For the second consecutive year, Rampa, &ME, and Adam Port took to the stage with a performance that tapped into nostalgia and stirred emotions among all attendees—a moment that will be etched into the memories of those fortunate enough to be present.
Photo Credits: Chris Lavado & Erik Lorch
Undoubtedly, Keinemusik stands as the DJs of the moment and arguably the most significant contemporary musical collective, transcending genre distinctions. The indicators of their success are clear: fan-created social media content, memes, their own tracks, videos from behind the DJ booth and the general venue areas, the myriad posts flooding Instagram feeds for house music enthusiasts, and the countless comments and reactions on their official profiles, not to mention those from their fans. Their impact is monumental, indescribable… it’s beyond belief.
As a dedicated house music listener, I’ve often wondered if what I see on social media truly reflects the live experience. My interest was always in verifying the authenticity of their performances, given their exceptional musical production. Having followed them for some time, since moving to New York two years ago, I found myself presented with the opportunity to someday experience their renowned shows.
Keinemusik is one of those acts where you need to move quickly when tickets go on sale—they sell out like hotcakes. Last year marked their debut at The Brooklyn Mirage, following years at The Ruins of Knockdown Center. Their reputation as DJs, producers and live-performers had grown to such an extent that it was clear a venue like Mirage, with its large screens and capacity to host top-tier artists, was the perfect setting to witness these electronic music maestros in action, which I can now proudly say was a truly impressive, original, and authentic live performance.
Earlier this year, when planning my schedule, one event I felt I couldn’t miss was Keinemusik on July 4th and 5th. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. When they announced their performance back in March, initially for just one day, July 4th. I couldn’t convince my friends, as none of them knew them, so I decided to wait to buy my ticket closer to the event… a big mistake.
Tickets sold out in seconds, and the excitement was so overwhelming that they decided to add an additional date, July 5th. Comments on their posts about last year’s one-day performance praised the event as “the party of the year”—and that was only in July, mid-year. These simple assumptions served as powerful endorsements of their quality, and after that, most of the content flooding platforms like TikTok and Instagram featured their performances worldwide. Despite all this, I still thought it was all part of the hype and the desire to be present at an event where you’re not even a regular attendee, partygoer in general or a house music listener.
The Keinemusik phenomenon is so immense that, just a few months before the event, ticket resales became absurd and exploitative. Social apps like Radiate were flooded with messages, primarily about buying and reselling tickets, but also debating and discussing how their performance would compare to previous ones, such as last year’s NYC event and their recent show in Egypt, among others. This was especially notable considering that each of the upcoming shows in the Big Apple had one starting at sunset (Thursday, July 4th) and the other ending at sunrise (Friday, July 5th).
By chance, I was lucky enough to secure my ticket for the July 5th event and witness these masters in action. I chose the second day because, as a party enthusiast, I prefer to see headlining DJs closing with the sunrise rather than starting at sunset with openers.
At the end of the day, all of the above becomes secondary. What truly matters, and what I want to emphasize, is that what we see on social media is nothing compared to the live experience.
Desiree’s performance
As soon as I arrived and settled in around 11:45 pm in the general area of the Mirage, I found Desiree, the promising DJ and producer whom Keinemusik has recognized as a prospect in the industry, about to start. She was another reason why I decided to attend the sunrise performance.
She stood out not only for her understanding of what the attendees needed to hear musically but also for her fashion sense. She wore a green pillbox hat over a matching crop top and pants ensemble that complemented the visual design on the screen behind her, which displayed a burgundy theater curtain and Kloud’s profile clouds hanging from the stage rigging.
Between 12:00 and 2:00 am, the lights remained low, with only a backlight illuminating Desiree. The buzz of the crowd gathering behind her in the DJ booth added to the atmosphere, foreshadowing what was to come with Keinemusik: the feeling of being immersed in a “sea” or “ocean of people.”
This beautiful lady, originally from South Africa, honored her roots and, true to her previous statements, took advantage of the platform provided by the headlining trio and the privilege of playing at The Brooklyn Mirage to highlight the productions of her fellow countrymen. One of her key moments was when she played a remix of the classic ‘Kalemba (Wegue Wegue),’ a 2009 production by Buraka Som Sistema, as well as ‘Reality (Tech Dub Mix)’ by Pride&Joy.
Her musical selection, ranging from afro house and tribal to disco, with touches of tech house was perfect for heightening the audience’s excitement. Even a few small glitches in the set, where there were momentary pauses, were not enough to detract from her outstanding performance. Desiree held her own throughout, demonstrating why the headliners of the party has strongly backed her as an emerging artist in this competitive electronic music industry.
At exactly 2:05 am, the presence of Rampa, &ME, and Adam Port was felt as the venue’s lights turned on. From a distance, you could see a big hug from these three: they were bidding farewell to Desiree, just as the audience was, applauding the South African artist as she stepped forward for us to witness what was about to come.
The Magic Begins
After taking the stage, all the lights at the Mirage lit up, giving the impression of dawn. Noticing this move, many people in the audience started walking and positioning themselves at the front. By that time, the venue was completely overcrowded, something that attendees had pointed out had happened the previous year. For a moment, I felt, and so did many around me who stayed in our same spots, a throng of people trying to move as far forward as possible, but then I understood why: the “sea of people” is what gives their parties their signature vibe.
The venue’s characteristic screen, which projected a large digital burgundy theatrical curtain, opened to reveal the visuals of this trio, starting with a moving image of the Statue of Liberty spinning in the center, while a three-dimensional Keinemusik logo slowly wobbled up and down on the left and right sides of the big screen. Along with the lights, the volume of the sound system also increased, signaling to all those present that the party had officially started.
I, who often give metaphors to moments like these, said to my friends that the event felt and seemed like:
A gathering of close friends in a living room, with a speaker on, dancing to the most uplifting, groovy, sexiest and finest music in the world.”
Here begins my captivation: the second track started playing around 2:16 am with none other than Rihanna’s voice singing ‘Kiss It Better,’ from her album ‘Anti’ (2016), in an amapiano remix produced by Jaydon Lewis—still unreleased. I only had a couple of videos I recorded at that moment, as I was stunned that they played that classic in that genre, a recent category within electronic music close to afro house.
One tactic these DJs and producers use, as I have noticed, is incorporating voices, remixes, or covers of classic pop culture songs into their live performances. This is one component that, I theorize, is a strategy to appeal to nostalgia and create synergy among all attendees, making us sing along, which happened constantly throughout the night. Additionally, they prioritize not only their own productions but also promoting underground and emerging DJs’ creations, making their sets memorable.
Another notable moment was when the chorus of ‘Si No Le Contesto’ by Plan B, a reggaeton classic from the early 2010s, started playing from a faded beginning to full emphasis. Wow! I had seen a friend’s story who had gone the night before, and it had already impressed me, but it wasn’t the same until I heard and felt it live. That’s when I was most convinced that these DJs knew exactly who they were targeting. The remix—still unreleased, is produced by Dos Amis under the name ‘Contesto.’
The euphoria of the moment was so good that all the Spanish speakers were singing at full speed and recording with their phones. When it was my turn to upload the stories on my personal account on Instagram, I tagged my friends with whom I used to go out and dance to this genre, highlighting “pure nostalgia.” Additionally, I cannot overlook the beauty of the scenography. The screen was completely red, highlighting the Kloud’s clouds, whose up-and-down movements were almost imperceptible, especially the one in the center, which had already fully turned to show the peace sign.
I realized that Keinemusik constantly honored its name, which in German means “No Music.” Rampa, &ME, and Adam Port played everything. They played a variety, from afro, tech, melodic, organic and deep house, amapiano, as shades of rock, reggaeton, hip hop, and even pop. From the first three songs, along with the lights and sounds stimulating the attendees, I had already labeled it the “best party in the world,” especially when I heard one of my friends, Azie, say: “These DJs are top,” to which I replied that I had never experienced anything like this, despite going out a lot and sometimes thinking “I have a knack for choosing good parties, even on the first try” (laughs).
Around 3:10 am, ‘Me Porto Bonito’ by Bad Bunny featuring Plan B, another modern reggaeton classic from the album ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ (2022), began to play in a remix with the BPM matching the heartbeats. Unfortunately, like many of the tracks this trio uses for their live sets, it isn’t officially released, nor is it known who edited/remixed it, but what that track caused among the audience was unparalleled.
From what I could gather, ‘Thandaza’ by them; ‘Stellar’ by Dorian Craft and Baron (FR); ‘Sidi Sidi’ by Thondiz (IT); ‘Lunga’ (Dennis Louvra Remix); among others, were some of the tracks that played and brought this trio’s performance to life, DJs which are taking the world by storm during this era of electronic music. Overall, New York City, and those lucky enough to be present, witnessed the debut of new productions, rhythms, and sounds that these maestros saved just for this exact moment.
As highlights of the general event, I emphasize the moments when ‘Water,’ RUUBEN K’s remix of Tyla’s debut song, played; ‘Panko Day’ by Sebastién Léger and Roy Rosenfeld, one of their most recent weapons that has almost become an anthem of their performances; ‘Believe,’ a cover and edition by Super Flu of Cher’s 1998 pop classic, which to me comprises one of the best productions I’ve ever heard in terms of bass and rhythm; MALACHIII singing life to Adam Port’s recent released track ‘Move,’ the 2024 summer’s electronic music anthem; a choir and bass-less version of Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’; but above all, the most unexpected and impactful for everyone: an afro/tech house remix of ‘Creep,’ a rock classic from the early 2000s, composed by Radiohead, which days after I learned—through a Keinemusik fan account on Instagram, that is an edition by Greek producer and DJ DSF.
The momentum left me speechless. I remember it was already daylight—between 6:00 and 7:00 am, and suddenly I realized everyone was literally singing this song, the lyrics of which I didn’t know, but it sounded familiar. The rhythm was house, but the essence felt rooted in the 2000s. I saw my friends singing it, who couldn’t recall the song’s name but knew the lyrics, telling me it was a classic. All the people present at that moment was singing loudly and amazed at how such a song could have made it into Keinemusik’s majestic set for NYC in 2024. Without a doubt and despite my initial unfamiliarity, I consider the moment this track was played as the climax of the event.
But, it didn’t end there. Even at 7:00 am, the supposed end time of the party, these music heroes were still playing. There was still a large crowd dancing and singing. By 7:30 am, I had left, when some friends told me that… the party continued until 8:30 am! And one thing that seems to recognize and identify Keinemusik in New York City happened: it started to rain around 7:50 am, something many people were wanting and expecting.
I wish all electronic music lovers could treat themselves to this experience at some point in their life.
