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Rally festival review – thrilling blend of cult DJs and indie darlings
Mount Kimbie’s electro-acoustic jams capture the ethos of this celebration of the boundary pushing that included sets from Two Shell, Nilüfer Yanya and bar italia
Going against the grain of corporate behemoths like All Points East or BST, Rally takes a grassroots approach, giving local small venues such as Ormside Projects and Avalon cafe curating power alongside larger sponsors Resident Advisor and NTS. Hessle Audio boss Pearson Sound journeys from thumping bass-weight to Detroit electro and bouncing two-step without dropping a beat, while Berlin-based Ogazón and British DJ Christian AB conduct a masterclass in back-to-back selections, chugging their way through ecstatic blends of house and melodic techno. The tonal differences between chugging basslines and guitar-strumming balladry on adjacent stages can be jarring at points, with Nilüfer Yanya somewhat struggling to draw in the crowd for intimate versions of tracks like Call It Love and Midnight Sun while Two Shell’s bass floats across the field.
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