LAMP Weekly Mix #99 feat. Allen French

LAMP Weekly Mix #99 feat. Allen French

This week we welcome Allen French to the Guest Mix family! His eclectic style and DJing prowess has made his transition to producing seamless as is evident by his latest release 'Rosie' which we had the pleasure of reviewing a few weeks back. Power through the rest of your week with this energetic ‪#‎weeklymix‬ and pay special attention to a few new unreleased tunes. MR PUZL chatted with the rising LA producer about his productions, studio collaboration and what he and his French Press Records label have in store for the future.MR PUZL: You've got a pretty solid collection of disco, jazz and funk infused songs in this mix. What inspired your track selection for this mix? Allen French: I wanted to spread some positive vibes so I tried to keep things fun and funky as possible and just selected tunes that felt good!MP: Congrats on your latest release 'Rosie', we thoroughly enjoyed it! Will we hear anything else coming from you before the end of the year? AF: Thanks! Yes, I have another single release out in December which is actually track #10 on this mix (minus the legends Earth, Wind & Fire)
MP: You've elaborated on the fact that you collaborated with instrumentalist Joe Berry on 'Rosie'. How has the process of working with another person in the studio been?AF: I think there is something special about getting together with someone and creating a sound that other people can relate to or move to. I’ve been lucky enough to work closely with Joe since moving to LA and it’s been a fun process creating and getting to know one another. He's helped out a lot in developing the Allen French sound and we're excited to share more of our music! MP: Understanding how other musicians work takes time and patience. Do you also have an instrumental background or any formal music training? What do you look for in collaborators when working on songs? AF: Patience is key. I don’t have much of an instrumental background, just a love for music and twisting knobs. I do understand music theory which really helps and I can also get down on some keys when no one else is around. There needs to be chemistry when working with others and good communication goes a long way. It should always be a good time! 
MP: We're loving that Bon Volta track in this mix, and look forward to its forthcoming release. Tell us a little bit about your label French Press Records and what sort of sounds you're trying to curate.AF: Glad you guys like it! The label is a platform to release some of my own music as well as music from some friends, who happen to be very talented DJs/producers. We’re a House label and if the music feels good and moves us, we’re all about it. The main objective is to put out good music, spread it to the world and bring people together.MP: As you've mentioned in the past you DJ'ed under other monikers. Any ones that we might be familiar with? I'm sure you've accumulated some stories over the past decade of DJing, any you'd care to share with us? AF: So many good memories and DJ sets from the past decade. One set that really stands out was playing to a sold out crowd at the historic Warfield in San Francisco. MP: Your bio also mentions 'Parisian' roots. Do you have family back in France? How does that particular culture play apart in your music and life? AF: I have family in the South of France (Pau area). I think that specific culture and the importance of art and beauty is instilled in me from my grandparents and ancestors, which definitely plays a role in my everyday life as I incorporate many different ethnic instruments and styles within my music. I take in my families traditions and cultures but i never just stop there, I always try to continue to evolve and push the envelope. MP: Traveling the world opens up so many possibilities and expands one's creative mind by experiencing other cultural influences. If you could plan a month long trip around the world, where would you go and why?AF: I’d love to spend some time in South America (Brazil) and then head on over to South Africa, then into Morroco (Casablanca), Turkey (Instanbul) followed by Europe (Amsterdam, Greece, Berlin etc). I’d want to take a little piece or instrument home from each city so we can include the sound of those cultures in our music. MP: If you could work on a song with any Jazz musician past or present, who would it be?AF: Flying Lotus or Duke Ellington

Tracklist

1. Copyright - Be Together, Andre Espeut2. Superlover - Love Machine3. Bon Volta - Higher [French Press Records] (8:30)4. Purple Disco Machine & Boris Dlugosch - L.O.V.E.5. Demarkus Lewis, Marisa Guzman - If Ya Fall6. Onsra - Funky Town7. Butch - Dope8. Ra-Soul, Don Crisp - Love Power9. Roland Clark - I Get Deep (Richard Earnshaw Remix)10. Allen French - PRBNP (Shining Star Edit) [French Press Records] (35:30)11. Josh Butler - Wanna Say12. Mt Axel - Not Enough [French Press Records] (43:45)13. Steve Bug - Lifting AnchorCheck out some more mixes from Allen French below:Enjoy,LAMP