INTO THE MOSH 111: RL GRIME | THE TIMBER YARD | REVIEW
Words by Sofia Perica.
I got off the tram at 7pm in my rave outfit to sit outside with a pint of cider as I watched all kinds of characters walk into The Timber Yard.
The interior of The Timber Yard was virtually empty, and I wondered to myself how the hell I got into this situation. Sofia from a year ago would have never of thought that she would be going to a rave by herself on a random Friday night in January.
Kaliopi was first up, and I found myself at the very front of the barricades as people started to trickle in. Her music is described as ‘apocalyptic,’ with undertones of deep trap and bass. Feeling slightly self-conscious that I was dancing on my own, Kaliopi set me free as you could see her fully immersed herself in the rhythm of the music, jumping up and down as the beat dropped.
Up next was Ninajirachi, Australian based DJ who fuses glitchy, high-energy beats with ethereal melodies, creating a futuristic, yet emotionally resonant vibe. Her music creates a '“mystical world” as she attempts to draw inspiration from the beauty of nature. Listening to her reminds me a lot of those anime edits that you see in TikTok - with hard hitting beats and strong reverb. Her song, Ninacamina, is addictive. It has been on repeat since I heard her play it live. Listening to her feels almost girly; I feel like I should be strutting down a runway in high heels- which is fitting as her EP is literally called “girl EDM.” She is really a cutting edge EDM artist – there is a sense of abstraction and surrealism to her work that I feel like is not seen much amongst the electro crowd. As Ninajirachi said in an interview, “It’s girl EDM, either you get it or you don’t” - and The Timber Yard girlies certainly did get it.
The Timber Yard was fully packed by 9:30 for the daddy of the DJ scene, RL Grime. An artist who has become a staple of the trap, bass, and future bass scenes, his shows are a combination of intense bass drops, intricate sound design, and emotionally-charged melodies. Listening to him made me feel like I was at a rave in Ibiza at 3am even though it was literally 9:30pm in Melbourne. His sound is nothing short of intense. It really is all-consuming listening to his aggressive bass-heavy tracks; you can feel it reverberate under your skin. By blending elements of hip hop, EDM, and experimental music – he seamlessly integrates melodic build ups with heavy, chest-thumping bass. My whole body felt like it was being electrocuted as my body instinctively bounced up and down to come aliv3 and techno renditions, Sweater Weather. People were swinging at the barricades like monkeys. Watching them felt like an anthropological study into humans in their most primal form. I was being knocked side to side by my fellow ravers- sweaty, puffed and adrenaline high. He finished with UCLA, his most famous song and the ultimate frat boy track, which literally resurrected my soul.
An RL Grime show is a sensory experience that hits all the right notes. His ability to blend electronic music with hip hop influences, paired with his stellar sound design and visual production, makes his live performances a must-see for fans of bass-heavy, genre-blending music. His shows leave a lasting impact not just in terms of the music but in the visceral feeling they create—a blend of euphoria, exhilaration, and a bit of awe.