Artist: Derek Howell
Title: We're Gonna Be Okay / Like I Love You
Label: White Label
By: Simon Jones | 22 July 2004
Tracklist:

• A: We're Gonna Be Okay
• B: Like I Love You (Lonestar Mix)

Derek Howell "We're Gonna Be Okay / Like I Love You"

Derek Howell is a name on many people's lips in the last few months. Be it his work alongside Peter Martin as Pinkbox Special, or with Joshua Michael as Lonestar, his productions are some of the most sought after of the moment, with many of the premier league DJs such as Sasha, John Digweed, Nick Warren and Chris Fortier touting him as one to watch in the future. On his own he has a forthcoming single on Fade, and EPs on Bedrock and 3Beat Breaks due for release in the not too distant future. In the meantime, to give you a taster of what is to come, this white label 12" features two very different tracks that highlight why Derek's star is not just rising, but is soaring into the heavens.

'We're Gonna Be Okay' is a cinematic breakbeat epic, which fans of the film '28 Days Later' may recognize. Warm electronic hooks, shuffling beats and breaks and strings carry this guitar-laden track forward, with the plucking refrains during the extended breakdown truly emotional jaw dropping stuff. Layer upon layer of rich, textured sounds are brought in, elements from the film pieced together carefully and faithfully, and climaxing in a solo, where the built up emotion subsides into a finale that will ignite the dancefloor. As they say in the old school, "they came to rock", and that's exactly what Derek does here.

Flip it over for the 'Lonestar Mix' of Mr Trousersnake's 'Like I Love You'. Don't be put off by that fact as this is a masterful interpretation that retains the addictive nature of the original but beefs it up into a twisted, hard hitting remix that will pound any speaker system it passes through in a big way, having a similar effect on the dancefloor. Everything from the tight beats, to the stutters and even the use of the vocal is done in such a way that it avoids being cheesy, and being someone who never liked the original, they have even managed to win me over with this classy rework.

It goes without saying as with most white labels, strictly cheeky, strictly limited, so if you want a copy, get down the store before there's no more.