Youngr at Village Underground

Youngr, aka Dario Darnell, returns as the king of epic dance floor mash-ups and surprising remixes. Taking Village Underground by storm, the American vocalist and multi-instrumentalist is a ball of energy, starting the weekend on a high.

Appearing on stage with a shoutout to London, the musician starts with new single Obsession from the eponymous EP – consisting of his signature looped compositions and reverb vocals – as he energetically plays an endless array of percussion instruments, absolutely slaying it on the electronic pads and drum kits. The producer performs a mash-up of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams with his own track September Sun (This is Not an Album, 2017), surprisingly blending the composition into Daft Punk’s One More Time.

Youngr then plays a highlight remix of Warren G and Nate Dogg’s 90s hip-hop track Regulate – which sampled Michael McDonald’s classic I Keep Forgetting – adding shimmering guitar licks. Through latest single Stronger, the percussionist incorporates this with Wild Child’s Renegade Master, taking the helm at his drumkit once more. The thrilling highlight of David Bowie hit Let’s Dance reworked with Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know makes the audience sing emphatically and dance the blues away in equal measure.

As Youngr performs a bootleg of Temper Trap’s Sweet Disposition, the crowd go wild, the rendition complete with tropical festival vibes thanks to a rapid solo on the djembe drum. Taking things back to 1999, the artist then rearranges Turn Around by British dance duo Phats and Small, while Out Of My System sees the singer play a gentle piano solo, later backed by percussion; the talented instrumentalist plays everything super confidently, from keyboards, synthesizers and electronic pads to guitars, cowbells and drums. Ooh Lordy – one of his most popular tracks – ends with the chorus of Fatboy Slim’s Praise You, the musician never ceasing to surprise with his eclectic choices.

Unequivocally raising the roof tonight by playing pop tunes reworked through prominent dance tracks, Youngr definitely knows how to create excellent mash-ups with slick hooks and big drum solos, looping it all together with immaculate timing. The frontman’s music should be experienced live as his infectious passion resonates all round. You know an act is great when you’ve got shivers and a side-splitting grin throughout, with a hop in your step all the way home. If only his electric remixes were available on streaming services. One can dream.

Selina Begum
Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit Youngr’s website here.

Watch the video for Welling Up here: