Author: Lawrence Friend

Lawrence is a dj/producer from London with a vast knowledge of the house music industry. He has had his own productions released on many labels under different aliases and has also traveled the world djing for different sponsors and labels. All reviews are his own opinion and in no way reflect anyone else's.

Area 94 Records – Various Artists – South Beach EP

A nice new EP released for the Miami WMC on Area 94 Records, consisting of four huge tracks. I recently reviewed a track on this label that was remixed by Federico Scavo and it’s still doing it for me. Let’s go through this EP individually.

First up is ‘Alex Kenji & Federico Scavo – Never Give Up‘, this is a very lively old skool sounding, funky house track. They use a high noted string stab which repeats throughout, and a big funky bass rhythm. Very bouncy with a one-liner vocal sitting on top.
Then there’s ‘Rhythmoholia – Sing It Again‘, this is another old skool sounding track with a great female vocal. I really enjoy the first breakdown where it has a nice 80’s funk feel then a build into a big twitchy tech track, I love it!
The third track on the EP is ‘Flynn Nolan & The Satori Sound – Only You‘. This track has a punchy deep warpy bassline sat under some nice 909 hats and some good vocals. I’d definitely drop this one in a set!
Finally there’s ‘Michael Clark – Broadway‘. In complete honesty, this one isn’t for me! I like the idea and the feel of it but its probably a little too ‘euro-commercial’ for me. I could imagine this going off in a club though, it’s got some big stabby bass synths and a punchy deep bassline which I do like.

Good times 🙂

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DJ Licious – People (inc. Funkerman Remix)

This is something forthcoming on Can You Feel It Records by DJ Licious. I haven’t really followed much of DJ Licious’s former productions but this one caught my eye as it features a remix by Funkerman. This one verges on the electro tip with both mixes, the original has a dark bass pattern with some stabby synths laid over the top. The key feature to this one is the rap vocal that flows with the rhythm. Very nice. The Funkerman remix uses the same pattern but has changed the sound to a more sawtoothed synth, the builds are a lot bigger and some nice little elements are added. All round this is a great release, the original mix just about wins it for me. See what you think..

Click here to buy on Beatport:



Soulmagic ft J-Sun – I Wonder

Now I was fortunate enough to be sent this little gem last week and I can only apologise that it’s taken me until now to feature it. This is forthcoming on Soulmagic Records by Soulmagic ft J-Sun and is a follow up to their smash ‘Someone Like You’ which was released on Strictly Rhythm last year and supported by big names such as Pete Tong. This track incorporates both an organ and a piano riff sitting together and working amazingly, then a great vocal sits over the top. This is destined to be huge! I played this on my radio show over the weekend and the response was massive. I haven’t done a great job in describing the track or giving it any justice, just listen to it and you’ll get what I mean. Awesome! This was released on 26th March exclusive to Traxsource as a Miami WMC promo, get it downloaded..

Click here to buy on Traxsource:



Siwell – Wheel Of Fortune

I am a massive supporter and follower of both Sphera Records and the producer Siwell, and this is something fresh from them. An absolute main room tech slammer! From the glitchy drums and percussion to the deep sub bassline and the pitched down eerie vocal. There is loads going on this tune, with breakdowns, builds, drops, it has everything! I was fortunate enough to grab a copy from the label before its general release, and I test drove it both on radio and out at a gig, it went down a storm! Well recommended!..

Check out the Beatport link and support the artist by buying the track:

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KillerBeatz – Like This Like That

Huge tech house track released on Tactical Records as a part of their Miami sampler for 2014, produced by producers Killerbeatz. This is the first release from Killerbeatz that we’ve featured on this website, however, we have been following them for a while and love their work. This track is absolutely awesome! There is a really nice old skool sounding chord stab pattern which is complimented by a talking male vocal, all sitting over some sketchy tech drums and a deep subby bassline. There are plenty of builds and side-chained sweeps throughout, which take the track to constant new levels. Very good, check it out..

Check out the Beatport link and support the artist by buying the track:

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Larry Cadge – Vicious Circle

Fresh out on Smiley Fingers is this two-mix release of ‘Vicious Circle’ by ‘Larry Cadge’. The main version is the original mix which to me, is very familiar sounding and sounds a lot like the classic ‘French Kiss’ in the way it builds, the bass patterns etc. I played this version on my radio show on Saturday and it went down a treat with listeners wanting to know what it was. I can’t wait to play this out to a crowd of proper house-heads, I could even squeeze it into an old skool house set and it just works. The next mix is the dub mix which is a lot deeper than the original, some nice bass and low synth stabs, I can definitely imagine this being played in the clubs. I look forward to hearing it out there. Crackin’ release from Larry Cadge and Smiley Fingers, out now! Grab your copy on Beatport..

Check out the Beatport link and support the artist by buying the track:

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Luigi Rocca – Synesthesia

I got sent this track a week or so ago from 303Lovers and it’s given me time to give it some airplay. Brand new from Luigi Rocca is this deep/tech track which is also a different style for Luigi. This track has a really nice spacey feel to it and a great synth pattern before dropping into a really warm, deep bassline. I particularly like the use of offbeat snares and deep synth stabs after the drop. Already getting a lot of attention from a lot of the big players. Out now on 303Lovers..

Click here to buy on Beatport:



Ruben Mandolini – Abduction EP

Fresh out on Snatch! Records by Ruben Mandolini is this awesome 2-track tech house EP. Starting off with the title tune ‘Abduction’; loving the bouncy tech drums in this one along with an offbeat tom-tom thrown in too! Good use of a familiar vocal sample and a nice breakdown consisting of synths/strings, vocals & snares, eventually this drops nicely into a mono-tonal bassline and some quick cut up vocal stabs, love it! The second track on this EP is ‘Lady Of Time’ which has a nice bumpy bass pattern and a repetitive vocal, huge breakdown with a sweeping reverbed siren riser and drop into that big bass pattern again. This one is probably my favourite of the two as there are more elements dropping in and out. All round great release! Good Times!

Check out the Beatport link and support the artist by buying the track:

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Preview: Jay Frog – Beatbox Rocker

This is a forthcoming release on Tiger Records from Jay Frog. Initially this is a 3-part release with an original mix, a festival mix and a remix by Sean Finn. I am going to concentrate on the original for the simple reason that the other two versions don’t really suit the theme of this site (that doesn’t mean they aren’t good, check them out!). Ok, so this version is a nice bouncy tech mix with some nice drums, a deep bass rhythm, huge risers and almighty drops. The real key elements of this track are the rising blippy synths and the choppy cut up vocal stabs, they really make this. I can definitely see this getting dropped in a main room! Due for release on 30th March on Tiger Records 🙂

Check out the Soundcloud link and support the artist by buying the track on Beatport when it is released:

James Trystan & Ryan Stavrou – Vibrations

This is something I’ve been meaning to review for a while, something fresh by James Trystan & Ryan Stavrou out on Great Stuff Recordings. This release comes in 3 parts; an original mix, a dub mix and a remix by Mario Ochoa. Let’s start from the beginning and check out the original mix. Some really nice laid-back deep drums with an addictive organ chord pattern sitting nicely on top, then comes the breakdown. This tune has a nice male vocal over the organs, an almighty sub-bass sitting under the chords, and a lovely side-chained string sound cutting in and out throughout. Absolute tune! Next up, we’ll check out the Mario Ochoa remix. Now, Mario Ochoa is no stranger to this website as I have reviewed a few of his past releases. His remix kicks off with some skippy 909 drums, a single chord stab and then his signature deep ‘speed garage’ sounding bassline which he has incorporated into a lot of his tracks lately. Eventually this version kicks in to a nice big techy stomper with the original vocal chopped up and used as a stab and a short part of the original chord riff, I thinkit’s safe to say I really like this version too! The dub mix is exactly as it says and is the original version just without vocals, it has just as much of an impact without them so I’ll give it a big thumbs up! Yet another quality release from Great Stuff. Available now, so buy it!

Check out the Beatport link and support the artist by buying the track:

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Preview: Sweet LA ft Shante Bronte – Music (Frater & Stent Remix)

This is a 3-part release forthcoming on Fear Unknown Records. For this review, we are going to concentrate just on the Frater & Stent Remix of Sweet LA’s track ‘Music’ ft Bronte Shante. Ok, so lets start by saying that this is main room tech house at it’s best! From the bouncy drums, the sub-bass riff pattern and the stabby chord sounds, it is perfectly produced! The breakdown has an old skool sounding piano with a nice vocal over the top, it builds up and drops back into the stompy tech stabs. I absolutely love this and will definitely be supporting it on radio, out at gigs and even on the monthly phuk podcast! You need to buy this when it’s released on 7th April, it’s the law!

Check out the Soundcloud link and support the artist by buying the track on Beatport when it is released: