The immense diversity of London’s nightlife causes problems for anyone looking for a genuinely exceptional party in the capital. Of course the famed musical institutions such as fabric, Ministry of Sound and several others scattered across the city will always offer parties of distinction, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this wonderful, trend-setting metropolis for electronic music. All over the city from Shoreditch to Smithfield, every Saturday by 10pm London is a teeming celebration of the best underground vibes, rivaled perhaps only by Berlin, another city with a similar appetite for the daring and the unexpected. With such a collection of great venues offering such captivating open-endedness, knowing what party to choose is often what I and presumably many others have great difficulty with. However, every so often something curiously different approaches that is just destined to be a success, even if it is off the beaten track.

Exstatic Sounds has a history of putting on some excellent events in the capital. The warehouse parties, often in spaces kept secret until shortly before the event have been an undisputed success of theirs, proving appreciation for the fundamentals of a rave- the music and the atmosphere- remains undiminished, despite the wealth of more polished underground clubs around the city. September saw Jozif and Violett take to the subterranean labyrinth beneath the surface of London’s Aldgate district, this time it was Sven Tasnadi and Tigerskin who headlined what turned out to be an exceptionally good event.

My first impressions were everything I expected. The venue had a delightfully crude, industrial aesthetic; something nightclub royalty proves is the true heart of any rave setting. Down a flight of steel steps lay the imposing infrastructure of the warehouse where two rooms of pounding techno and house swelled as the night progressed. The layout and operation of the place was generally very good; the bar was well positioned and well attended, as were the toilets, which were within a large, simply furnished room for those wanting to take a breather away from the music.

By around 2am, the party was in full swing, both rooms bustling with a feverish excitement, especially in the main room where Tigerskin would soon be performing a highly anticipated live set. His hour was predictably groovy, melding together his deliciously seductive house sound with the occasional sprinkling of more frantic techno flavours. It was a beguiling set, and one that set the tone perfectly for Sven Tasnadi, the real treat of the night, who followed with two hours of funky, ebbing tech-house.

The newly installed Martin Audio sound system promised a thumping aural experience, but in reality was slightly disappointing. As we stood with our ears right next to the speakers in the main room, it was pointed out to me that one of the units didn’t seem to be working, which would explain the obvious lack of rich, low frequencies that would have made Tasnadi’s set that more resounding. Despite this, he used all his spinning experience to work the crowd effortlessly, stitching his all-vinyl set together seamlessly and playfully. Tasnadi stayed consciously within the hip confines of tech-house for the duration of his set. The basslines relentlessly shuffled with all the rhythmic energy this crossbred style gestures, and his ability to leave us in front of him lapping up every sub-drop, every snare, every percussive flavour was really quite impressive. Undoubtedly the highlight of his set was towards the end when Audiojack’s champion remix of H.O.S.H’s Cash The Chord was delicately slipped in to a fizzing reception. It was the star that the set needed, a climax of good, nourishing musical bliss that underpinned both Tasnadi’s talent when pleasing his audience, and the gripping magic of the warehouse rave.