Dirty South 11.19.10 @Pacha NYC: Review

With Axwell’s remix of Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition” blaring out of Pacha NYC’s impressive sound system, Dirty South began his set on the right foot. The champion of this summer’s anthem “Phazing” was set to play in front of a massive crowd, and tensions were running high. Eyes glistened with anticipation of what the Serbian-born Australian DJ would play…Dancing Astronaut faithful, read on for a review that will have you feeling as if you were there.

Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition (Axwell & Dirty South Remix)

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A few words need to be said about Dirty South’s style – for the man definitely has one. A style, it seems, tailored to either favoring playing songs off the radar (i.e. not the “bangers” we tend to recognize in an instant), or his own tracks – two categories that are not mutually exclusive. The majority of the set was a protracted “Look ma, no headphones” moment. Dirty South clearly knows not only his craft, but his tools. Transitioning with ease from track to track, Dirty South’s ruthless slicing and dicing of intros and outros made for quite a tasty beat fillet. Of note was a track that sounded roughly like a mashup of Louis La Roche’s “Malfunction” and David Guetta’s edit of Robbie Rivera’s “Rock the Disco,” combining the best elements of both.

Louis La Roche – Malfunction

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Robbie Rivera – Rock the Disco – David Guetta Laptop Remix

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Sooner than expected came the seminal “Phazing,” though this Phazing was not the happy-go-lucky, million-miles-away Phazing that has cheered so many ears and minds. This was a flanged, echoey, and moody Phazing – FrankenPhazing. Add to this a vibey remix of Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and a thickly filtered Narcotic Thrust remix of Cassius’ “The Sound of Violence”, and out comes a recipe for an irresistible urge to dance.

Dirty South – Phazing

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Cassius – The Sound of Violence  (Narcotic Thrust Remix)

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The Cassius track melted all over the “Meich / Clocks” rework recently favored by Sebastian Ingrosso. Later on in the set, Booka Shade vs. MANDY’s “Body Language” twirled into Adrian Lux’s “Teenage Crime,” ratcheting up the energy of a tranquil set. Some final highlights:

Miike Snow – Silvia (Dirty South & Sebastian Ingrosso Remix)

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And a surprise drop of Dennsi Ferrer’s “Hey Hey” with the perfect layering of effects that made the track seem to almost glide out of the speakers.

Though the set wasn’t phenomenal, it was still a good one. While the peaks were on par, sometimes the valleys were just too low. So did something go “south” at Pacha? Not completely. Dirty South performed a wholesome set as would be expected of any elite DJ, meeting, even beating, many expectations.

And then, a breath of fresh air – DJ Brian Massey, the seemingly typical Jersey boy, with his New York swagger and Yankee baseball cap, took control of the decks. A DJ of just three years, he has already played with the likes of David Guetta, Benny Benassi, and Steve Angello. DJ Massey dropped some heavy bombs like Porter Robinson’s “Less Go” on a tired crowd, reviving them. He will be closing for Max Vangeli on December 17th at Pacha NYC. Soundcloud.