36 degrees with a light wind and afternoon sun could not be more perfect for a few hours at Club 88. And in my opinion, the 6-year-old Club could not be better placed. Dominating the tip of the south peninsula of New Marina, you can either set yourself up on the southern, beach-view side, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Red Sea, or the northern marina side, watching the yachts traverse the entrance. Most guests are enjoying the pool though and simply soaking up the Egyptian sun, oblivious to their surroundings. The ever present northerly breeze becomes more and more appreciated as the mercury rises.
The circular pool with its poolside bar offers perfection in every sense in a setting that’s not too dissimilar from a Greek island. I suspect the blue and white color scheme of Club 88 is most certainly the leading factor in this description. Club 88, recently having had an upgrade, is a top spot for regulars and its perfection is anchored down by their own Italian chef.
Up on the deck, the unassuming DJ Akldios is playing her perfect set, lulling everybody into a world far from the pressures of modern life.
Myself, having arrived about half an hour before DJ Akladios and listening to the club’s chosen music, I certainly understood the difference between a playlist and DJ set as soon as her set started. The whole atmosphere changes immediately and situates you right in the very center of the exclusive, yet relaxed atmosphere of the Club and it’s idyllic surroundings!
Good, solid rhythms with world flavors from the soul of Africa to the heart of Latin America, she certainly succeeded in creating a rich and exotic flavor to the air.
The shy but friendly DJ, hails originally from the Egyptian capital but has now relocated to the Red Sea paradise we all know as El Gouna. DJing for only 3 years, she certainly knows how to take hold of the atmosphere and claim it for herself. Between pushing buttons and faders on some rather interesting equipment, she tells of how each gig is unique and requires a very different set. It’s not as easy at it might seem at first. This might sound like an obvious statement, but DJing involves, not only planning for the venue and the type of gig, but reading the guests throughout the gig to make sure they are musically satisfied by the time they can’t dance anymore.
For the tech savvy, she is using a software package called Traktor on her MacBook Pro to layer her house beats seamlessly together. It’s fascinating to watch. And being aware that this article is not the place for a full blown tutorial, it must be said how amazing it is to see tracks with different tempos becoming the same tempo, and faders being twisted and turned to get that mix just right. A skill learned but mastered over time.
For the “E.D.M. uneducated” such as myself, she tells of the myriad of different sub genres. House, tech house, techno, trance, dub step are naming but a few. E.D.M, by the way, stands for Electronic Dance Music.
“I’ve been gigging for 6 days in a row,” she says with wider eyes, indicating her fatigue. And as if to confirm my observations she states matter of factly: “Time to take a few days off”. I suspect Eid has had a lot to do with this as everywhere you go over this holiday period you can hear a DJ working up the crowd. Beats and rhythms floating to your ears from all directions.
You can imagine how the hour of a DJ can be demanding, dictated only by when a particular venue hosts a party. It’s fairly easy to get from one place to another in El Gouna, but if it’s an ‘until sunrise’ party and then you have an afternoon gig such as today’s at Club 88, even something as fun as DJing can take its toll.
Next up for DJ Akladios is the opening of IVY in Cairo which she seems confident and excited about. This will be quite a different set than the one playing this afternoon. No more lulling club members into relaxation and sunbathing but rather getting the adrenaline flowing for the ones who come out at night!
If you want to find out more about DJ Akladios, you can track more of her movements on Facebook and Instagram using the handle: akladios. Hopefully, you will get the chance to see her in action. Being local to El Gouna now, she will certainly be spinning tracks here in the very near future. Keep posted and don’t miss out!
And it must be said, anybody in El Gouna needs to pay Club 88 at least one visit. Walk away from Moods with the sea on your right-hand side, and you can’t miss it. Find them on face book using the handle club88.elgouna.redsea