DARREN EMERSON & JAMIE MCHUGH ‘GRACELANDS’ - out now!
To kick things off Darren has teamed up with UK producer and long time cohort Jamie McHugh. The pair first worked together, when Darren signed Jamie to Underwater Records in 2008. McHugh also runs the superb Variance Recordings imprint which has been the home to music from Pezzner, Patch Park, Claude VonStroke and more. Variance was also the home to Jamie and Darren's last release together, 'Dark Matter'.
Today the pair drop 'Gracelands', a pure summer anthem, opening with Chicago inspired beats and bassline teemed with sweeping strings and a devilishly catchy vocal hook. Throbbing key stabs pierce the string melody and are joined by more sparklingly delicate keys. Bring on the sun, sea and sand!
Darren Emerson is one of the most influential figures in dance music - after a career spanning more than 17 years and counting…
Whilst growing-up on a diet of hip-hop, break dancing and later acidhouse, Emerson brought his first set of decks at 14 and began DJing inclubs at 16. Inspired by DJs such as Jazzy M, Emerson would travel twohours on a train from his hometown in Essex to visit record storesacross London for the latest vinyl. His first gig was at a club calledOuters in Southend, playing early Chicago and Balearic house. He thenprogressed onto the Milk Bar and Limelight, DJing alongside JohnnyWalker and soon gaining recognition, being named as DJ of the month inboth the Face and I-D magazine - bookings from across the UK and beyondfollowed...
Emerson soon chose to ditch his job as an established city trader(or ‘runner' on the stock exchange) and take on dance music full time.Recently turned 18, a friend introduced him to Rick Smith and KarlHyde. Smith and Hyde had been in a band together for several years andneeded a new injection from a DJ/Producer – in the form of Emerson -and the rest is… Underworld.
Signed to Junior Boys Own - whom Emerson was already producing for,the band released three albums: ‘Dubnobasswithmyheadman', ‘SecondToughest in the Infant' and ‘Beaucoup Fish' - and have since sold overa million albums world wide. Their hits include Cowgirl, Rez, Dark andLong and Born Slippy – all classics. The band were also renowned fortheir stunning and unpredictable live shows.
2000 saw Emerson depart from the band and go at it solo style.Although Underworld had been his passion for 10 years, it was time tobranch out; expand his DJíng and to work with producers he was meetingon his travels across the world.
The first collaboration saw Emerson and DJ cohort Sasha produce theIbiza classic - ‘Scorchio' – a perfect accompaniment for Space onSundays. Re-establishing himself as a tech-house heavy weight, twoGlobal Underground compilations soon followed; ‘Uruguay' and‘Singapore' and the hugely succesfull Underwater Episodes 1 and 2. Allproving that Emerson was back to doing what he does best; showcasing aparty-wise selection of deep, chunky house and funky techno cuts toperfection. Emerson has also, since his first remix for Gat Décor's‘Passion' on Effective Records in 1992 (Emerson's first label), remixedtracks for Fat Boy Slim, The Prodigy, Puff Daddy, Hatiras' ‘SpacedInvader' (Defected) Meeker and gus gus.
Emerson started Underwater Records in 1994. Initially to releaserecords for his friends, the label has, since it's inception, seenreleases from Steve Mac, Mutiny, Meeker, Gus Gus, Pnau, Paul Jackson,Sharam Jey and Tim Deluxe – whose ‘Sirens/ We All Love Sax' and ‘ItJust Won't Do' managed to put Underwater firmly in place on theindependent label spectrum. In 2003 Underwater was voted label of theyear by DJ mag and continues to go from strength to strength releasingalbums and singles from its ever growing and increasingly varied rosterof artists.
As well as producing club cuts for Underwater under his H2O monikerDarren has begun work on his eagerly anticipated debut album. Scheduledfor a 2009 release the album is shaping up to be something quitespecial.
The 9th Feb 2009 will also see the release of Darren's third GlobalUnderground mix CD recorded in Bogota. Plans for the coming yearinclude more club tracks and a world wide tour to promote thecompilation
