The Apron Records boss toasts his debut album with a glut of exclusives.
London DJ and producer Steven Julien, also known as Funkineven, has been on our radar since he debuted on Alexander Nut and Floating Points’ Eglo label with 2009’s ‘Kleer’, and Eglo has housed numerous releases from the gear-hoarding producer since then, including 2011’s massive ‘Rolands Jam’ and a collaboration with soul singer Fatima.
He’s also released a stream of great records through his own Apron imprint since 2011, including music from Seven Davis Jr, Greg Beato and Delroy Edwards, and teamed up with Detroit’s Kyle Hall for a collaboration as Funkinevil.
Earlier this summer, Steven Julien returned under his birth name for his debut album, Fallen. Analogue-heavy and almost entirely sample-free, it’s a record with a split personality, leaning into his fleshier funk influences on the A-side before heading into deeper techno realms on the B-side. With an arsenal of vintage synths and drum machines (as spied by FACT’s Ben Murphy when he went to meet the producer earlier this year), he’s distilled a classic dance lineage into his own signature sound and made one of our favourite records of the year.
Julien’s FACT mix is fresh as a daisy, containing “85-90%” unreleased music from his own Apron label and hinting at some essential releases coming our way soon. And that closing track!
Tracklist:
Steven Julien – ‘End’
Jay Daniel – ‘Untitled ‘
Adam Feingold – ‘Joto’ (Smuv Edit)
Steven Julien – ‘XL’
Shamos – ‘Crisp Biscuit’
Adam Feingold – ‘Ascension’
Jay Daniel – ‘Untitled’
J M S KHOSAH – ‘Actuality’
John T. Gast – ‘Overseer’
Steven Julien – ‘Disciple’
Delroy Edwards – ‘Butterflies’
Max Graef – ‘Purpurner Nürnwurz’
SMBD – ‘Nnwhat’
Seiji – ‘Second Nature’ (Chateau Flight remix)
Ne Grove – ‘Let It Ride’ (Leroy Smith remix)