sets all created a different vibe, which were really enjoyable. I also loved the intensity of the lights, which added a lot to the experience for me,” said Simran Bajaj, who was there with her friends.
THEY LOVED
“For someone who left the venue as early as midnight, I had a great time. The music was amazing, and the artistes had successfully completed the task to pep up the crowd the moment they stepped on to the deck. The crowd evidently knew how to party!” said Aryan Chowdhury (right)
“The music and the ambience were incredible with great company of friends. I stepped in when DJ Kayan was playing and she set the mood. Ankytrixx was certainly my favourite,” said actor Rajdeep Gupta.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das and Reality x Offline