Fabric 70: Apollonia

Label: Fabric
Score: 8.5/10

Parisian trio Apollonia have only existed as a unit for about a year, though they’re already turning in a mix for revered London club Fabric – still a landmark moment for pretty much any DJ/producer. The fact they’re already playing extended sets at such an institution though is more a reflection of the fact that Dan Ghenacia, Dyed Soundorom and Shonky have already been working together for over a decade, with all three serving as important names in the French underground scene in their own right.

In addition to Apollonia being the moniker the trio have chosen to perform under, it’s also the name of the record label the they’ve formed to release their music. They’ve included several of their own new releases on Fabric 70 (plus a handful of tracks from other artists due for release this year). Trinidad is a smooth slice of deep melody, while Visa Americain layers on the percussion and the spacey atmospherics to take things down more of a hypnotic route.

In terms of the overall mix, Apollonia apparently spent a six-week lockdown period in the studio completing the finer details on Fabric 70, and it’s such a polished final product that it’s not hard to see where all their energy went. What rings loudest is how diverse they’ve been in their selections; but equally, the skill they’ve shown in stringing them together, which really highlights the collective breadth of dancefloor understanding the trio bring to the table.

Rather than building to any particularly memorable peaks, Fabric 70 is defined more by its rolling groove that immediately sets in, which sees Apollonia seamlessly weaving through the groovier elements into some deeper techno, and then back again. Both the modern, and more classic sides of house music are evoked without ever missing a beat.

The presser’s description of the Fabric 70 as a mix full of ‘twists and turns’ is one that’s fairly apt, though it’s the high standard of programming from the curators that holds it all together.  Ultimately Apollonia keep it on the restrained side, with a mix that rolls along smoothly rather than overtly grabbing your attention, meaning its subtle charms might pass some by. It’s best enjoyed by letting it just wash over you over repeated listens; listeners who grant it some extra attention will be glad that they did.