Transporting some of the best sounds in underground electronic music to the Croatian ruins of Fort Punta Christo for the last five years, Dimensions is a festival truly in its prime. Perfecting the symbiotic relationship between holiday and clubbing cultures which has come to characterise a recent wave of festivals hitting Croatia’s idyllic scenery, its impressive and diverse line-ups determine it a favourite amongst many house and techno enthusiasts. It is therefore no surprise that this early milestone was to be celebrated on an epic scale, with party powerhouse The Hydra playing host. Celebrating a fifth birthday of its own and with an equally impressive trajectory, this collaboration could not have been better suited, a shared desire to showcase the highest calibre of dance music emerging through a wonderfully curated line up that would turn up the heat on an icy night in East London’s Studio Spaces.
Kick-starting the evening’s proceedings, it was Dimensions Soundsystem who masterfully warmed up the main warehouse space, heightening the already palpable sense of excitement as the incoming two hour consecutive sets from renowned DJ duo Omar S and Moodymann edged closer. Embracing the party spirit, the former would be a highlight of the occasion, his cruising Detroit flavoured tech house beats rousing endless energy from an overflowing crowd of devoted dancers. Not to anyone’s disappointment, his own productions featured heavily, a special moment coming in an extended play of The Shit Baby, its melodious piano solo gorgeously echoing through the room in a shared moment of blissed out euphoria.
Over in Room 2’s celebration of Echocord sounds, Moritz Von Oswald offered a slightly darker alternative, following sets from Kenneth Christiansen and Luke Hess. Injecting a torrent of cascading techno rhythms with a late outing of Floorplan’s We Magnify His Name, the iconic German producer ended with pure feel-good vibes. As Mike Dehnert took over and finished off proceedings with an all too brief hour and a half long set in Room 2, attention turned swiftly to Moodymann. Flaunting soulfully smooth house beats such as Liem’s remix of Fusion Groove’s If Only I Could, he evoked the sun-drenched atmospheres of distant summers on the Croatian coast. Yet never one to confine his sonic excursions, revellers were kept constantly on their toes, with the Detroit selector unleashing Crazy P’s Heartbreaker just moments after Bjarki’s I Wanna Go Bang.
As the end neared, and the crowds slowly trickled back out into the brisk cold, there was undoubtedly many who felt the night’s conclusion was premature. And how could you blame them; with a blazing tribute to Dimensions’ pioneering five years within Europe’s dance festival landscape, London’s wintry settings had been ignited in a magical moment of summer nostalgia. A true masterclass in celebrating in style.
Words: Georgia Tobin
Photography: Jake Davis / Hungry Visuals