Without a doubt, 2012 was the year of deep house. A style rooted in old-school house, the genre as a whole exploded from the underground to the forefront of the dance music scene. George Fitzgerald, a British producer/DJ who characterizes this deeper side of production, rose as quickly as his respective genre.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2010, Mr. Fitzgerald has enjoyed a run of well-received releases on prominent labels, both in the UK and abroad. Decisive releases like "Child", "Need You" and "Every Inch" on Hypercolour and Aus provided a platform for George’s inclusion in last month’s BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix series of “2013’s Future Stars.” Recently honored with a booking at the prestigious Pryda & Friends tent at Creamfields UK, expect nothing but forward movement from the young gun.
Today Mr. Fitzgerald has provided us with a chart that is quite underground, an
indication of the kind of set you’d hear from him in a club. Experimental but refined,
George is known to play all over the map, from warmer, melodic deep house to more
pounding, unconditional techno and garage. You’ll be able to tell from this chart that
Fitzgerald is not scared to step outside of the box and do things his own way.
The first track is Fitzgerald’s new original production, "Thinking of You". His return to much-anticipated return to
Hotflush dropped on March 18th. It’s a dark and quick track,
almost garage in nature, sure to explode in the deep house scene. Debuted in his
recent Essential Mix, this release has seen a lot of hype and support from some big names
– listen to it and you’ll see why.
Levon Vincent’s "Rainstorm II" is a really impressive track, and one I never thought
George would chart. A simple track with an incredible synth progression, you can’t help
but think of a lounge somewhere on the Mediterranean. Definitely a pick-me-up track,
I’d love to hear this early on in a set. As George says himself, Levon’s very unique
production style is evident not only in this track, but in the entire EP.
For those of you who don’t already know, Velour is the production outfit of Julio
Bashmore and Hyetal, two producers who are well known for their individual
work. "Speedway" is a great song with a very well-made video, and something that you
may not expect from Bashmore’s traditional production style. Melodic with a great synth
stab, the off-beat kicks in the breakdown work wonders to create an all around feel-good
song.
Fitzgerald moves into some more industrial techno further into the chart. From Chino, a
lesser-known experimental producer, to the infamous Marcel Dettman, it’s interesting
to note Fitzgerald’s appreciation for darker techno. Two different sounds, both tracks
are heated techno productions that are prime-time dancefloor killers. Continuing with
the theme of darker techno, Fitzgerald included the latest Dust release from Low Life
Records, as well as a new single to be released on his own label (ManMakeMusic) by
Trikk. Expect some huge releases from George’s imprint this year.
Overall, this is a very diverse chart that displays Fitzgerald’s likeliness to the
experimental side of things. From deep house to techno, sit back and enjoy the top ten
tracks from one of the UK’s most prodigious producers.
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1. George FitzGerald – Thinking Of You [Hotflush Recordings]
George Fitzgerald: "It's been over a year since I last released on Hotflush, so it's a nice feeling to return to
the label who gave me my first break. This will be out on 18th March"
2. Midland – Trace [Aus]
GF: "Midland has been really stepping it up a notch recently, adding a bit of aggression
to his really intricate style. This is a perfect example of that, and deserves all the
plaudits it's getting at the moment."
3. Levon Vincent – Rainstorm II [Novel Sounds]
GF: "I could have picked any of the four tracks on this EP. Simply amazing. Levon has a
style all his own."
4. Chino – Raw and Rugged [Delsin]
GF: "Usually I'm not a fan of producers digging up random vocal snippets of some
Chicago/Detroit legend talking about house/techno. This is done with such style here
though, I can't help but love it."
5. Dauwd – And [Ghostly]
GF: "This is a really beautiful, understated track with just enough momentum to make it
work on the floor. Heads-down stepper."
6. Marcel Dettmann – Linux [50 Weapons]
GF: "Loved Dettmann's move towards a more jackin' sound here. Really took me by
surprise."
7. Space Dimension Controller – Mr 8040's Introduction [R&S] Listen:
GF: "The inimitable SDC rapping on his own track here. There's nobody else like him
out there at the moment and it's such a pleasure to listen to someone indulging their
imagination like this."
8. Velour – Speedway [Broadwalk]
GF: "Bashmore and Hyetal at their monstrously sleazy best."
9. Trikk – Basement Traxx [Man Make Music] Release Date: Early April
GF: ""Jackin' banger on my label, Man Make Music, from one of my favourite up-and-
coming producers. So much to come from this guy this year, it's very exciting."
10. Dust – Your Only Friend [Low Life Inc]
GF: "Some might think it sacrilege to have covered Phuture's classic house cut. I think this
works though. The female vocal gives it a sexier edge than the original."
