The day/night, outdoor/indoor format has become a centerpiece of Knockdown Center’s summer calendar. But HS82 was the first. Following a series of banger parties in the Ruins - first in 2018, presented by Output and then again in 2021 with a special open-to-close set - we approached him about ramping things up. Initially, he was skeptical. And if we’re being frank, his humility, practicality and clarity of thought impressed us. After all, why does everything need to always get bigger, better and ever-moreso? But we were certain the interest was there and, more importantly, that HS82 could pull it off and make it special. He was eventually convinced, and on July 4th weekend of 2022 he was joined by Dennis Ferrer, Sohmi, Alan Nieves and Fiin for a fourteen hour party.
It was a period of rapid growth for the venue overall. Following 2021’s reemergence from lockdown, 2022 saw Knockdown Center presenting a slew of in-house festivals, including the first edition of WIRE and multiple installments of Outline. Downstairs, at BASEMENT, long-running plans for a second room were reaching completion. The time felt right to push ourselves, to take risks and swing for the fences.
Hot Since 82 was also in a period of transition. After a whirlwind decade of international gigs, kicked off by his breakout track “Let It Ride,” HS82 was having a personal reckoning. “It felt like I was 21,” he told Beatport. “I made one particular record and that popped off. And since then everything’s snowballed so fast I never got the chance to catch my breath.” However, the 2017 death of his closest friend sent him into a spiral. “I went into self-destruct mode… I was in a really bad way, I was just self-medicating.”
He was able to emerge from this dark chapter in part through the writing of his album 8-track. Both a tribute to his friend and a masterclass in widescreen house music, 8-track absolutely brims with life. It ushered in a new chapter for HS82, where intention and vision would guide his work. Reflecting on his early years, he says “at that age, you don’t even know what you’re trying to achieve. Just plugging away at something.” This would be different.
His label output became more measured, if still prolific, and titles began to reflect his reflective side (“Recovery,” “Be Strong,” “Eye of the Storm”). His music opened up to broader vistas, maintaining the deep rolling feel of his breakout while showcasing a cinematic depth of field and pop-adjacent approach that transcended the niche world of DJ tools. This mature approach directly fueled his extended DJ sets and club takeovers.
If 2021 was the deluge following lockdown, 2022 was a year of finding stride. That year, the Ruins absolutely popped off, and the HS82 day-into-night, full venue takeover was one of the highlights of an incredible summer season. It set the standard that we, and HS82 have tried to beat each year. We look forward to closing out August with him and special guests Chez Damier, JADALAREIGN, Mai Iachetti and Jeff Sorkowitz.