MoMA
August 3, 2012  |  Warm Up
Rain Down, Warm Up: MJ Cole, Sinkane, Van Rivers, Slava, and Oneman Bring the Beats

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl


Rain doesn’t stop a NYC crowd. When last Saturday morning arrived, the skies were grey and ominous, with occasional downpours through the next few hours that threatened to make Warm Up a very soggy affair. But by the time Sinkane hit the stage with their exuberant blend of high-life guitars, warm vocals, and life-affirming percussion, it was like the sun coming off the stage and pushing back the clouds.

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl


Headliner MJ Cole treated the crowd to a thrilling blend of 2Step, R&B, and Garage tracks, showcasing last year’s collaboration with Wiley (“From The Drop”) and then bringing everyone back with 2001’s classic “Crazy Love,” which still sounds incredibly fresh 11 years later, its echoes heard in everything now from Burial to The xx.

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl


Acclaimed producer Van Rivers started off the day with a bright set, and Slava hit everyone with a lowdown synthesis distilled from the dual undergrounds of Chicago and Baltimore. The UK’s DJ Oneman stepped in to the middle slot, and the Rinse FM selector also helped beat back the rain with a wildly eclectic set of past and present sounds.

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Warm Up

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, July 28, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl


Saturday, August 4, promises to be our biggest Warm Up of the season so far, with sunny skies in the weather forecast and an amazing lineup: Austrian Zora Jones and Canadian Sinjin Hawke are both based in Barcelona, with a shared love for Southern rap, twitchy textures, and gorgeous electronic soundscapes. Brooklyn’s Lemonade is one of the perfect summer bands, with a live set that brings to mind a tropicalia/rave hybrid that should get the dance floor moving. We’ve been wanting Pearson Sound (formerly known as Ramadanman) to play Warm Up for the last two years now, and are so excited that he’s finally heading our way. With an emphasis on bass and detailed synth washes, his productions connect the dots between house, dubstep, and techno in adventurous fashion. Saturday will also feature a rare performance by Los Angeles–based R&B recording artist, songwriter, and producer Miguel.

No producer has had a more exciting rise over the last five years than Jamie xx, who is one-third of the London-based group The xx. As the group’s beat maker and producer, Jamie’s sturdy, minimal drums underpin the fragile atmospherics and vocals of Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim on songs like “Crystalized,” “Islands,” and “VCR.” In the nearly two-year break after touring for their debut album, Jamie remixed Gil Scott-Heron’s final album, I’m New Here; created a monster revamp of Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep”; and produced “Take Care,” the mega-single from Drake’s album of the same name. Jamie’s own DJ sets have become legendary, as evidenced by this recording from London’s Boiler Room.

Will we see you Saturday? Don’t forget that you can ensure your spot and skip the lines by buying tickets online until noon Saturday!