Lawrence Friend, Author at Public House UK

Max Chapman – Jackin’ EP

Now here’s something I’ve been waiting quite a while to be released. Massive shout out to the lads over at Lost Records for sending this to me, this is an EP that has been featured both on my radio show and also on the May edition of the phuk podcast. Brand new out on on Leftwing & Kody’s label ‘Lost Records’ is this 5-track EP by Max Chapman and I got to say, it’s absolutely awesome & definitely something to get excited about! The EP consists of 3 original tracks and two of them have had remix treatment by Leftwing & Kody and PAWSA.

We’ll kick things off with the original mix of the title track ‘Jackin’. This has a huge kick drum and a really deep bass pattern sitting under some amazing male vocal stabs and one-liners, this one absolutely goes off in the clubs! The next track is the original mix of the track ‘Holding On’ which has a nice catchy vocal loop sat over some sketchy tech drums and a deep warpy bassline. There is a really dark element to this tune and even if I hear this on a small sound system, I can’t help but bounce my head along with it! Sitting nicely alongside the original of Holding On, is a fantastic remix by label owners Leftwing & Kody. Taking the original vocal loop and placing it over a slightly more upbeat track with an almost acidy deep sounding bass. I have tried and tested this one and it goes off guaranteed! Next up on the EP is a track called ‘Too Late’, consisting of an eerie female vocal laying nicely over a massive deep bassline, this is big! Loads of claps and snares, big builds and drops.. Huge! The final track on this 5 part EP is the PAWSA remix of title track ‘Jackin’. Now, if you don’t know who PAWSA is then you need to check out one of the previous Lost Records EP releases as this producer absolutely smashed it. Adding his spin on this track and making it brilliant! Making good use of the original vocal snippets and creating quite a dark remix with some lovely hats, shakers and subtle chords. I could honestly put this on repeat for ages, such a tune!

I can’t back this label enough, some serious releases! This one is out now..

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Interview: Futuristic Polar Bears

No ‘reset’ button for the Futuristic Polar Bears – it’s Game Over

Counting the early support for Game Over across both paws and including the likes of Sultan & Ned, Michael Woods, Kid Massive, Danny Howard, The Runners, East & Young, Antonio Giacca, Funkagenda, Carita La Nina, Nathan C, Paris & Simo and Thomas Newson amongst others, expectations are high for this imminent release on Harem Records. Since Back To Earth dropped earlier this year, things have been nothing short of crazy for the Arctic trio and as their biggest summer yet gets closer, the Futuristic Polar Bears sat down to divulge a few secrets…

Hi guys! It’s been a while – what’s been going on in the Polar Bear camp recently? Have you had chance to sit down after the ‘Back To earth’ mania?!

FPB: Haha not really no! The last few months have been crazy busy with touring, writing new music, remixing and working on great collabs that we can’t wait to share with you all. It’s been all been a bit crazy that’s for sure (not that that’s a bad thing, of course!).

‘Game Over’ is coming out very soon on Sultan & Ned’s label – for those who haven’t heard it, what can they expect to hear?

FPB: It’s a good slab of groovy fun house music for the main floors, full of rhythm and energy. Its great to finally get a chance to work with Sultan & Ned – we’ve been huge fans of theirs for a long time and since we signed ‘Game Over’ with them we’ve actually started work on a track together which we’re all really, really excited about!!

You’ve also got a remix of Dave Winnel & Mr Wilson’s ‘Fires Of Gold’ out at the moment on the Australian label, Vicious Recordings – do you think remixes are an essential way to build up an artiste’s portfolio and skill set?

FPB: It was great to be asked to the remix, the original was awesome and it’s always a pleasure to get to work with Vicious in Australia.

Summer’s nearly here, will you guys be taking the Polar Bear sound on tour at all?!

FPB: We’ve actually got a really busy summer ahead of us – our busiest yet with shows in Ibiza, Mallorca, Serbia and Ireland, as well as some dates back home in the UK! The big one we’re all looking forward to though has to be the mighty Creamfields in August with Hardwell and the Revealed team – that’s a festival we’ve wanted to play for as long as we can remember!

Some massive gigs then! Are you guys nervous or excited?

FPB: Really excited! It’s going to be great to showcase some of our new music that’ll be out later in the year as well as having some fun in the sun 😉

We’ve also heard, thanks to Hardwell, that you and Danny Howard have another track out soon – what can you tell us about Vargo??

FPB: Yeah, Vargo is out in June on the mighty Spinnin’ Records and the support so far has been incredible – Hardwell played it on his radio show last week which we’re obviously buzzing about! We love working with Danny – as many of you know we are good friends outside of the industry and always have a blast in the studio. Keep a look out online as the official video for Vargo will be out soon as well 🙂

With Vargo you’ll be adding the mighty Spinnin’ Records to your repertoire – are there any more labels out there that you want to release on, or indeed, any that you’d like to return to?

FPB: Ultra in America was a big one for us and we were over the moon when we found last month we’d been asked to remix Benni Benassi’s new track. We can’t wait for that – it was such an honour!!

Well, it certainly sounds like life in the Futuristic Polar Bears camp is still full steam ahead! Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about or keep an eye out for?

FPB: Keep an eye and ear out for some new collabs coming this summer with some truly amazing artists, as well as our newly revamped Global Radio Show that’ll be dropping early June with a completely fresh look yet the same Polar Bear sound that you know and love!

And finally, going back to the new single – we all had computer games that frustrated the hell out of us, which are your most infuriating Game Overs?!

FPB: Oh my god too many, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty used to frustrate us for hours. However If you want a challenge these days, play Fifa 14 on legendary mode against Barcelona or Real Madrid and see how long it takes to get the ball off them…

Thanks chaps!

FPB: Our pleasure as always 🙂

Game Over is out NOW on Harem Records

For more:
www.facebook.com/futuristicpolarbears
www.twitter.com/polarbearmusic1
www.youtube.com/futuristicpolarbears
www.polarbearmusic.co.uk
www.instagram.com/futuristicpolarbears

Sam Dungate – Break Ya Speakers

Here’s the second release for new label Subterraneo Records which is owned and operated by the Dolly Rockers. This release has been produced by Sam Dungate, a London based DJ/Producer.

This track has a nice bumpy deep house feel to it with an infectious bassline riff, nice flowing hats and a great vocal chopping in and out. The breakdown is awesome, with a single note string and a filtered chord sound building up with some snares and eventually dropping into that big bassline. This track is a definite winner!

I’ve already had the pleasure of playing this one out and can assure you that every time I’ve dropped it, it’s been well received. Massive tune from what will be a massive label. Well done Sam Dungate, and a great signing guys! Available NOW on Traxsource.

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Groovebox – Freshmaker

Here’s something thats been out just over a week now and it’s absolutely havin’ it on the dancefloors at the moment. A name that is well known to every tech house dj is ‘Groovebox’. I have reviewed a few of his tracks in the past and here’s another to add to his library of massive tunes!

This track features a very well known sample that’s been used on so many big tunes in the past, expertly placed over a huge sub-bass tech bassline and some nice shuffly drums. Groovebox is renowned for supplying short samples to his tracks and I can only comment on what he’s given. If the rest of the track is as good as the short snippet then it’s definitely something worth smashing out in the main room. This is available now on the mighty 1605 label..

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Interview: Whelan & Di Scala

Whelan & Di Scala sit down for a chat about the ‘Rest Of Your Life’

Hailing from Liverpool, UK, Whelan & Di Scala are arguably ChillBeat’s biggest signing to date. With the anthemic ‘Rest Of Your Life’ about to drop, the duo sat down with us for a quick chat about the track, working with ChillBeat and about a bit of support they’ve had from three chaps from Sweden…

Hi guys, thanks for joining us! So, give us a 2014 update for those who aren’t in the know…

W&D: We’ve kind of stepped back from the W&D material this year… With the race to be loudest and craziest in the EDM world right now we kind of feel a lot of the good progressive music is being overlooked so it’s not really a good time for releases… The last thing we wanna do is jump on the band wagon making basically pitched down Scouse house!

Somebody mentioned to us something about the Swedish House Mafia?

W&D: Hmmmm… I guess they are talking about our track with Sebastien Drums, ‘Here I Come’ that features in their recent movie and farewell album, something we are very proud of!

And how did that track end up in their hands?

W&D: You’d need to ask Sebastien Drums… That guy’s got pull!

‘Rest Of Your Life’ will be ChillBeat Records’ 50th release – what can you tell us about this track?

W&D: It’s been over a year in the making, we’d had the vocal a while and could never get the track to match the vocal for its epicness so we left it for nearly 12 months and came back to it. Completely new bass line, new riff, kick etc and now we are really pleased with the outcome! It goes off every single time we play it!!!

Have you had chance to drop it yet and gauge the reaction?

W&D: Yes, we always play our demos out so we can hear them on a serious system… A good sign is seeing the clubber miming the words by the second drop ha…

And as far as support goes, you guys seem to attract the big guns – any early indicators who we can expect to see playing this one?

W&D: Thomas Gold, Matisse & Sadko, The odd Swede here ‘n there?!?! Haha 😉

ChillBeat have got some big things in the pipeline, how do you guys feel about being a part of that plan?

W&D: It’s a great outlet for Whelan & Di Scala music for sure. Having a label behind you who are as passionate as we are, not just about our music but about dance music in general can only be a good thing! ChillBeat are getting bigger & better with every release and that’s what it’s all about!

Any last words?

W&D: 2 new tracks in the pipeline… Watch this space!!!!!!

Thanks chaps!

Rest Of Your Life is out NOW on ChillBeat Records!

https://twitter.com/Whelan_DiScala
https://soundcloud.com/chillbeatrecords
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Whelan-Di-Scala/139486882625
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ChillBeat-Records/303864303038704

PHUK Podcast No 7 mixed by Lawrence Friend

The seventh podcast of the series, this is the May edition, showcasing some of Public House UK’s blogged tracks and a few exclusives. This month we feature more of the main room and tech house tracks that are doing it for us in the clubs at the moment. This month features a new released track from the head honcho at Public House UK, he’s also the guy who’s mixing the podcast too… ‘Lawrence Friend’.

Tracklisting (click on the individual tracks to buy on Beatport/Traxsource):
01. Max Chapman – Holding On (Leftwing & Kody Remix)[Lost Records – Exclusive]
02. Groove Project – Balear Salida Del Sol (Dolly Rockers Remix)[Subterraneo Records – Exclusive]
03. Maff Boothroyd – Music Is The Answer (2014 Bootleg Mix)[Unknown]
04. State Unknown ft Jamie Lewis – Bare My Soul (Maff Boothroyd Remix)[Deepstate Records]
05. Samuele Sartini, Andy Tee, DJ Lora & Dave Hunter – LoveLight (Siwell Remix)[Sphera Records]
06. Adrian Hour – Good Job (Original Mix)[Suara Records]
07. Jorge Montia & Tony Puccio – My Definition (Original Mix)[Sphera Records]
08. Danny Whyte – Uganda (Ettica Remix)[Rezonation Music – Exclusive]
09. Barry Obzee – Beat Da System (Original Mix)[Kidology London – Exclusive]
10. Lawrence Friend & Barry Obzee ft Sophie Foster – Break My Heart (Original Mix)[Tactical Records]
11. LFO – LFO (Tenacious 2014 ReWork)[No Label – Bootleg]
12. DJ Gray & Sergio Pardo – Le Love (Original Mix)[Jesus Love Records]
13. Black Legend Project – Be Free (Original Mix)[Kidology London]

Check out the Soundcloud link:

Barry Obzee & Lawrence Friend ft Sophie Foster – Break My Heart

Right now this one is a bit cheeky as I am actually reviewing my own track! Feel free to send me over your own reviews, I am always open to constructive criticism and I know it’s not going to be to everyone’s taste, but here we go!..

For this track I teamed up with my radio co-host Barry Obzee, and we got the talented Sophie Foster to do the vocals for us. I suppose the style of track would be an old skool sounding chordy tech house tune but with some deep breakdowns and a melodic two-line vocal.

This is available NOW on German label ‘Tactical Records’ as a part of their ‘Ibiza Circo 2014’ release, alongside some other amazing producers. Have a listen and let me know your thoughts by either commenting below or messaging me! Thanks for your time in checking out our latest track, very much appreciated 🙂

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Deceptive – Down With Me (James Silk Remix)

Now the name James Silk has been on my radar for a little while now with a nice catalogue of releases, and this time he adds a nice remix to the collection of tracks.

This is something fresh out on Get Twisted Records and I gotta say, it’s big! Things start off quite airy with some warm pads, giving this remix a calm relaxed feel. Then comes the breakdown! It breaks down with some old skool stab chords then drops into an amazing deep bassline pattern. Throughout the track there are different elements dropping in & out which gives things a ‘constant building’ feel.

Definitely worth a listen, it’s gone straight into my dj bag and will be featured on my radio show. Big tune, check it..

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Black Legend Project – Be Free

Here is something out on Kidology London by the producer Black Legend. You may remember him from his chart smasher years ago, he’s now back and churning out some awesome music.

This will be his second single release on Kidology as last month he released the track ‘FANF’R’ which is still going down a treat, but he has also had a remix appear on the same label too. The timing on this release is perfect as the weather is warming up and it is full of summer vibes. There are two elements in this track that I particularly like; the funky bassline and the amazing vocal. The bass takes me back to the old ‘proper’ funky house days and the vocal is just so cheerful that it makes me smile. I haven’t had a chance to spin this in a club yet but I can imagine this being played on a beach in the sunshine, I can’t wait to slip this into my set.

Absolutely amazing track, this is a must in the sunshine..

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Cj Jeff – Out Of Sight

Out now on Sphera Records is this brand new smasher by CJ Jeff. This release contains two different version, the first is an edit by Mihalis Safras and the second is a full remix by Mihalis Safras and Redondo.

Going with the Mihalis Safras Edit first, its a really nice tech house track with a sub-bass pattern under some shuffly drums and percussion elements. The track is carried by a stabby synth chord throughout as well as little mini-breaks and drops. All round, this is a great track and would suit a thriving tech house dancefloor any day! Next up is the Mihalis & Redondo Remix, now this one is another techy version but with less complex drums. The breakdown has the original stabby chords filtering in and a massive riser taking the track right up until a huge drop. This track makes me want to dance (if I could dance!). Definitely worth checking out, available now..

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Sonny Fodera – Can’t Deny EP

Here’s something by a huge artist and released on probably one of my favourite labels at the moment. Out now on Suara Records is this big four-track EP from Sonny Fodera.

We’ll kick things off by talking about the original mix of the title track ‘Can’t Deny’, featuring the vocals of Taliwa, this is an absolute powerhouse of a tune! As you may have noticed, I featured this track in my April edition on the phuk podcast. The track has an absolute monster deep bass pattern sitting under the main vocals and some big deep sketchy drums, this is my favourite of the EP and I can’t wait to play it out. The first of the two remixes of this track is by Leftwing & Kody, well as said in previous reviews, these boys are absolutely having it at the moment. In this remix they have incorporated a huge bass pattern with a slight acidy edge and a strange sounding warpy synth, I have definitely heard that sound before but can’t place it! The vocal is placed perfectly along with some other light and airy synths and some punchy drums, great remix. Next up is the Harvard Bass remix of Can’t Deny, this version is more of a deep, techy remix with 3-note sub-bass pattern sitting under some very minimal drums and offbeat hits as well as a male talking vocal cut up over the top. Eventually the bassline filters up into an acid sawtooth and a ride cymbal carries the track through and adds a nice big element to it.

The other track on this EP is called ‘It’s Like That’ and it is absolute quality! The breakdown has a robotic deep voice quoting the title over some airy synths and a few snares, this then builds into a deep bassline drop which would send a dancefloor crazy, guaranteed!

This release is already getting support from the likes of: Felix Da Housecat, Mark Knight, Max Graham, John Digweed, Dave Seamn, Technasia, Hot Since 82, Riva Starr, Thomas Schumacher, Dosem, Jay Lumen, Steve Lawler, Carlo Lio, Kaiserdisco, Tiger Stripes and many more! You need it in your gigbag..

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store: