Nora en Pure made her triumphant return to D.C.’s Echostage for another edition of her “In the Round” 360-degree set this past Friday.
Walking into the set felt like walking into a friend’s house party. With each breath, music entered your lungs, and with each breath you expelled, it floated back to the crowd, creating a symbiotic relationship between her and the audience. This type of relationship is becoming harder and harder to achieve in today’s world. Social media has made it almost impossible to just exist in the moment, especially if that moment is cool enough to share.
Nora en Pure seems acutely aware of this. She has purposely plucked her decks from her tower, high above the audience, and plopped them down right in the middle of the chaos. The result is a connection that can only be achieved through existing at nearly the same eye level. When you can see, hear, and physically feel the same sensations as the artist, the experience opens up, becoming more than just a show. It becomes a full-body experience.
The entire set felt like a well-choreographed dance that even the audience was in on. The bumping and awkward side-stepping that often comes with the terrority of existing in a crowd seemed to melt away. We became a single cell with Nora in the nucleus, conducting each move we made.
Her set was full of those ethereal moments we’ve come to expect. The faint thump of the bass kept you grounded during introspective moments, and airy vocals lifted you to the clouds during the peak. Highlights included “Come with Me”, “Senses of Comfort”, and “Watermark”. Each of which brought the crowd’s attention back when it began to wane.
Overall, Nora proved that she is at her best when she is with the crowd. Since this was her third “In the Round” in D.C., I’m hoping it’s a tradition I can look forward to each year. I also hope it inspires other DJs in the scene to join us on the dancefloor.
