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How Elysium is Crafting a Retro-Futuristic Home for Bristol Hardcore
How Elysium is Crafting a Retro-Futuristic Home for Bristol Hardcore
As a rainy Thursday evening drew to a close, rising bass emitted from the back of The Croft and keen party-goers kicked off their weekends early. Riding records like rocketships to the Distant Planet of Hardcore, events like Elysium add jet fuel to the Old Skool resurgence.
Founded by Interlude, a 3-piece Bristol-Based Jungle crew, comprising of DJs/Producers Ruben, Ell and Luke, Elysium is a safe-space and affordable party, platforming the likes of Acid, Jungle, Techno, Hardcore and Breakbeat.
The trio first met at university, where they began partying, mixing and growing their record collections together, and as the brain-child of this band of create-diggers, Elysium promises supreme musical selection. For their latest night at The Croft, Interlude shared the stage with Louise + 1 and Hughsee, founders of the legendary London party Distant Planet, for an all vinyl event.
Upon arriving at The Croft, you’re met with a bustling bar; students and locals alike natter over pints and cigarettes before a set of black doors that conceal the source of the thumping bass. Once your ticket is exchanged for a ‘X’ on your wrist, you enter the wormhole of rhythms. Blue and purple lights illuminate the venue's black walls and glow in the dark stars shine from behind the DJ booth. A stack of old TVs project the Elysium logo, whilst a separate flatscreen displays an ever-evolving stream of digital images that grow into entrancing sequences and shatter alongside the breakbeats. As specs of green LEDs intermingle with the reflections of the disco ball, you find yourself immersed in a space that’s both nostalgic and otherworldly - a sci-fi imagining of the present.
Besides being a music event, Elysium plays host to a multi-media experience, using lighting and projections to merge sight and sound. The result is a retro-futuristic world built around the vinyl selections, that invites attendees to move through an environment that moves along with them. Having come into the scene through free parties in London in the 80s and 90s, Louise + 1 and Hughsee have become established names in underground music, with their event Distant Planet, fanning the flames of Hardcore for the past 15 years. Sighted as a source of inspiration for Interlude, the trio got to know Louise and Simon by attending their events and asking them for tune IDs. Soon they’d be on line-ups alongside each other and playing livestreamed sets for Distant Planet TV.
This event was an opportunity for the DJs to collaborate freely with each other, playing tunes they all loved but don’t get to play often. There was an evident bond behind the booth, as two generations of Hardcore enthusiasts riffled through their collections together, bouncing off of each other's energy as their tracks bled into one another. Titled ‘A Journey Through Rave’, the night began with a selection of early 90s Breakbeat and Jungle tunes around the 140bpm range. Cross faders flicked between acid and kicks as members of the crowd blew on whistles draped around their necks. The tempo rose as the hours passed, delivering us to the faster Hardcore sounds of the likes of Pinhead and The Scotchman, pumping the dancefloor with ecstatic energy.
Since the explosion of raving in the late 80s, Hardcore generally hasn't maintained as large a presence with regards to mainstream line-ups. But it ever disappear? When asked who they look up to in the scene, Interlude, mention Sierpinski, Deselecta, DJ B, Mousai, Krunx, Obedeya, Midrib, REO, Skywalka, DJ Doubt, Jungalice, ISORA, and Gabba Ganoush as just a few names that build up their community. But, they also point to events such as Distant Planet, Singularity, AnExperience, Beaten Track, Hooney tunes, Velocidad and, importantly, the Free Party movement.
As a genre, Hardcore ignites energy and encourages freedom through music, an ethos that continues to be fuelled by underground parties and their surrounding ecosystems. With Jungle Techno rising in popularity, and Singularity launching their new festival Ground Rules this year, it's clear that whilst Hardcore never truly went away, our hunger for it is growing again.
Whilst I would question whether the soundsystem at The Croft is sufficient enough for the power of Elysium, this grassroots event, with its inter-generational crowd and collection of knowledgeable DJs, is well worth getting involved in. Elysium plans to continue expanding into more spaces and concepts, whilst keeping its DIY ethos and sense of community at its core, making it a great platform for showcasing underground talent.
The next Elysium is April 17th, and you can catch Interlude at Ground Rules Festival on the 19th-21st June.
Follow Elysium and Interlude and check out our What's On page to stay up to date!
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