RACHAEL O’CONNOR samples the musical summer adventure at The Yard.

Tucked away down Pembroke Street sits Modern Art Oxford – which, in addition to being the South East’s leading gallery for the presentation of modern and contemporary visual art, has also made quite a name for itself by staging an exciting programme of live music, performance and DJ sessions in its brand-new, alfresco space, The Yard.

A bustling café by day and trendy bar by night, this East London-style venue has undergone a big transformation – mixing functional design with eye-popping graphic aesthetics – earning it a worthy nomination in the World Architecture Awards.

Continuing its new musical summer adventure, The Yard invites you to drop-in, tune-out and lounge to a series of eclectic live soundscapes at the popular DJ Mixtape Sessions.

Hosted by promoters Neural Ohmlette, the venue was jam packed from the outset and by the time the first act were up, the it-crowd of art-loving aesthetes were spilling out onto the street. London three-piece Pseudo Nippon opened with a truly bonkers 8-bit onslaught backed-up by a visually disorientating projection.

Ex-Battant guitarist and Andrew Weatherall studio pal Tim Fairplay spun his John Carpenter inspired electro-kraut grooves before local hero promoters Yoof – in the form of resident DJ Jack Olchawski – dropped-in to share their personal mix of what turns on the kids in the know. From new wave to chillwave, ambient to fuzz rock ‘n’ roll, go beyond the usual beats per minute and ease yourself into the weekend at The Yard.

With free entry all evening, Happy Hour from 7-9pm and a stunning audio/visual treat guaranteed every time, your heart may well skip a beat when you discover Mixtape Sessions.