Space Talk: London's Living Room for Sound

11 minutes ago

2 min read

Let's talk about Space Talk

In the heart of Clerkenwell, right on the edge of Farringdon, Space Talk feels like discovering a little sound-isolated cove within the city. The architecture almost resembles the tip of a spaceship, with smoothly rounded materials enveloping the room and, in a way, the frequencies within it.

In a bustling city like London, what a treat it is to find a space that feels familiar. I call this the Living Room Effect. During the years when we spent so much time indoors, our living rooms became places of comfort and connection. We could listen to whatever we wanted, settle into conversations, and get to know people on a deeper level. Space Talk brings back a little of that feeling.

As you settle into the experience, you'll notice the attention to detail. The DJ booth sits at the centre of the room, surrounded by different places to sit, gather, and feel welcome. My favourite feature is the booth itself: a warm, 70s-inspired colour palette meets a futuristic composition. It's an interesting contrast that somehow feels right at home.

As I sat down, a welcome drink appeared. Coincidentally or not, it was exactly the kind of drink I'd gravitate towards: home-distilled tequila with bergamot notes. So good.

For a little bite, the tuna nigiri had an inherently buttery profile, unlike anything I'd tasted before. I also happened to learn a thing or two about eating sushi properly. Rather than dipping the rice into soy sauce, you're meant to tilt the fish into it, keeping the rice intact. And then there's the wasabi. When you taste real wasabi, you distinctly understand the difference. They had it :)

Around 20:00, the DJ approaches the rotary mixer and the custom Friendly Pressure sound system comes alive. This is a room where you don't have to compete with the music to hold a conversation, and the music doesn't feel like it's fighting to be heard. Everything feels as natural as possible. The sound becomes part of the room rather than something imposed upon it.

Another detail worth mentioning is the library of books and records. You're welcome to pick something up and spend some time with it. I selected a book exploring the relationship between music and mathematics, looking at how chords are developed through both simple and more complex principles. A nice little feedback loop to the experience itself.

While sitting at the bar, I found myself in some lovely conversations with the Space Talk team. Everyone had their own story to share and was equally curious about mine. It's these kinds of exchanges that make a place feel like more than just a venue. It was tough to leave, but when duty calls, we must keep it moving.

I'll be back soon.

With love,

Credits

Photos courtesy of Space Talk