Palomosa I ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U Could Have Gone Harder

I became aware of the Japanese DJ and producer, Yousuke Yukimatsu, from his Tokyo Boiler Room set, which kind of launched him into stardom due to the unruly nature of a shirtless Japanese man playing some of the fastest and hardest techno imaginable for an hour. His set at Palomosa’s Jardin Stage had inklings of that vibe, but felt way more low-key and, dare I say, “safe.” It was all dance filled music, but I was really expecting it to go harder, leaving me sore in a pile of sweat. We still got an onslaught of drumming techno, but only brief moments of it. His shirt did come off, so the crowd loved that.

The whole set felt a bit more massaged than I and much of the crowd was expecting. Perhaps it was the fact that he was playing outside? Maybe he was tired? Or was he perhaps playing to the crowd, signalled by a cover of 100 gecs’ “Hollywood Baby.” I will say that Yukimatsu is a pro. His changeovers between songs and the overall vibe are pretty seamless, and the music never broke once (unlike many of the past Palomosa DJs), but I wanted more of a Boiler Room vibe.