Pioneering electronic dance music at a time when it was not quite as well recognized, Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden were leaders of their own kind. Even while they were apart and discovering their own sounds, they still maintained their head figure position in the American EDM scene. The very beginning of 2011 saw their reunion and ever since, they've been blazing across the country with a new dynamic.
On Friday, March 2nd, they're back in New York. They last performed in the city for
Electric Zoo, but this time they're headed for Pacha. With trance acts like Gareth Emery, Cosmic Gate, and Arty being called upon to play in
Pacha's infamous booth, it makes perfect sense that
Gabriel & Dresden step up and take their positions as well.
Their sets can be characterized by a mix of trance and progressive house, with a dash of dubstep. Yes, dubstep. When asked about it, Dave Dresden will retort, "Because we like it!" But for those who remember the days of Andain and Motorcycle (their prior projects/monikers), Gabriel & Dresden will be dropping some of their signature songs such as "As the Rush Comes."
It's fun to watch them move around the booth - watching two sets of hands coordinate the music and move about with a familiarity that only comes from years of experience. The two met at WMC many years ago back and have taken home the best American DJ award in 2007 and 2008. While Dresden hails from the east coast where he began as a writer in EDM reviewing acts such as John Digweed, Gabriel hails from the west coast where he began DJing and producing.
Their recently released single, "Andain - Promises," has been remixed by the likes of KOAN as well as many others. Their album, Mixed For Feet Vol. 1, features an interesting mixture of progessive house, trance, and even techno. It's the perfect compilation of what they think is good that's out there, with a few tracks of their own on the list.
