The EDM boom turned dance music into big business.  Big business meant big bucks but, for some, it also killed the buzz.  One such person was The Secret DJ.  In a scene where a DJ’s name suddenly counted for more than their record collection, The Secret DJ set out on a mission to take clubbing back to the source. The result is The Dark Room.

The Dark Room is just that: a dark room.  No projector screens, no phones allowed, no VIP areas.  What there is, is music.  Quality music, played by both The Secret DJ and hand-picked guest DJs whose identities are deliberately obscured.  It doesn’t matter who you are, either.  All there is to do is become wholly immersed in the beauty of the beat.

Each edition of The Dark Room is divided into two halves.  The first is an eclectic mix reminiscent of the best chill-out rooms you’ve ever experienced.  The second journeys further into techno, and this is where the dance really starts.  The whole audio spectrum — from the deepest kick drum to the highest-frequency synth line — is presented within what The Secret DJ proudly dubs “the most high-end audiophile experience in the world”:  a bespoke sound system designed and controlled by Andy Kayll, one of the music industry’s most gifted sound engineers. 

It’s an idea so simple yet, in a world where so many songs are about posing in a mythical club, so necessary.  Previous guests have included electro legend Ivan Smagghe and dance titan Justin Robertson — not that you’d know, of course.  With backing from major audio technology names such as Pioneer, Bozak, and Clair Brothers, not to mention approving nods from DJ Mag and Mixmag, The Secret DJ and The Dark Room are kicking out the jams and breaking down the barriers while keeping the focus squarely on the music itself.