delivering a set that balanced lush melodic chords and retro-feel percussion
From pink tulle ball gowns to full latex fetish wear, the Sultan + Shepard show had it all. On a late August evening in Durham, the Canadian electronic duo brought a passionate crowd out to rave the night away as part of their Communicate Tour. A no-frills space where music takes center stage, Sultan + Shepard filled the room at the Fruit with euphoric sound, receiving a warm reception—literally and figuratively, the room was very hot on this particular night—from a welcoming and diverse crowd.
Steve James wasted no time—the energy was high from the first beat as the room steadily filled, the rhythmic thump, thump, thump of the kick rattling against the exposed brick walls washed in blue light. His set moved from smooth deep house into harder edges, each transition tightening his grip on the crowd’s mood. A true family affair—all ages found their place on the floor, from silver-haired ravers who’ve seen a few scenes come and go, to his own son, locked into the beat.
Buridan, the Raleigh-based artist with 13 years behind the decks, isn’t out to play above the crowd—he wants to be part of it. As a long-time local, he’s seen the incredible transformation of the music scene here, including here at the venue, saying, “Watching the Fruit grow into what it is and seeing the accepting environment has been cool”—a feeling that was present on this night as well. His artist name has a unique backstory: it comes from a French philosophical paradox. “Buridan’s ass” is a story about a donkey stuck between two identical piles of hay, but because it can’t decide which one to eat, it starves. Though a sad tale, Buridan’s set was anything but. He has a penchant for playing groovy, energetic music with emotion, setting the tone for a night of dancing. His style is dynamic, building tension slowly for maximum release. His sets are less about genre and more about vibe—fun, fluid, and communal—crafted to make people dance and feel part of the moment.
Poetic Note (Skylar) was a paramedic before she was an electronic artist. Blasting music through the ambulance, she built a love for electronic music and eventually found herself behind the decks. She has an affinity for deep house and acid textures, heavy on the percussion and absent of vocals. For this show, she crafted a sensual deep tech experience, filled with wolf howls and bouncy percussion. Based in Durham, Skylar is an integral member of the electronic community—on the importance of the local music scene she states, “I never really found a place where I was seen, heard, and felt, but this community makes you feel loved and important.”
Sultan + Shepard took the stage to a packed, fog-filled room, delivering a set that balanced lush melodic chords and retro-feel percussion. Their performance introduced the first vocal-driven tracks of the night, creating an emotional layer that heightened the euphoric energy of the crowd. This is a special tour for the duo, where they say they’re “arriving back to their roots” of music. Existing somewhere between “underground and popular,” in their own words, they brought their versatile and powerful sound to the sweat-dampened space. As the night went on, Sultan + Shepard brought things back to the beginning, emphasizing connection and joy over ostentation.
When the night finally wound down, the Fruit still pulsed with the energy of the crowd. Steve James’ driving beats, Poetic Note’s deep tech, Buridan’s groovy builds, and Sultan + Shepard’s euphoric melodies had everyone moving together—a perfect showcase of Durham’s thriving electronic scene and the meaning behind it.
