Saturday 5th of March saw the first outing of Born to Dance promotions with Heaven on Earth at the Ocean Rooms (see left).

Coming from leading independent house label Born to Dance records the night promises to set its stall around the labels main focus of funky uplifting vocal house and if it is this style music that you are into then this night centenary doesn’t disappoint.

(Click images to enlarge)

By 12 o clock the club is jammed full to capacity with people enjoying the kind of atmosphere which makes recent talk of house music’s decline from the popular music conscience seem laughable.

Having already enjoyed a funky, if slightly progressive, DJ set from Gavin McCall, the main floor of the Ocean Rooms sees the arrival of internationally acclaimed Swedish DJ and producer Stonebridge.

Stonebridge has already enjoyed considerable success in the dance music world with tracks “Put em High” and “Take Me Away” which reached numbers 6 and 9 in the UK singles chart.

Taking a break from his regular residencies at London’s Pacha and Ibiza’s El Divino, Stonebridge’ set brings most of the Ocean Rooms to its feet with huge bass lines and party tunes. This all adds to the ambience of a club night that illustrates an example of house music at its best; widely accessible music that creates a friendly and fun unpretentious atmosphere. When at its best, this is something that house music has always had over its harder cousin Techno or cheesey relative Trance.

Up-stairs tonight, the middle rooms newly refurbished dark red surroundings are matched with a more relaxed, less intense atmosphere with party goers being supplied with a mixture of commercial and uplifting House, Disco and occasional broken beat. The Loveable Rouges, Chris Baily and Andy quest supply the music in a space that gives people the chance to catch their breath, talk to their friends and gather themselves before heading back down stairs to dance.

Those lucky enough to get into to the top rooms (or is it the VIP room?) find an altogether more surreal experience then that of downstairs. Ceramic white walls and spotless floor length mirrors surrounding white tables and bed-like sofas. Music in this room comes from Jim Breeze (café mambo, Ibiza) who play’s downbeat tracks that, together with the Peroxide white haired waitresses in nurses outfits that walk the room, contribute to them dream-like feel of the room.

The next outing for Born to Dance is on the 7th of May and judging by the response and popularity of the opening night, it will be an eagerly awaited by all those who attended tonight’s party. The promise of DJ sets and live PA’S from more top name house DJ’s means that those attending the next night are unlikely to be disappointed.

 NOW PLAYING >>> Lux'x - Chain'd - StoneBridge Remix <<< NOW PLAYING - - - (c) Born to Dance Records 2004