Voice of London

London is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world; and so is it’s music scene. Its nightlife offers an enormous variety of genres, venues, and events.

Since the 1990s and 2000s, the music landscape has changed enormously – both in the way its produced and consumed, with the advent of new sounds, new genres and new artists.

Today in Electronic music, House, Deep House, RnB and Dance (with all their branches), are the disguised hosts of London’s underground nightlife; bringing into the city art and artists from all around the world, and vice versa.

This unique exchange of artistic culture flowing in the city has inadvertently brought huge popularity to artists and genres otherwise considered a niche. And under these perfect circumstances, this is the reason why we are witnessing the rise of Eastern Deep House/Dance.

Eastern Deep House/Dance is a fairly recent music genre. Originating from House music, Eastern House is characterised by the presence of traditional eastern instruments and songs; that have deep influence on the unique fascinating final result.

One of the talented Pioneer artists of this genre is Oceanvs Orientalis, who recently played in London at La Danse-Village Underground, selling out a day before the event.

Oceanvs Orientalis often plays live sets, which consist of creating music live on spot, trying to differentiate as much as possible each song, for as long as the performance requires. He often includes tribal/traditional instruments and samples in his works, capable of filling of eastern vibes the whole club atmosphere.

The performance itself was incredible. Combined with the incredible venue, the atmosphere for the whole of the night was Energetic, dynamic, and stimulating; and not exaggerated or hyper-hyped as it often happens at events like this.

Even if packed, the event felt comfortable to hang in, given the particular and fresh atmosphere constantly and carefully directed by Oceanvs Orientalis. The whole event embodied calmness, flow, movement and exoticism, and I will never forget it. I felt like if for a few hours, this was a way to journey somewhere else.

This sold-out event at La Danse is symptomatic of a deeper movement that is concretely surfacing only in recent years. It’s not only about a great artist finally being recognised, or a music genre taking its final shape.

It shows that internationally, different cultures are starting to fuse into arts; that a new age of music conception is rising in the electronic environment, that past and future have a common thread, and that artistic traditions are not necessarily destined to disappear.

But most importantly, that finally audiences are getting closer to branches of music that would otherwise struggle to leave their niches.

Words: Luca Staccini

Photo: Luca Staccini