By: Emma Corcoran

Advertised as “one of the biggest electronic/techno nights that St Andrews has ever seen”, “Music is Love presents Boddika(Non-Plus+)” did not disappoint. Throughout the evening, Club 601 shook with driving, infectious beats and epic baselines that impacted the crowd beyond sheer sensory spectacle, creating the ultimate out-of-body experience.

Music is Love offered a star-studded lineup, with opening acts by Bert E from Glasgow and St Andrews’s very own SAUNIT. The two DJ’s set the tone for a fantastic night, energizing the crowd with upbeat and catchy tunes. Both conquered the stage with hot mixes featuring a combination of techno, electro and house for a night of endless beats that kept heads bobbing and bodies moving.

When midnight struck, a substantial crowd had formed in front of the stage and welcomed Boddika to the floor with tremendous applause. London-based DJ and producer Boddika, aka Alex Green, formerly one half of Insta:mental and founder of Nonplus Records label, released his debut album with Kid Drama (Damon Kirkham) back in 2011. Now in his solo guise, Boddika definitely has an undeniably unique sound that doesn’t define itself by any specific style of music; it’s drum and bass, house, techno, electro, jungle. It’s set out to redefine modern house music, and it does just that. Boddika opened with a powerful beat that gradually gained momentum and built to a rhythmic thunderstorm before releasing an epic drop. The sound was clean, clear and controlled with its relentless energy and hypnotic feel. His overlapping electronic beats flowed naturally as he created seamless transitions between tracks, keeping the crowd captivated. At the end of his set, the crowd cheered for an encore as the lights went up and the music faded. Boddika came to the front of the stage and engaged in conversation while shaking the hands of many students. It was a friendly gesture that ended the evening on a positive note.

With its sleek, upscale look and feel, Club 601 provided an outstanding venue that perfectly complimented the event. Having lounge seating near the bar and the dancefloor in a separate room allowed for people to experience the music from several settings. The flashing strobe lights and colourful images projected on multiple screens dazzled the crowd, and the crisp sound system further enhanced the lively nightclub atmosphere, elevating the event to even greater heights.

As their first big event of the semester, Music is Love set the bar high for all other upcoming music events. We look forward to seeing what Music is Love will offer next; with the success of Boddika, it can only go uphill from here.