Lawrence Friend, Author at Public House UK

Blind Truth ft Tata Vega & Toney – Why Can’t We See (Soulmagic Remix)

Next up on Soulmagic Records is this quality remix of ‘Why Can’t We See’ by Blind Faith ft Tata Vega & Toney. The remix was done by the labels very own Soulmagic and is absolutely brilliant!

Keen followers of this site will remember not so long ago I reviewed the Soulmagic track ‘I Wonder’ which I am still playing in pretty much every set I perform, this track put them on my watchlist!

They are back and this time with a remix of a classic from 1991. They have expertly fused a nice funky, and almost dirty bass rhythm with some nice piano chords and the great vocal, all sitting on top of some fresh modern sketchy drums. This is proper house music that needs to be heard in the sunshine!

Everytime I hear tracks from Soulmagic, they just ooze positivity and happiness! Regardless of what mood you start the track in, you’ll be in a better one afterwards! I can’t wait to hear more. This was released on 16th April exclusive to Traxsource.

Click here to buy on Traxsource:

Stanny Abram & Cole Jonson – Masamba Olufunke

Forthcoming on Whartone Records by two big-name producers who are both individually havin it at the moment, ‘Stanny Abram’ & ‘Cole Jonson’. Stanny is signing tracks to all the big labels at the moment including Vamos Music & Family Grooves. And as well as running his own label that you may recognise called ‘Influential House’, Cole Jonson also puts out his own productions on the big labels, such as Housesession & PP Music. With their talents combined they have come up with this absolutely awesome release!

The original of this is already available on the ‘Sound of Whartone Miami 2014’ release that came out a few weeks ago. And now Whartone have releasing it now as a single, complete with a remix from Karlos Cheadle.

The original is techy, bouncy and lively all the way from the sketchy drums to the high trumpet sound. During the breakdown, what sounds like panpipes or a flute filter in playing a really catchy riff, and then this huge summery spanish sounding vocal comes in before a big drum fill and sub-bass drop, I can’t wait to drop this in a club! The Karlos Cheadle remix is a lot more underground, with a big main room stomping kick throughout and the original trumpet sound all cut up, it breaks down with some shuffled hats before the vocal kicks in, then builds right up and bangs into a big subby b-line. Huge release on a huge label!

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Peter Brown – Keep It Down

This one was sent to me just over a week ago which has given me ample time to test drive it on radio and out at gigs. This is the first release for a brand new label called ‘Subterraneo Records’, owned and operated by UK dj/producers ‘The Dolly Rockers’, and what a debut release this is!

Along with the original version, this release comes complete with a meaty remix from KillerBeatz. For me, it’s the original version that really makes me twitch, and it’s that mix that I’ve played out over the past week. It has an infectious bouncy bassline sat nicely under some great hats and a lovely pitched down vocal. I love the airy chords and side-chained strings in the breakdown before the stabby chords, the big zappy laser build and almighty drop, great work! The KillerBeatz remix sticks to the same airy chord pattern during the breakdown, but adds a deep bass underneath and some panned arpeggiated synths. It then rises up and drops with a sub-bass pattern sat under some great tech drums and that big pitched down vocal. This mix is a lot livelier than the original but I can definitely imagine both getting some main room play time.

Already getting support from some of the big players such as My Digital Enemy, this release is bound to smash it.

Click here to buy on Beatport:

Barry Obzee – Gettin’ Funk

This is the first track in a huge line up of releases from Barry Obzee on a collection of top labels and after hearing this one, I think it will be safe to recommend bookmarking the name ‘Barry Obzee’ for future releases. Some might say I am slightly biased in my review of Barry’s music because he is in-fact a good friend and also my co-host on our weekly radio show on Select UK Radio (selectukradio.com), but I am so confident that my words will do nothing except point you in the direction of some awesome production and the music will in-fact speak for itself.

This track is called ‘Gettin Funk’ and is a part of the Rezonation Music Miami WMC Sampler 2014 along with 8 others. Firstly, upon clicking play on this Soundcloud sample you get hit with this great old skool sounding piano riff that filters out, then builds up and drops into a huge techy monster. A massive 3-note deep bassline takes over the show with some stabby chords and a great rappy style vocal over the top. Throughout the track different elements drop in and out and features some nice building breakdowns too. I have tried and tested this in the clubs and it ALWAYS goes off! Getting support from a few of the big players already, grab your copy now and keep an eye on this guy in the future. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

R.I.P. Frankie Knuckles

As you are most probably well aware, true house music legend Frankie Knuckles passed away this morning due to difficulties with diabetes at the age of 59. Here at phuk, we were deeply saddened by the shocking news.

Only a handful of days ago, Frankie performed his last UK set in London. I have heard through social media that a campaign is being set up to get Frankie’s track ‘Your Love’ to number one as a mark of respect to the Godfather of House Music.

You can purchase the track on iTunes by clicking HERE

Here are a couple of Frankie’s biggest tracks (including ‘Your Love’)..

Carl Hanaghan – Strings Of Life

So, about a month ago I thought to myself about how refreshing it would be to hear a fresh new version of Strings Of Life. Obviously the original Derrick May version was amazing, then the Danny Krivit Edit of the Soul Central version was outstanding back in the day, and even still today. It got absolutely hammered in the clubs everywhere! This time around, producer Carl Hanaghan has brought it right up to date with this really nice version. During the breakdown of this he has used the original keys, with a few slight tweaks and those awesome strings playing the original melody, eventually the filters kick in and a huge riser raises the track up to an almighty organ drop and keeping those strings in. So much love for this! This was released on 21st April on Zulu Records! Check it..

Click here to buy on Beatport:

D33P – Apollo 18 (Redub Mix) [Free Download]

I’m gonna keep this one short & sweet, up for a free download on Soundcloud. I heard it, I loved it and I downloaded it! I will definitely be featuring this in some of my dj sets, quality tune. Grab your free copy before they take it down!..

Check out the Soundcloud link and download for free!

Alex Wolf & DJ Gray – Turn Perfect

I have done a few reviews in the past of tracks by Slovenian producer DJ Gray and have followed his work closely. My best way to describe him is simply to say that he’s a conveyor belt of great music, track after track he never disappoints! For this track he’s teamed up with known producer Alex Wolf. If this track doesn’t get you moving then you simply can’t be hearing what I do! From the bouncy low bass riff and expertly chopped up vocals to the big tech drums and huge snare fills, this tune is a monster! It’s just come out on big German label ‘Attractive Music’ and is guaranteed to cause a stir. Prepare yourselves!

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Emeskay – Searchin

New out on Zulu’s sister label ‘Vudu Records’ is this meaty release from Emeskay. This is on a deeper bouncy tip and comes with an amazing remix by Zoltan Kontes. The original has an addictive bassline, some pitched down vocals and nice deep sketchy drums. The breakdown is immense with a synth pattern that builds up then vanishes before the almighty drop, back into the bassline pattern. The remix is a lot tougher, with a big punchy, warpy bassline and some really nice hats too. The breakdown on this has a real dark old skool bass riff sitting under the distinctive pitched down vocal from the original and again builds nicely into a great drop. Great release on a great label! This is out NOW!

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

Dmarco – Her Tribe EP

This EP has been in my review list for a few days now and only the fact that I’m moving house at the moment has stopped me from ranting about it. Fresh out on Arcko Digital is this quality two-track tech house EP from Dmarco. As you press play on the sample below you may think this sounds familiar, and that would be because I actually featured the title track ‘Her Tribe’ in the March edition of the phuk podcast series. Her Tribe is a huge main room tech banger with some nice twitchy chopped vocals laid over some complex drums and percussion. In the breakdown there is a nice filtered piano riff with various whooshes, and then the vocals filters back in and builds back into the drop. I really like this tune and look forward to playing it out. Next up is the track ‘Pump it Up’. Now this is a lot more tribal sounding than the previous tune, with some nice bongo hits and a repetitive bassline pattern all sat nicely along with a rap style vocal chopped up over the top. This one likes to build up, drop out and smash back in quite frequently which definitely keeps you on your toes. All round this is a great release for Arcko Digital. Check it out and get your copy now!

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

Click here to buy at your favourite online store:

PHUK Podcast No 5 mixed by Lawrence Friend

The fifth podcast of the series, this is the March edition, showcasing some of Public House UK’s blogged tracks and a few exclusives. Starting off quite deep and ending up techy and main room. We were sent so many amazing tracks this month, it was really difficult to filter it down to just 15, but these are the ones that really stood out for us this month.

Tracklisting (click on the individual tracks to buy on Beatport/Traxsource):
01. Monk & Saunders – Unfathomable (Original Mix)[Kinetic Groove – Exclusive]
02. Heartik – Cocoa (Coyu Edit)[Suara Records]
03. Leftwing & Kody – Missing (Original Mix)[Lapsus Music – Exclusive]
04. Vanilla Ace & Funkin L – In For The Kill (Original Mix)[Tropical Heat Records]
05. Larry Cadge – Vicious Circle (Original Mix)[Smiley Fingers]
06. James Silk – Talk Dirty (Original Mix)[Erase Records]
07. Emeskay – Searchin (Zoltan Kontes Remix)[Vudu Records]
08. Soulmagic ft J-Sun – I Wonder (Original Mix)[Soulmagic Records]
09. Mark Wilkinson & Mikalis – House Music Baby (Original Mix)[Kidology London]
10. Sweet LA ft Bronte Shande – Music (Frater & Stent Remix)[Fear Unknown Records – Exclusive]
11. Dany Cohiba – Mjuma (RanchaTek Remix)[Family Grooves]
12. Schuhmacher & Daniele Petronelli – Bounce! (Jorge Montia Remix)[Sphera Records]
13. Dmarco – Her Tribe (Original Mix)[Arcko Digital]
14. Siwell – Wheel Of Fortune (Original Mix)[Sphera Records]
15. Noise Tribe – In The Future (Franz Johann’s Here & Now Remix)[GTA Records]

Check out the Soundcloud link: