Lawrence Friend, Author at Public House UK

Jungle Funk Recordings UK Vol. 1

One of the many perks to running a house music review website is that occasionally I get to feature tracks that I’ve produced and signed to labels. This is one of those occasions!

When producing, I usually team up with my radio co-host Barry Obzee, together we have had tracks released on a fair few labels and also have many more that are being released very soon. For this release, we managed to get signed to Canadian label ‘Jungle Funk Recordings’ which is owned and operated by Jerome Robins and Deko-Ze. We feel very privileged to have our track as a part of the brand new three-track compilation called ‘Jungle Funk Recordings UK Vol 1’. I am going to review all three individually:

House of Virus: Only You – Huge main room house track with some very distinct percussion and massive bass stab pattern on the drop. I really like the piano chords during the breakdown. I’m gonna hammer this in the clubs, it’s big!

Barry Obzee & Lawrence Friend: Bassline Pumpin – It’s hard to review our own track without sounding biased, but this one is full of energy, big techy basslines, synth patterns and stabs. The breakdown stays simple, builds up and has a nice pitched down spoken vocal before that high-energy drop. We’ve already tried and tested this one on the terrace of Space, Ibiza and it went down a treat!

Gordon John: Laying Down The Funk – This one is a definite for any main room set, just check out the bass pattern and you’ll see why! In this track, Gordon has fused together some big hatty tech drums with a seriously sharp and bouncy bass pattern. Honestly, you need to hear this!

Three completely different style tracks and all flying the British flag high. This whole release is available right now exclusive to Beatport for a few weeks before getting released on every platform. Check it..

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Zenbi & Jerome Robins – Abyssinian

Something fresh out on Suara Records, and part of the twenty track release called ‘Kitties Go Deep Vol. 4′. As soon as I was sent this whole release, I burnt it onto cd’s and put it straight in the car, I knew it was going to be good! It would take a long time to review every track individually and believe me if I had the time then I would because it’s a great compilation from the label, however, I don’t have the time so I picked my favourite and decided to review that! Here it is..

My favourite track is Abyssinian by Zenbi & Jerome Robins. Now I’m not too familiar with Zenbi but I am very familiar with Jerome Robins’ work. This one seems to be completely different from his usual style but together, they have nailed the sound. They have used some amazing chord stabs, big vocals and a huge sub-bass in this with some great drops and builds. This one gets cranked up in the car!

This is available now, have a listen to the rest of the compilation too, you won’t be disappointed.

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Preview: Made By Pete ft Penny F – Our Story

Now here is something I’m quite excited for the release of. I get sent a lot of music from day to day and this one stood out quite a bit. I don’t usually choose to review the deep, soulful & chilled house tracks but this one is simply beautiful and must be mentioned.

The whole release is forthcoming on Grin Recordings by producer ‘Made By Pete’, and the dub version is currently available on Toolroom’s Ibiza 2014 album. Now, before I heard this track I was familiar with the producer’s name as he previously remixed one of my favourite tracks a while back (DJ Spen ft Marc Evans – The Way You Love Me), which I have played a few times on my radio show and I still hammer it out today!

This release fuses together some lovely chilled piano chords and keys, sat over shuffly deep house drums and topped off with the amazing vocals from Penny F. This is feel good music at it’s very best, it almost takes you on a journey! Get the deckchairs out and pour yourself a cocktail, this is a proper chill-out anthem.

Due for release in October, and a little birdie told me that this will be complete with remixes from Electronic Youth, Long & Harris and Ben Remember… HUGE, Can’t wait!

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

James The Cat – Robbin Bastard

Here’s something on Arcko Digital that I’m particularly excited about. Already having a popular following on the label, James The Cat has brought us this huge track and thrown in a couple of remixes too!

The original mix is nice and techy with an absolutely awesome bassline and some lovely chord stabs! I gotta be honest, I can’t find anything I don’t like about this track, it’s great throughout with loads of elements kicking in and dropping out constantly. Very well put together.

The first remix is by DJ Tweek and is a lot more upbeat, sounding like a very percussive old garagey grime track or an old filth electro track, I can’t decide! I like the acid sounding bass stabs throughout, big drops and lots of percussion. Very nice!

So, when I was sent this from the label, the label owner wrote something along the lines of ‘I think the Cor Caroli Remix will be your favourite’, well that was spot on, I like it that the label boss knows my style all too well! This remix is absolutely HUGE!! Not so long ago I featured an EP by Cor Caroli and he hasn’t disappointed this time, I’m a big fan! In this one he has literally catered for everything; big synth stabs, big bassline, big builds and big drops. I can’t wait to play this out.

My only grumble is that I’ll never get to play it on the radio as it says the word ‘bastard’, but I guess I could bleep it out! If you do anything today, then listen to this! Out NOW..

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Le Funnk ft Valerie M – Life Is The Way

Anyone who knows me will know that I have a close relationship with the family over at Kidology London, and recently they sent me this absolute gem! I was extremely proud to have the world exclusive first play of this track on our radio show and I’m very thankful for that.

This release is produced by Le Funnk and features the vocals of the talented Valerie M from the Freestylers. From pressing the play button this track is full of energy. The breakdown features some really nice classic piano chords coupled with some vocal stabs, then in comes some claps and a riser which builds everything up to an almighty drop. If big basslines are your thing then you’ll be all over this! After the drop is a huge warpy, old skool garage sounding bass riff that will blow a roof off.

Absolutely love this track, and it’s getting loads of attention from the big players! Available NOW!!

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Luigi Rocca & Tim Cullen – Touch Me

I’ve been supporting this track for a few weeks now and it’s gone down well everywhere I’ve played it. New out on 303Lovers is this huge track from Luigi Rocca and Tim Cullen. Both producers have an outstanding back-catalogue of tunes and this collaboration is nothing short of awesome!

I am a big fan of pitched down vocals and it is a technique that is used more and more in house music production these days, Luigi & Tim have made great use of this technique here. The delayed vocals sit really well over a big punchy deep bass pattern. On the breakdown, the track sounds quite eerie with the same vocal echoing over what sound like low bassy strings, then it gently builds up before BOOM, it drops back into that big bassline. This tune is big and a must for any mainroom set.

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Constantino Nappi & Micky Da Funk – Dancer EP

I was sent this a few weeks ago from Sphera Records and upon first listen I knew I’d be hammering it! Now tried and tested both on the radio and in the clubs and always getting a great reception, this is something new from Constantino Nappi & Micky Da Funk consisting of two banging tracks.

First up is the title track ‘Dancer’, this fuses together some massive techy drums, with a deep funky bassline, some subtle brass sounds and a stabby filtered vocal. I can’t back this tune enough, it’s awesome! A guaranteed dancefloor filler! The second track on the EP is just as big with a similar feel, although this one has the repetitive loop taken from Chic & Sister Sledge’s huge anthem ‘Everybody Dance’ from 1977. Given a nice 2014 retouch! Big!

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Ryan James – Twist My Mind

Okay, so I haven’t reviewed anything for a little while as I’ve had a bit of time off to spend with family etc. but I’m back and going to be pushing out loads more reviews in the coming days on ongoing.

I thought this one was a good track to kick things off again with! Although I’ve picked up on it quite late as it was released last month, it still had that affect on me that made me want to talk about it. A huge release for Orange Groove Records and no doubt a stomper for Ryan James too! Extremely well produced and takes me way back to the old garage days. This track has a nice pitched down R&B sounding vocals sat over a deep and bouncy bassline. This is an absolute shufflers anthem, check it out!

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Isis Salam ft Kruse & Nuernberg – Nasty Girl

Ok, so I was recommended this one by a friend and I was eager to check it out as Kruse & Nuernberg were the co-producers of a track with Leftwing & Kody a while back that I absolutely loved. At my friends request I had a listen and although completely different to anything I’d heard from these producers before, I really liked it!

Featuring the vocals from Isis Salam, the original mix starts off like a big r&b track, then a really nice organ pattern kicks in and turns this track into something deep and bouncy. The vocal continues repeating over the top and the track progresses more, it goes all the way to feature a really nice housey piano riff complimenting the existing chord pattern.

This track got the remix treatment from none other than DJ Sneak, his mix is simply awesome! Making use of the vocal and pitching down some of the verses and laying over his signature deep percussion. This version definitely takes you on a journey, get ready for the deep bassline! Definitely worth checking out..

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Larry Cadge – Message / Simple Things

This is the second release I’ve reviewed by Larry Cadge, the first was a while back of an amazing track called Vicious Circle, which I still play out today and it’s still going down well. This time around he has put together two tech house tracks called ‘Message’ & ‘Simple Things’ and released them on the Smiley Fingers label.

Lets kick things off by talking about the track ‘Message’. This is a lovely, deep and bouncy tech track that absolutely rocks on a big sound system. Recommended for the more chilled tech fan as opposed to the big main room banging type. A really nice breakdown featuring a nice sample taken from Barack Obama’s Nowruz address to Iran! Cool vocals and a really cool track.

Next up is ‘Simple Things’, well I instantly loved this tune! Very melodic and every element compliments each other. Some nice swingy tech hats sat over a nice stabby chord pattern and deep bassline riff, with a great breakdown. This one was really well thought out and well produced, hats off to Larry Cadge as he’s done it again! Great release.

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Maff Boothroyd – Love Is The Answer

Something fresh from the Kidology camp from dj/producer ‘Maff Boothroyd’. This is a guy who has definitely gone on my ‘ones to watch’ list recently having featured two of his previous tracks on my latest phuk podcast and getting amazing reactions to his material in the clubs, it’s safe to say he is making his mark in the industry.

Maff’s productions certainly have a unique style and this release is a perfect example of that. There is a big dispute at the moment within the whole house music industry regarding genre classification. Some people would say this track falls under the deep house bracket, personally I’d say it’s just straight up, feel good house music. This track consists of a huge piano breakdown with a great vocal and some airy strings, all before a big build and drop into a massive bass pattern that’s guaranteed to get the hands in the air. Throughout the track there are great little elements kicking in and dropping out, all adding to the summery feel of this big Ibiza anthem, as well as a recognisable vocal thats been cut up and played with. If you’re playing out this summer then I’d definitely recommend this one, it’s tried and tested.

Click here to buy at your favourite online store: