We know our motto is ‘We Go Out‘, but even when we stay at home or in the office, we imagine ourselves on the dance floor. We spend the whole day listening to music and often put on our headphones to transport ourselves to clubs and festivals worldwide mentally. And because sharing is caring, we’ve created a list compiling some of those sessions and live performances that the Xceed team enjoyed the most during 2023. Step in and dance!
Palms Trax at Dekmantel Selectors Festival
Palms Trax is one of those DJs that inevitably imply good vibes. His exquisite musical selection constantly encourages house music lovers to try to dance and keep smiling non-stop on the dance floor. This positive energy brought him back to the Dekmantel Selectors Festival in a session capable of brightening anyone’s day, week, or even year with just a simple press on the “play” button.
GAZZI at SOUNDIT
Experiencing this live performance was undoubtedly one of the most memorable surprises of the year. GAZZI seems to feel at home every time he visits Barcelona -which luckily, is often-, and his performance at SOUNDIT was another proof of that. A session in which the Andalusian delighted us with his unmistakable marriage of micro house rhythms, UKG and a nod to ambient and IDM in two infectiously danceable hours.
Chase & Status at Boiler Room London
There is little left to say about this mix. After the release of their anticipated album ‘2 RUFF, Vol. 1‘ they had already marked a year to remember, but their participation in the Boiler Room was undoubtedly the cherry on top of the cake. We are talking, of course, about Chase & Status, who have confirmed that Drum N Bass is experiencing a resurgence and that they are more than ready to continue leading the genre.
Adam Ten B2B Mita Gami at Mayan Warrior
Sharing a booth with another DJ is not always an easy task, but from what was experienced in Mexico between Adam Ten and Mita Gami it seems to be. The connection between this Israeli duo shone at the Mayan Warrior, leading to three hours of melodies, minimal tech and lots and lots of groove.
Partiboi69 B2B DJ Heartstring at The STINGZONE
You don’t know what to expect when you pay for your ticket to see any of these artists. What you can be sure of is that the BPMs will be increasing non-stop and the musical selection may be outrageous. That’s why we’re not surprised to see Partiboi69 and DJ Heartstring sharing the decks, but we are indeed astonished by the energy delivered on this online set, giving us the strength we needed at the Xceed offices to get through the week.
Octo Octa at Dekmantel
We find it very difficult not to include in this list each and every session that was danced at this year’s Dekmantel. But it would be a real sin not to put on our particular podium Octo Octa‘s mix, from which more than one of us in the team has stolen a track or two for our personal playlists and USBs.
Bonobo Live At Royal Albert Hall
Get your popcorn ready, because this is pure cinema. We momentarily changed the dance floor for the stalls and put on our best clothes to travel to the Royal Albert Hall. A venue as emblematic as its guest, Bonobo, who celebrated the first anniversary of his residency at London’s very own concert hall on its 150th anniversary, at the same time that he was awarded the medal of having the longest streak of performances both as a solo artist and as an electronic artist in its history.
Four Tet, Fred again.. & Skrillex at Coachella
This magical combo couldn’t be missing from the 2023 recap. After organizing a last-minute rave in Times Square, the most prominent crossover in the electronic scene stunned us once again, proving that any limit we imagine for them falls short. Frank Ocean’s absence at Coachella gave us one of those moments that will surely remain for posterity in the history of electronic music, with Skrillex, Fred again.. and Four Tet taking charge of closing the festival in a B3B between three friends that made both those present and those of us who relived it through the screen dance and laugh.
Overmono at Boiler Room Manchester
If we talk about live performances in electronic music in 2023 we have to mention, of course, Overmono. The British duo brought to Manchester the experience and maturity of their recent tour, in which they offered us a balance between vibrant rhythms cooked for the dancefloor, more technical and experimental cuts, and a staging led by their characteristic yet cinematic audiovisuals.
Nile Rodgers & CHIC at Tiny Desk Concert
We close this list with a bang. The legend of disco and funk, Nile Rodgers, captivated us with the reunion of CHIC on YouTube’s most famous office desk. A journey through the many anthems that the American artist and his band have bequeathed to posterity, with a charismatic staging and full of talent. A delight for the ears capable of brightening any day, no matter how gray it may be.
As much as we cherish reliving these moments, there’s nothing quite like living them firsthand. And guess what? We’ve got you covered. Check out our website and seize the opportunity to craft those unforgettable 2024 core memories in person.
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