FREAKS

"THE MAN WHO LIVED UNDERGROUND"

MUSIC FOR FREAKS
2LP/CD

(FEB 2003)

Music For Freaks are proud to kick-start 2003 with the release of the brand new album from chief label honchos the Freaks, ‘The Man Who Lived Underground’.

The album is available on CD and a double LP format which features alternative versions. The album follows the release of well-received singles ‘Washing Machine’ and ‘Where Were You When The Lights Went Out’ which featured mixes from DJ Sneak and Tiefschwarz respectively. ‘The Man Who Lived Underground’ follows previous offerings ‘The Beat Diaries’ (2000) and ‘Meanwhile Back At The Disco’ (2001), both of which received widespread acclaim and helped to put the Freaks’ unique sound firmly on the dance music map.

Freaks are Luke Solomon and Justin Harris – Luke Solomon is perhaps best known for setting up the seminal house label Classic Recordings, alongside Chicago DJ Derrick Carter. He was also co-founder and resident at club night “Space” with Kenny Hawkes, which recently shut its doors after seven successful years; Justin Harris was one half of the pioneering DJ partnership North and South and resident at Bournemouth’s legendary acid house nightclub “Kev’s House”. Since this formative era his stock as a DJ has risen, and he regularly DJ’s in the UK (The End/Space/Planet K), Belgium, France, Germany, Canada and the US. Justin also mixed ‘Some More Freaky Stuff’, Music For Freaks’ first ever mix album, which was released with great success early in 2002. As Freaks, Luke and Justin have been very much in demand as remixers of late, reworking tracks from a diverse range of artists including The Streets, Mr. Scruff, The Human League, Telepopmusik, Goldenboy feat. Miss Kittin and Who Da Funk.

‘The Man Who Lived Underground’ represents a giant leap forward for them Freaks. From the opening salvo of the Diz vocalised ‘The Washing Machine’ (all fractured beats and oddball mechanical funk) and ‘Where Were You When The Lights Went Out’ (spiky nascent house featuring the sublime vocal talents of long term collaborator Stella Attar), through to the lo-if futuristic Ron Hardy squelch of ‘Fix It’ and the horror‑show electro of  ‘The Creeps’, it’s imbued with the spirit of a thousand and one half-remembered nights out. It’s the sound of house music reclaiming its soul. Its sparse, spacious vibrations may speak of an uneasy and sometimes suffocating urban psychosis but ultimately it’s a warm and welcoming experience. ‘Love Hate’s bass-heavy man machine grit grinds an axe in the direction of DJs and producers who when given the platform to speak out against mediocrity cower under a mass of platitudes.