Black British summers are never just about the sun or the streets; they are about the soundtracks, the street corners where people gather after the dance, and the spaces we make for ourselves. On August 10th, SIKA took over Studio 338, packing it out and selling it out completely. It wasn’t just a night out, it was a snapshot of what a Black British summer feels like in 2025.
All day, the energy had been building. The sun was shining, the weather was sweet, and you could feel the anticipation that it was going to be a great night. By the time doors opened, the vibe was set. Friends rolled up in groups, strangers linked up in queues, and before long the space was alive with people, laughter, and excitement. From the jump, it was clear this wasn’t going to be just another event.
Inside, the crowd was buzzing, a mix of people from across London and beyond. Whether you came for deep cuts, the nostalgia of the 2010s, the hottest Dancehall, hot-girl anthems, or to discover the newest Amapiano and Afrobeats, SIKA had something for everyone. It was a place where music, memories, and community collided.
Say goodbye to repetitive DJ sets, wall huggers, and nights where no one really dances. At SIKA, people were moving and genuinely enjoying themselves. Pure good vibes all night long!
It wasn’t about who had the longest set or the biggest drops. The night wasn’t a playlist recap. It was about the feeling in the room, the energy of being together, present, with no distractions. A moment that shows how music, movement, and community connect everyone in the room.
Walking in felt like stepping into a time capsule and a time machine all at once. One minute, classic Afrobeats had the crowd in a chokehold, Burna Boy’s Like to Party taking everyone back to 2013 summer nights. Seconds later, Afroswing dropped with Kojo Funds and Yxng Bane’s Fine Wine, reviving mid-2010s dancefloors. The nostalgia was real, but it didn’t stay there. Amapiano log drums collided with Dancehall basslines. The set moved from Amapiano to Dancehall, with R&B slowing the pace just enough for everyone to feel that 2000s R&B together. The set flowed between nostalgia and the now, mixing old hits with fresh sounds. For a few hours, time didn’t exist. It was all about the music, the crowd, the energy, the moment, and that’s what SIKA felt like.
And yet, the music was only half of it. What happened between the notes made SIKA so special. People pulled each other in mid-song, trading lyrics with friends and strangers, and everyone just moved together without thinking, that unspoken choreography we somehow just know, straight out of a movie.
Everything that made SIKA what it was came from the people themselves. When they say we are the vibe, they mean it, and SIKA proved it. Slow jams turned into impromptu duets. The call-and-response flowed between DJs, MCs, and the crowd, everyone yelling back, ‘DJ, we wanna partyyy.’ The nostalgia, the energy, the joy — it was collective. This wasn’t a 10 out of 10 night. Not even 11 out of 10. It was 30 out of 10. The kind of night you can’t explain unless you were there.
At one point, the DJ pulled a classic move: the music cut mid-song. Instead of silence, hundreds of voices filled the room, belting the hook like a choir. The crowd became the music.
When the night finally wound down, the energy didn’t stop. Outside, Studio 338’s pavements were buzzing. People spilling out, still laughing, still in rhythm, some queuing for jerk chicken, others catching Ubers, still dancing in the streets. The night might have ended, but the feeling stayed. The vibe lingered long after the music stopped. A great event creates memories that stay with you, and that’s exactly what SIKA does. That’s the difference with SIKA. It sticks with you long after the night ends.
Somewhere in London, this is what Black joy looks like.
Somewhere in London, this is what true enjoyment sounds like.
Somewhere in London, this is SIKA.
