I struggled to describe the kind of set Skream played, one because its contents spanned nearly half a century, and two because maybe more than anyone I've seen, he played tracks and artists with whom I was entirely unfamiliar. That said it was not just a treat to take in sonically, but visually as well. His work on the decks was clearly competent and focused, but it was more about his crowd interaction, and I'm not talking about being on the mic or jumping on the decks throwing cake or anything like that. He was obviously leading through his selections, but with such a wide swath of genres and sounds you might think it difficult for people to keep up, stay engaged and entertained. No matter, he succeeded in that sense incredibly, especially as he worked into the final throws of the night with tracks like this.
"Touch Me In The Morning" was the most memorable of the extended disco dance section, when more than anything he was leading the party through his own obvious enjoyment of the tunes he was selecting. Sure the crowd had thinned since the peak hours, but the strength of Marlena Shaw was unavoidable. Pure power in the piano and her vocals leave your heart palpitating, swooning and swinging in ecstasy, blood pulsing through your veins to the rhythm of the bass, as the intensity rises towards the title line. The first few minutes are fantastic and cannot be discounted in the beautiful build, but when she reaches fever pitch after the 3 minute mark and the triumphant trumpet enters you're helpless but to melt into the club, becoming one with the world, taking you "to a place where no one's ever been." It's safe to say not only was everyone in CODA touched early in that morning by Skream's sublime Shaw selection, but I for one left the club to that cold morning light a satisfied soul.