Review: DJ Kevin Yost

House great Kevin Yost took to the turntables last week on the breezy, atmospheric wrap-around terrace at the Gates Hotel Diagonal, helping the vibes flow like it was 1999. When his debut disc, One Starry Night, was released in the late Nineties, his career took off in the US. But, as he will gladly let you know, Europe has been the place where he receives the love and where he plays the majority of his gigs.

Born in a small, rural Pennsylvania town, Yost studied at Berklee College of Music and has a classical background, which places a lot of his musical musings above and beyond the typical ‘4-on-the-floor’ dance beat. He has a deep love for jazz music, but, of course, his primary affections are for the turntables. Few masters of deep house flow from track to track like Yost, a skill which has cemented his popularity over two decades. Deep house rhythms involve smooth, steady beats, usually wrapped around jazz, funk and Latin grooves, making the sound of this genre a bit more uplifting. On the Gates terrace, Yost effortlessly progressed from his debut album title track to his underground sessions and on to more current sounds, keeping the packed crowd grooving until the moon’s light shone bright on the waters of the pool and the dancing revellers beneath.

The Mobilee Rooftop Sessions at Gates Hotel Diagonal strikes again this Sunday, August 20th, on the rooftop terrace with guest Luca Bacchetti. The beats go on from 2-9 pm on the terrace and more info and tickets can be found here.