Electric Circus with Tha Trickaz (FRA) @ La Maison :: Jan 14

What a night. And a proper party to represent hip hop both new and old. We say, this 2011 is up to a good start.

In the loft, Mr. smooth-as-silver Paul Silver slid RnB and quality commercial hip hop to the ladies and gents all night long, while downstairs, the main arena stirred up some instigations that showed the genre has now become more of an aesthetic. A way of playing as opposed to a specific sound.

Ko Flow stepped up first to the plates with his personal collection of jams. The floor was already healthily packed with hands-in-pockets headnodders, groovie jeanies and b-boys and girls. Favourite classics jumped along old-school tunes, dubstep wobbles and electro flavors, aided and abetted with the art of sampling, of which, hip hop is King. With beat juggling and scratching as his form, the story was told, Ko Flow-style.

“Would you say you’re UK or West Coast?” I asked, almost innocently.

“Naw, I play everything, everything,” drawled his reply.

So when guests Tha Trickaz took to stage, there was no more rest. Less was more with MPCs, a Roland PC 160, a couple of unidentified objects, and the Kaoss pad for good effect. Tight drumming, double-packed energy and a bag of tricks created a hot, rock solid set that had the floor pumping from start to end. Call it smart sampling, but as brand owners of a signature sound, they have created something inimitable and unclassifiable, but the people will try. So I try, with the naming of influences such as hip hop, electro, dubstep and drum & bass. Leftfield.

Here in Singapore for a second time, the Paris-based boys did not disappoint as masked crusaders of the chop suey beats and bass tribe. With an increasing following, it probably won’t be long till they are back again.

To end the night on local ground were homeboys J-Styles, Kevin Lester plus a surprise guest appearance from Syaheed, organiser to thank and multitalented man with the mic. Tuned in to their crowd, the partnering of DJ and MC was invented by hip hop for such a reason. Pushing all the right buttons, they took the bass up and down low and into the night that for some, didn’t end.

* All pictures courtesy of Bedsty