James Benedict - In Time and Place EP (Lucky Sun Recordings)

Lucky Sun Recordings return with the imprint's fifth release, the In Time and Place EP from Glasgow-based producer James Benedict. On the heels of recent hot releases on Savoir Faire Musique, House Trip Recordings, What Happens, and Delve Deeper Recordings, James brings the heat with these three new original tracks. "In Time and Place" delivers jerky house beats, spliced vox, and James's signature deep chords. "Midnight At Riverside" follows with punchy drums and percussion alongside hypnotic synths and pads. "Rockabeat" is a slightly more psychedelic affair featuring swung, staccato synths, and potent drums and bass adding to a driving feel that just keeps building.

The first remix in the package comes from Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) who, in remixing "Rockabeat", contributes a lovely piece of deep house … his chords and bass line are to die for and there's a cheeky broken beat-esque middle section. Next, "Midnight at Riverside" is remixed by Nico Mendez (Underground Sounds / UM Records) who gets a bit 'out there' with shuffling beats, deep chords, and and an atmospheric breakdown. Top notch all around.

Tensnake - "Nice EP."
Colin Dale - "The original of 'Rockabeat' is the stand out for me here … top track!"
Vanilla Ace - "Good warm up cuts."
Johnny Fiasco - "Alvaro Hylander's remix is the one for me."
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque / Fancy Human) - "Cool vibes on this EP … 'Rockabeat' is the pick here."
Phonogenic (Moodmusic / Turbo) - "'In Time And Place' soothes me …"
Ben Mono (Undertones Gang / Plant Music) - "Dope stuff … will definitely play."
Jaymz Nylon - "The sound quality is amazing … I'll give 'In Time And Place' a try."
Sebastian Davidson (Nightbird Music) - "Great pack!"
Tim Andresen (What Happens / Savoir Faire Musique) - "Well done. 'Midnight At Riverside' and Alvaro Hylander's remix of 'Rockabeat' are my favorites."
Sumsuch (Colour and Pitch / Mega Jawns) - "Nice EP here … a little different from the norm."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "I really like the bass movement here and the dreamy synths … a hypnotic mood."
Michael Fossati (Spirit of House) - "Groovy and tantalizing."
Mark Mac (The Sounds Collective) - "A very solid release from such an excellent label. All tracks have a great vibe but Alvaro Hylander's remix just takes it to another level and Nico Mendez's touch is also spot on."

Available now from Traxsource, Beatport, and iTunes.

An Interview With James Benedict

Rising Glaswegian house music talent James Benedict has hooked up with Tom Lown's Lucky Sun Recordings label, spawning the deep and evocative In Time And Place EP. This fifth release for the label features three sparkling originals – "Midnight at Riverside", "Rockabeat", and the title cut – as well as fantastic remixes from Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) and Nico Mendez (Underground Sounds / UM Records). We recently caught up with James to talk about this new release and other recent activities:

How did you manage to hook up with Lucky Sun Recordings?

JB: Tom approached me and asked me if I’d like to get involved in the label and I agreed! I knew that Lucky Sun was quite new and I checked out the releases in detail and really liked the sound Tom was putting out there. I like getting involved in new labels, and being part of a growing project. If I can contribute in some positive way then it’s all good.

What can you tell us about the In Time & Place EP? The title sounds almost mystical. Are there any stories or meanings behind its songs?

JB: It does sound a bit mystical, actually! The title track I suppose was about where I was in my musical life when I made it and about how I was feeling at the time. "Midnight at Riverside" is named after a museum down the road from where I was living when I made it, and "Rockabeat" is just a random one!

I probably spend more time coming up with names of songs than I do making them to be fair! I like to be quite original with them and sometimes they have a meaning and sometimes they don’t.

Is there anything you do in the studio – as far as hardware or software you use, or creative processes or quirks – that you feel is somewhat unique, or might be of interest to an outsider?

JB: In terms of my studio, I try to keep things as simple as possible, which helps me be creative. I use Ableton, a couple of digital synths (which vary depending on the sound I’m after), a MIDI keyboard, Ableton Push, occasionally the Roland TR-8. I also like using samples and recycling them in a way that suits my sound and the particular type of track I’m going for at the time. In terms of creative processes, I normally have a rough idea of what I want to make, try and find a loop that works (which can take a while sometimes), then eventually something will click and then I’ll arrange everything.

Listening to music is a massive part of the process for me as well, which can be anything, not just house music. Sometimes I’ll spend a week or two just listening to stuff to get inspiration, particularly if I feel I need to take a step back from the production. Also anything that I think is creative inspires me – films, art, photography.

How would you describe your sound to, say, a classic rock fan who knows nothing about deep house?

JB: I’d say it’s deep, funky, bouncy and underground. You may not like it if you don’t like electronic based music. But hopefully you’ll appreciate and respect it. The main thing I try to add to my tracks is some sort of feeling and soul. I think that’s important, and if I feel like a track doesn’t have that, I’ll scrap it and start again. Hopefully that’s passed on to the listener – that’s the goal!

What are you most excited about right now?

JB: I’m getting married at the end of the year which is exciting! A lot of work to organize everything but it's going to be worth it. I’m also buzzing about the new Star Wars film coming out in December (had to get that in – I’m a bit of a geek!). And I’m always excited about music, and stuff generally.

What’s next on the agenda for James Benedict?

JB: I have a four track EP coming out soon on LA based Good For You Records which I’m excited about, so watch out for that. I’m also working on a follow up EP for new label Delve Deeper Recordings (they’ve been pumping out some top tracks). And i’ve got a remix coming out In November on cool label sinnmusik* which I’m really looking forward to. Lots of other stuff going on in the pipeline, too!

Here's an audio preview of the In Time And Place EP (available now from Traxsource), as well as a top notch DJ mix from James Benedict:

Coming Soon From Lucky Sun Recordings ------------------ 1. In Time and Place 2. Midnight at Riverside 3. Rockabeat 4. Rockabeat (Alvaro Hylander Remix) 5. Midnight at Riverside (Nico's 12:01am Remix) Lucky Sun Recordings return with the imprint’s fifth release, the In Time and Place EP from Glasgow-based producer James Benedict. On the heels of recent hot releases on Savoir Faire Musique, House Trip Recordings, What Happens, and Delve Deeper Recordings, James brings the heat with these three new original tracks. “In Time and Place” delivers jerky house beats, spliced vox, and James’s signature deep chords. “Midnight At Riverside” follows with punchy drums and percussion alongside hypnotic synths and pads. “Rockabeat” is a slightly more psychedelic affair featuring swung, staccato synths, and potent drums and bass adding to a driving feel that just keeps building. The first remix in the package comes from Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit Recordings) who, in remixing “Rockabeat”, contributes a lovely piece of deep house … his chords and bass line are to die for and there’s a cheeky broken beat-esque middle section. Next, “Midnight at Riverside” is remixed by Nico Mendez (Underground Sounds / UM Records) who gets a bit ‘out there’ with shuffling beats, deep chords, and and an atmospheric breakdown. Top notch all around. . Label and Artist Links: www.soundcloud.com/lucky-sun www.soundcloud.com/dj-james-benedict

We're happy to present this gorgeously deep and warm DJ mix from up-and-coming Glasgow-based producer James Benedict. On the heels of recent hot releases on Savoir Faire Musique, House Trip Recordings, What Happens, and Delve Deeper Recordings, James is ready to bring the heat once again with his new In Time and Place EP for Tom Lown's Lucky Sun Recordings. This mix showcases James's deep house predilection, with a diverse array of upfront tracks and including his own "Midnight At Riverside" from the upcoming Lucky Sun single. ------------------------------------------------------------------ TRACK LIST: 1. Kevin Over - Outta Town (Original Mix) (Noir Music) 2. Steven Wobblejay - Basement Bright (Quintessentials) 3. James Benedict - Midnight At Riverside (Original Mix) (Forthcoming on Lucky Sun Recordings) 4. Thatmanmonkz - Kickin' It (Classic Music Company) 5. Nail - Together (Robsoul) 6. Phil Weeks & Joss Moog - Back In Effect (Robsoul) 7. Tensnake - Need Your Lovin (Tiger & Woods Remix) (Permanent Vacation) 8. Deeligent Soul - Colours of the Sunset (Large Music) 9. Lovebirds - Chasing Things (Teardrop Music) 10. James Benedict - In Time And Place (Original Mix) (Forthcoming on Lucky Sun Recordings) 11. Stefano Esposito - Detachment (Lost My Dog) 12. Toefflinger - Got The Love (Georgi Barrel Remix) (Forthcoming on sinnmusik*) 13. Pop Out & Play - Spray Crazy (Harold Heath Remix) (Lucky Sun Recordings) 14. Markus Enochson - Awa (Deeply Rooted House) ------------------------------------------------------------------ https://soundcloud.com/dj-james-benedict https://www.facebook.com/James-Benedict-482369025260 https://twitter.com/JamesBenedict3

James Benedict - The Fox (Deep House Aficionado)

Australian imprint Deep House Aficionado is back again, but for the first time reaching outside their country's borders for a release by Glasgow producer James Benedict. With plenty of releases under his belt, Benedict has seen success on labels like Spagat Music, Savoir Faire Musique, and Onethirty Recordings. The Fox is a wily EP featuring three original atmospheric and moody cuts. "What Can You Do" is an airy piece with driving hats, peppered by snares and chopped up vocal bits, all evolving like a day dream. The title track follows with a similar vibe, but far more spacey in its minor adjustments of the synth filters which really make things come to life. "See You Drive" expands on these hypnotic flairs of melody, nailing the landing on the groove with its low end and drums. Relax and drink in the sounds of James Benedict, but be careful because this is intoxicating work.

Tom Lown (Savoir Faire / Lost My Dog) - "Ooh, I like this a lot. Real deepness … three tracks of quality."
Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) - "Nice electronic vibe and a distinctive sound across the whole EP. 'The Fox' edging it for me."
Tini Tun (We Are Here Records / Fade) - "'See You Drive' is good!"
Lorenzo al Dino (7th District Inc. / Royal Plastic) - "A great package of mixes and house tools … well produced."
Leigh Morgan (Urban Torque Transmissions) - "Yeah, cool stuff. 'The Fox' is really on point."
Alvaro Hylander (DeepWit) - "Powerful tracks! Really enjoying the beats."
Carlo Gambino (Midnight Social Recordings) - "Nice EP from James. 'What Can You Do' is the clear winner for me."
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - "'See You Drive' = TUNE! Great stuff here."
Ourra (Pop Out And Play / Alola) - "Yeah! I love 'The Fox' … lovely triplet groove and great sound choice."
Distant People (Foliage / Seamless) - "Lush production, full of nice layers … has a spaced out feel, great for the dark clubs."
Ken Liu (Headset Recordings) - "Dreamy, cerebral cuts. Very nice."
Al Bradley (3am Recordings) - "Nice beats overall. I will give 'See You Drive' a whirl out in the clubs … a solid deep mid-set cut."
DJ Di Costa (MoodyLushious Influences) - "'See You Drive' is a stunner. I'm loving the spacey vibe in this track … truly beautiful."
Corbin Dooley (Electric Feel Radio Show ) - "Lovely and lush deepness."
Tariq Ziyad (New Urban ERA blog) - "Wonderful and enchanting sounds … I love these."
Myxzlplix (Kodawari Recordings / Sunclock) - "Putting forth new melodic arrangements, a new deep house maverick is emerging here. Nice."

Available now from Beatport, Juno Download, and iTunes.