This 'old man' faced a strange dilemma a couple of Saturday nights ago, a situation that indeed defined the meaning of being 'over the hill'. Very simply, to Zouk or not to Zouk? Sounds lame doesn't it? Let me explain. The last time prior to this particular Saturday's flip of the coin I remember starting out at Wine Bar and ending up at Velvet then in Zouk, with plenty of drinks slushed down the gullet to test the liver. What perhaps was more significant was how often I was yawning. At midnight or barely after. I felt embarrassed. I was the foothill of the proverbial mounts in of 'lame old age'. Last weekend I contemplated the consequences of making this journey from home to dancefloor. Would I wake at 2pm with a splitting headache and a robust new injury to my lower back? Should I just catch a movie on HBO and just go to sleep after? I knew what my mum would say "You crazy ah? What time already still want to go out! You and your friends!". The usual. Then I asked myself this one question, one I have been asking myself quite a bit of late: Will I regret not doing it tomorrow? Hmmm. In this case the answer would be yes.
Two young chaps help push me out the door. Well not
literally. Disclosure is an electronic dance act from the UK. The band is made
of two brothers who are on average just slightly older than half my age. The
Lawrence brothers have been making music since their teens. I first heard them
on Gilles Peterson show when he played the brilliant ' Boiling'. Then I heard
their remix of Jessie Ware's excellent 'Running'. These kids had a knack, and a
sound. They were destined for greatness it was clear. They did more work with
individuals and released some EPs. In 2013 they released 'Settle', an album
nominated for Best British Album and Best Dance Album at the Grammys. They didn't
win but my goodness, their singles 'White Noise', 'Latch' and 'F For You'
cemented their greatness, and impending rise as transformers to the face of
popular dance music.
Settle is no.13 on Rolling Stone's Top 50 albums of 2013, no.6 on The Guardian's list, no.1 on MixMag's list. MixMag wrote "When your grandkids ask you what dance music sounded like in 2013, just give them this album."
The thing I guess is their youth which gives them cause to experiment. Clubbers in the UK start young and they readily associate with Disclosure. Their sound is sizzling but it isn't processed, banal Euro crap. It's fresh and invigorating. These boys take samples and make magic with them. They invent and even sing on brand new tunes. They play live - synth, percussion and Mac for all to see. The best is yet to be for Disclosure.
The thing I guess is their youth which gives them cause to experiment. Clubbers in the UK start young and they readily associate with Disclosure. Their sound is sizzling but it isn't processed, banal Euro crap. It's fresh and invigorating. These boys take samples and make magic with them. They invent and even sing on brand new tunes. They play live - synth, percussion and Mac for all to see. The best is yet to be for Disclosure.
When one sees the 1-for-1 Midnight Madness sign, one cannot
resist. So I spent the next 30 minutes or so trying to get a drink. Of course
by then it was no longer Madness but one is compelled to make the best use of
one's position bar side having squirmed past 7ft angmoh men who keeping passing
glasses of tasty liquid back, shouty girls who seemingly keep meeting, hugging
and kissing every other spaghetti strapped, bustier clad damsel in eyeshot,
frustrated ah bengs who sigh and moan about the 300 people crushing them from
behind. Well such is Zouk. Many will testify to the agony of trying to be cool
while in line to quench thirst. It’s bonkers but a necessary club evil.
The exquisite set up by Jeremy Boon got the crowd moving bu
antsy and impatient, and there was a minute's worth of a surprisingly cohesive "Disclosure"
shouted at the DJ booth. It's was well past 1am beforethe party truly began.
The boys came on to mass hysteria. The next two hours or so were raving mad.
The tightly packed club held well on. Gyrations, pulses, arms flailing, legs
numb, bodies squashed, pushing, shoving, not falling down, drink spilling,
picture taking, phone dropping madness of electronic dance. I bet Disclosure were a tad surprised at the warm welcome from
the sea of fans in Singapore.
I stayed till after people left when the floor opened up and
there was space enough for calisthenics. It got dull and I went home. Happy I made
the decision to go.
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