Taking over Saturday nights at HEART with jacking rhythms and old school aesthetics is the pumping new party vibes of WILDCHILD. We were over to check out the opening party.
Taking its name from the 90s rave hit icon, this nighttime venture is a place for those who fancy sinking their feet into body rockin' jams.
With the Game Over team at the helm, one thing is for certain. The calibre of music is going to be on point.
Taking inspiration from warehouse culture and block parties of the past, the selectors dig deep into their record bags, dropping a mixture of dance anthems and pumpin' beats.
The opening saw Phil Weeks, Alex Wolfenden, Dave Lubin and Andy Baxter step up to the boombox decorated stage.
A mixture of sun-kissed holidaymakers and island clubbers were there to dance to classic house riddims of the effortlessly cool dance floor space of HEART.
As dancers adorned in raving clobber grooved beside the DJ booth, MTV style music videos were projected onto the walls, adding to the retro vibe of the evening.
As for the tunes? Here's ten that rocked the WILDCHILD opening.
The Bucketheads - The Bomb
As this Kenny Dope and "Little Louie" Vega collaborative cut sounded across the dance floor, nobody could resist singing along to its super catchy vocal hook and familiar trumpet line. It got everyone swinging early in the night.
Stratosphere - Climax 3
Anyone who knows house music will know Madhouse Records, Kerri Chandler's label certified for releasing upbeat club heaters. Climax 3 is no exception and when it played out at WILDCHILD, it raised the tempo with razor-sharp instrumentals and pumping beat.
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You
(Bibi & Dim's Anthem From Paris Mix)
This remix of a 90's classic is a bonafide funky jam and a personal favourite of mine. I was especially pleased when Andy Baxter and Dave Lubin ended their back to back set with it. Reworks are always a big hit with clubbers and this one set the dance floor on fire.
The Astro Trax Team - The Energy (Feel The Vibe)
If there's one thing that can raise the elevation in a club, it is soulful female vocals. The Energy has Shola Phillips smoothly singing over bumpy garage house beats, creating a track that oozes good vibes only. It certainly got the crowd swaying along that little bit faster.
ALCATRAZ - Give Me Luv
You can't get more old school than releases from the Yoshitoshi label. Give Me Luv is one of those era-defining hits. A high octane heater, it hits all the right notes on the dance floor. Tunes like this rebooted the atmosphere of the warehouse party decade.
DJ Q - At Last
It wouldn't be a proper nostalgic trip without a classic DJ Q cut. This DJ's tracks can be heard across the Balearic sanctuaries. Club spinners go to them when they want to add a little magic into their sets. The "It's all about house music" male vocal screamed through the HEART speakers as Phil Weeks mixed this in.
Ultra Naté - Free
Another house music classic chimed through the club as the clock struck 04:00, signalling the finale of Phil Week's set. An undisputedly legendary track from the 90s, this anthem is a sing-a-long hit, all about the massive chorus and signature guitar riff.
Mood II Swing - Call Me (Moody Dub)
Dubbed up mixes are always a good way to get a set going. Alex Wolfenden took control for the last couple of hours and dropped this bass filled beauty. The loyal handful of ravers on the dance floor couldn't help but lock themselves into an early morning groove.
Armand Van Helden - The Funk Phenomena
Throwing it back to '96 was this super cool number. When this joint was mixed in, WILDCHILD went crazy. On stage, the dancers gyrated in time with those funky thudding beats and the clubbers responded with cheers and whistles.
Boris Dlugosch - Keep Pushin'
This final selection was one of my favourites of the entire evening. When it gets to 05:00 in the morning you really need something special to keep you going. Power deep funk and simply a body rocking, Keep Pushin' kept me amongst the other remaining ravers moving until the very end of the night.
WILDCHILD reboots the 1990s in 2019 every Saturday until 28 September.
Go on then, grab your bucket hat, Versace jeans and pump up the jam with this weekender retro crew this summer.
