Artist: Derek Howell
Title: Funk It
Label: Fade Records
By: Simon Jones | 21 November 2004
Tracklist:

• A: Original Mix
• B: Breaks Mix

Derek Howell "Funk It"

Derek Howell is one of our favourite producers here at Progressive-Sounds, even though he's only really broke through and made an impact this year. Initially introduced to use via his work with Peter Martin under the name of Pinkbox Special, it didn't seem that long before Derek went his own way and began to show us just how capable he is as a producer. With some of his early work available exclusively on the digital download portal, EDM Digital, Derek's following amongst those in the know has been growing week by week, and his recent EP for 3Beat Breaks has firmly put him on the map, leaving the path set for 'Funk It' to continue the story on Chris Fortier's Fade imprint.

Wasting no time in setting the pace, the 'Original Mix' builds from it's percussive foundations, soaring higher and higher as some nice floating pads lend a smooth and silky gliding edge to the track whilst Derek begins to stencil his sound designs onto the underling canvas. This ambient backdrop allows the incredible strings and arpeggio patterns he brings into the track to develop, as its evolves into a spectacular peak time masterpiece.

The 'Breaks Mix' is every bit as impressive, a hard hitting melodic tinged epic than goes straight for the jugular. Heavy beats dictate the pace early on, with the bass soon dropping the main lead of the track comes into play and when it does things go right off as the track explodes in a flurry of filtered pads and melodies that will leave your jaw on the floor.

It's little wonder that praise for Derek has been coming from fellow producers and DJs alike when this superb single is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he is capable of. In addition to forthcoming material from his Lonestar project with friend Joshua Michael and a remix for Nascent Recordings, a 4 track EP of original productions on Bedrock will soon be with us, and by the time you've checked out 'Funk It', I'm sure I won't be the only one excited over the prospect of that.