Holly Lamb reviews O’Flynn’s gig at Move.
On Saturday 5th October O’Flynn brought a vivid and visual revival of Afrobeats, acid house, and elements of techno to the Move stage at the Quay. Hailed as one of the Boiler Room’s finest, the London DJ has captured a sound in his 2019 album Aletheia that invites tribal, funky, and beautiful movement. The album is arguably named after the philosophical Ancient Greek term ‘truth’, perhaps a notion to O’Flynn’s desire to provide an Afro-Disco style that is far from artificial or forced.
The beats were infectious during his performance. From the mellowed disco style of ‘Tru Dancing’, to the carnivalesque aura of ‘Sunspear’, O’Flynn has an ability to blend the rich cultural African heritage with powerful percussion. It was ‘Desmond’s Empire’ however that truly captivated the crowd with it’s addictive accordion and whirring African chants.
The rarity of O’Flynn’s effortless ability to rejuvenate a retro style that is entirely unique was apparent
The intimacy of Move made the crowd seem intertwined, all smiling under the darting reflections against the black brick interior. An elusive figure, O’Flynn adopts a serene style, absorbed in the dance music that he has so carefully crafted. The rarity of O’Flynn’s effortless ability to rejuvenate a retro style that is entirely unique was apparent, with the DJ himself praising Move for its ‘great sound’ and ‘open minded crowd’, claiming a DJ ‘can’t ask for much better’.
O’Flynn should not be underestimated, his meteoric and rapid rise in the UK music scene is entirely justifiable because he understands the rush of euphoria that listeners crave, the moment where the movement aligns, you lose all sense of self-awareness, and just groove.
