REVIEW: Ozmozis presents Matt Bukovski with FluX at Toika by Rory Harrison

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Finally, after over a month of waiting, Toika Lounge has reopened its doors for the eager throngs of music lovers. A night of heavenly uplifting trance was in store for the trance family for the North American debut of 21 year old Polish producer Matt Bukovski.

For the few attendees who arrived early, a respite from the chills and a first public glimpse of the newly renovated Toika was offered on a silver platter. Entering through the same door, a proper coat check and box office hallway was the first thing that met patrons and partiers alike. Some things remain the same; the beautiful Anni Mei was there to take care of ticket duties, greeting each patron with her trademark bubbly smile. Proceeding through the second entrance the full extent of Ozmozis’ hard work became apparent. While my description cannot do full justice, one is necessary. Instead of the split dance floor and seating booth and bar area, the renovations revealed one giant dance floor, headed by an expanded and upgraded DJ booth, with the bar relocated to side of the venue.

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

The night started off with local fan favorite Flux taking to the decks. He kicked things off with some dark and deep house, the groove so real on the new dance floor. Dreaming In 3D gave the early birds something to bounce to while further into the set, Jay Lumen’s Beat Drops pulsated through the souls of the dancers. One could not help but bob and weave like a boxer as this groovy number circulated through the club. The bobbing and weaving continued as Alex Losy’s Tantamount picked things up and moved us away from the deep and techy side of things. It wasn’t long before Flux moved right into trance territory with some delicious progressive numbers. Some highlights include the teasing pads of Toika alumni Beat Service Undercover, and the soaring symphonic favourite Requiem by Mark Sixma. The venue filling up nicely by now as Requiem caused wide eyes, raised hands and big grins that spread throughout the venue almost as if it was contagious. After a great set, Flux set the stage for the main event with Lange’s energetic track Imagineer, reminding us all that we are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams 😉

Bukovski took to the decks around 1 am, and for the next three hours Toronto’s trance family was not let off the hook, not even once. Pounding uplifting trance blasted through the improved sound system to a packed house. An early highlight dropped about fifteen minutes into this set was Gareth Emery’s Sanctuary, always a hit, and possibly one of the most popular tracks of our trance generation. Lucy Saunders’ voice rose and fell to the delight of the crowd, as Sean Tyas’ remix of Sanctuary was mixed in to the original.  Not many people were silent and with hundreds of smiling faces, Toronto’s trance family belted out the familiar words.

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

One of the best sequences of the night came around the 2:15 am. Old school euro classic and pounding melodic trance joined together in an unholy union by Matt Bukovski himself, Tic Tac is a Dancer sent Toika into a frenzy. Instead of sleeping on the success of this drop, Bukovski rewarded the energy of the crowd with another gem, transitioning right into Dreamers and Religion. This mashup by compatriot Arctic Moon has already been a big hit between these hallowed walls, and was so again when Matt Bukovski threw it down to rapturous applause and cheering.

Other uplifting gems and anthems that were a hit with the Toika faithful were Sean Tyas and Darren Porter’s Nova 7 (you knowwww!) and Jaren and Faruk Sabanci’s Discover. Aly and Fila and Susana’s Without You dropped shortly after 3 am, sent the crowd into another euphoric sing-along. Not long after, another sing-along ensued, and another old classic was given new life as Matt Bukovski dropped a pounding remix of 4 StringsTake Me Away. By now a certain trend within this set had taken shape and the nostalgia-track-mixed-with-pounding-contemporary-beats theme was again used to maximum affect, all-time anthem Rapture (John Askew Mashup) flooding the club.

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

Photo Credit: Adele Desloges for EDM TOR

From about 3:20 till the end of the set about an hour later, Bukovski upped the tempo further and slaughtered the crowd with some pounding Psy-Trance, as has become common practice for trance DJs later in their sets. To end the night Matt Bukovski chose a fast up-tempo mashup of Ummet Ozcan and W&W’s The Code/Lift Off! Although The Code/Lift Off! had people dancing, I found it was out of place for the uplifting set that had just been played.

The music died and the obligatory cries for an encore rose to the roof and Matt Bukovski obliged, dropping another classic Humanity by ATB, sending us home in fine style. Not just musically talented but friendly and appreciative of trancefamily’s support, Bukovski stayed around to take pictures and chat with the happy but tired attendees. To view the photos from the event, click here: Ozmozis presents Matt Bukovski with FluX. All in all, a splendid uplifting night, and I already look forward to more Toika adventures and upcoming shows!!  Make sure you head to Toika for their next Ozmozis event, Tomas Heredia on February 1st, 2014.

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Rory HarrisonEDM TOR

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