World Unknown; when I started going it would take place in some dodgy tunnel in total pitch blackness augmented with dry ice, punctuated occasionally by a slashing white strobe, and even though you couldn't see it felt as though it was filled with nutters having it. The music was slow, dark and heavy as fuck acid and it went on all fucking night. Sometimes it was so intense and hot I wondered if everyone would still be standing when the smoke cleared...
Fast forward ten or more years and we're meeting mates at the Fox and Firkin Lewisham where the latest incarnation of World Unknown takes place. The average age of the punters makes me feel young, the room is a bit lighter than I'd like it to be honest and it finishes at a rather sedate 4am. The music has changed too, the pace risen and at times it's a kind of dark hi-nrg that he's boshing out although the oldies can't keep that pace all night so he dials it down a bit for the last hour, trippy and weird stuff. And to me, somehow, although the sound is different, the feel or aesthetic or something has been preserved. The slight uneasiness beneath the rocking beats and - here's the thing - they are fucking rocking. You never hear a selection this good in Portugal. I haven't danced this much for ages, I'm dripping with sweat, soaked through and I'm not the only one. In fact, the sweat wipes away the entrance stamp and the motherfucker on the door refuses to let me back in despite the fact I had chatted to him on the way out
Sure I'd have preferred it to be in a grimy warehouse and my personal inclination is more towards new beat acid than whatever you call it he's playing now, but it's great music and a great party. I'm impressed that he's still keeping it new and fresh and seemingly playing with passion when he could just kinda go through the motions - people tell me he's on form tonight so maybe it ain't always so good, I dunno. A while back we had actually booked Andy Blake to come play for us in Lisbon but the event was one of the casualties of the first lockdown. Luckily I saw the way the wind was blowing and held back on buying his flights... and as time moved on we never resurrected that night. Now I'm starting to wonder if we should. I would like to see this guy teach Lisbon a thing or two.
It's taken us two hours to get home mind which means I'm bored enough to write this. Also, I realised that some of you were upset by that blurred picture so I grab a better 5am version for you.
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When we arrive home two young foxes are playing outside our tower block. The other night we lay on the grass at the front about 3am until the local fox family stopped caring and approached us before frolicking around surprisingly close to us. I guess it's the same gang now so we feed em some chips.
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