Influences: Shenoda

This track pretty much defines an era for me when I first fully got into DJing house and techno and has never really left my bag since to be honest. I picked it up in Covert Records in Brighton where I was living at the time and is the shop I spent every saturday record shopping. The first time I ever went to Fabric I saw Craig Richards and Ricardo go back to back and they played this. It’s become a real “get out of jail free” card in many sets since.

Pretty much a timeless classic in my opinion. Soundtracked many a summer after-hour whilst I was at university.

Whereas Geht’s Noch? was probably the first record that made me fall in love with Flugel, I got hold of this as a b-side when it was re-issued on Playhouse around 2008 I think. I later re-discovered it on a Joy Orbison RA podcast and for me it interestingly blends hip-house, searing pads, and an intimate vocal to perfection.

Cliched I know but they pretty much started it all for me in terms of dance music really. My first ever gig was going to see them do their “Music for the Jilted Generation” tour at the Cambridge Corn Exchange with my mate and his older sister and friends. I think I was like 12 at the time but it was an absolute game changer. Also I’m pretty sure this video was rinsed heavily on “The Box – Music Television You Control”, anyone remember that?……

A friend of mine at uni introduced me to this album and I instantly loved it. In all honesty I had no idea who Basic Channel were at the time but it was a big wake up call in how perfect a meeting of two completely different styles can be. At the time I hadn’t heard anything like it before. Such amazing use of space and depth.

This album featured heavily in my time at college in my late teens. Unsurprisingly its aged really well and has definitely stood the test of time. It was probably the first album which I got into where I fully understood what sampling was and how it can be used to construct a sound and create the framework on how music is made. This is one of my favourite cuts from the album.

Did I mention the music television channel “The Box”? It was how I was introduced to lots of music in my school days. There’s too many hip-hop albums from that time to mention from people like A Tribe Called Quest, NWA, Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg that were all played heavily. As the sun is shining while I write this I feel like choosing this track.

A stone cold classic.

The beginning to this record pretty much epitomises the way I approach a lot of my production aimed at dance floors. A serious groove, really weighty beats, and an interesting use of samples to drive the track. I could pretty much listen to the first minute for days and then the pads take it somewhere else entirely.

Being the youngest of 5 by quite a big age gap I was introduced to a lot of music by my older sisters that for at the time I would never have listened to. I remember one of my sisters being totally obsessed with the Smiths. This track heavily reminds me of my childhood and instantly fills me with nostalgia.