2.22.25 Event Recap at SAA Carpark In Brooklyn: Level III Collective Is Building a New Blueprint for Dance Music Culture

When Level III Collective first entered the New York City scene in the summer of 2021, it felt like a necessary correction to the way party culture was evolving, or rather, devolving. Their debut event in an apartment had no cover charge, no strict capacity limits, and zero gatekeeping. Instead, they cultivated an environment of true affordability and inclusivity, where talent and connection could grow naturally. From the beginning, Level III wasn’t just throwing parties; they were building a community.

Level III’s members include Dennis Free, Anthony Ramirez, Lilah Beldner, Faith Cheung, Chim Tasie-Amadi, Mesa, Will O'Brien, Lani Adedoyin and MD Ilomuanya. Level III has since expanded far beyond the dance floor. Weekly radio sets powered by Half Moon BK and a curation partnership with Apple Music have helped them create a formidable multimedia platform that's just as dynamic as the crowds they cultivate. Still, their core marketing ethos, "tell everyone you know, to tell everyone you know" remains one of the purest examples of organic, people-first growth today.

I first discovered Level III through Dennis, after receiving a formal invitation to their most recent party at SAA Carpark. From the moment I pulled up, the energy in the air made it clear: something real was about to unfold. For us at Real Ones, a Chicago-based collective, there’s plenty of inspiration to take from Level III’s model. A connection that Sydni and I actually joked about beforehand, likened ourselves (and Level III) to a Cartoon Network meets Nickelodeon crossover episode: two distinct forces across different locations, but with a shared DNA of reputable authenticity.

Opening the night was Mesa, who set the perfect tone immediately. My friend Cece Maravilla described his set akin to a heartbeat, loosening up the room with smooth, soulful, American dance sounds of New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Baltimore. Sparking rhythms of soul, house, and techno within energetic confinements of the garage’s space, Mesa knew exactly how to read a room, creating a warm, magnetic energy that pulled people closer to the booth and to each other. It was the kind of opening set that doesn’t just warm up the crowd; it welcomes them into the world Level III has carefully built. The crowd, still filling in, was already moving like they’d been there for hours.

Following Mesa, Minzi Roberta and Hangaëlle stepped up for a high-octane back-to-back set, seamlessly blending African club rhythms with deep, polyrhythmic experimentation. As their sounds grew heavier and more layered, the lighting on stage shifted into deep blues, reds, and purples, perfectly matching the rave aesthetic that started to take hold. Their synergy behind the decks was electric, feeding off each other’s energy while pulling the crowd deeper into their orbit.

Next came Dennis Free, offering a uniquely different, equally enjoyable experience. The sounds Dennis spun were eclectic and masterfully spontaneous, pulling from jazz, electronic, hip-hop, soul, trap, and more. The sheer number of people that eventually joined Dennis onstage alone served as proof of his ability to ‘get the people going.’ Having seen Dennis DJ a few times prior, I expected a certain familiarity, but it didn’t feel like that one bit. Every transition, every track felt freshly tuned to the moment, like Dennis was reading the collective heartbeat of the room in real time rather than delivering a pre-planned set. That’s a rare and special skill.

MEMPHY followed with a trance-heavy, rave-fueled set that pushed the night even further into overdrive. I admittedly only caught a few minutes of her set since I left around 2am, but I vividly remember a stunning impression that the vibes shifted. This was because a whole other audience had seemingly arrived, which made me feel like some people had shown up just to catch her set alone. This especially was impressive to me, because MEMPHY was a last minute replacement for Berlin's River Moon, who unfortunately had to back out. MEMPHY’s pulsating basslines, soaring synths, and hypnotic rhythms carried the crowd into a cathartic state, and her set didn’t just sustain the energy; it cracked it wide open to usher in a full-body experience that felt as physical as it was emotional.

Closing out the night was Black Rave Culture, a trio that delivered a masterclass in sheer power and Black electronic excellence. I found it astonishing that I experienced heavy FOMO due to missing their set; almost regretting my decision to go home and logically get some hours of sleep ahead of a busy day following. Their set blurred the lines between techno, house, and experimental bass; holding the crowd in a collective trance while still offering enough twists to keep everyone fully immersed. It was the perfect culmination of controlled chaos, with a reminder of just how wide and deep the present & future of dance music really is when outlets like Level III exist.

Needless to say, when Level III decides to throw a party, they deliver. It's not an occasion to miss, and not an inch of detail isn't accounted for across the board from the music, the space, the crowd and the branding. Outside of my decision to leave at 2am, the only other upsetting aspect was that I forgot to grab a laptop sticker, and additionally missed the opportunity to grab limited edition/exclusive trading cards of the DJs on the lineup, including Dennis Free's 'rookie card.' However, I'd argue that the fact that I forgot to walk over to the merch table says it all; namely that the place to be was the dance floor. In a time when nightlife can often feel overly curated, expensive, and inaccessible, Level III is carving a new path; one that's unapologetically open, vibes-heavy, and uncompromisingly real. If this is the future of party culture, consider us already on the guest list. After all, following a night like that, you don’t just hear the music; you carry it with you.