BEFORE MIDI Give Club Performance a Second Life

A rhythm made for the busiest part of a set needn’t lose its sense of performance. That’s the useful proposition behind BEFORE MIDI’s Invaders, Qu’est-ce que c’est?, where material recorded live is subsequently rearranged with peak-time vinyl play in mind. It’s a club record with a clear purpose, but its starting point is the session rather than the finished disc.

The reference points reach back to late-’90s rave house, with a trace of Ibiza nightlife in the mood. Those associations give DJs a way to place the record without reducing it to a period exercise. The live recording process is what makes the distinction worth considering: the music begins with a performance, then undergoes another stage of shaping for the turntable. It’s a practical approach, but also a reminder that a club record can carry the imprint of how it was played as well as where it is intended to be heard.

BEFORE MIDI brings together DJ and producer Viziale and multidisciplinary composer Barabbah. Their partnership puts two different musical practices behind the project, with the arrangement process connecting the live material to its intended setting. The appeal is in that balance: a rave-house reference with the feel of a performance still in view.

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