Human history will suggest that force is fundamentally linked to deference - not so with Hamburg's Diynamic. This season the labels DNA - awash with soothing, emotive instrumentals and tender camaraderie - finds its home in a Sankeys playfully spotted with bright, neon paint. There is no question - Solomun and his compatriots have continued to cement their meteoric rise to fame by proudly running the gauntlet with their uniquely poignant sound - one that has struck a resonant chord with the island.
Each episode of Neon Nights is a dedicated homage to the Diynamic house sound with line-ups boasting a balanced mix of live and DJ-based artists. DJ Phono began in the Lab sporting a starched collar shirt and a wry smile. The German has an effortless knack for providing gorgeously eclectic sounds and tonight was no exception winding soothing, mournful string scapes with chiming slo-mo implosions. Although still danceable and musically striking the air I found the air hung a little too thick with desperate melancholia. The neon element of the party is intriguing: Diynamic sit in a position of overwhelming credibility yet have specifically chosen an aspect usually associated with the crass, tacky troughs of student Britain - the last thing Solomun wants is for his party to become a remotely serious affair.
In the Basement attendees seemed musically driven and involved - closed eyes and carnal swaying littered the floor overseen by one half of Kollektiv Turmstrasse. Infectious, milky soul layered with shimmering strings and vibrant drums ensured a well-struck precursor to Stimming's live set. Triggering live instrument recordings - as opposed to machine made audio - in a digital matrix sits a little curiously on the ear, the orchestral breadth of Stimmings sound seems almost too melodious to be confined in an Ableton clip. High and low pass filters ducked extensively around partial stems of his own tracks as the vibe continued to spiral towards good-natured hedonism.
Back in the LAB, Holger Behn aka H.O.S.H. was given the task of closing the quieter space. Although gifted with adept production capabilities Behn considers himself a DJ above all else - indeed he grasped the challenge of stirring the crowds imagination with animated gusto. Although initial crowd pleasers fell flat H.O.S.H. quickly found his feet, delivering Barnt's Geffen and Maceo Plex's Deez Nuts and receiving thankful results.
Chief honcho Solomun has put himself in an enviable position. His party at Pacha has enjoyed continued success and his island-wide reputation as a party-starter has never been stronger. The Diynamic head bares no bones about his mixing proficiency; it is enough that he exudes such an irresistible groove. In what was a remarkably cohesive set, the stuttering vocal hook of Kraak and Smaak's Let's Go Back was a precursor to a special moment of Ibizan solidarity: a room-wide sitdown erupted. Girls leapt upon shoulders, hip-hop flicks merged with coarse arcade growls as Solomun surveyed the room - nonchalant and straight-faced, has the creation of such memorable moments become too commonplace?
Solumun's brand seems unshakeable. Musically, a unified front of Hamburgian house is guaranteed; spititually, the party drips with foot tickling warmth and above all else, for a brief time you shall feel an integral part of the Diynamic family.
Photography by James Chapman
