Andrews* & Edwards* – Slowburning

Every now and then a track comes along, that manages to describe something precise and really quite difficult. ‘Slowburning (Original Mix) by Andrews & Edwards. Offset Music, UK 2003 (45 RPM)’ sums-up the mood and feeling, of what was going on at the time, and what came from the years of 2000, 2001 and 2002. There was some amazing warm, fun and inclusive house/tech house being made and played. There was of course the West Coast house wave going on, like: Jenö Void and DJ Garth doing the Wicked parties, Dano of Red Melon Records, the DNA Lounge club in San Francisco, Tony Hewitt, Johnny Fiasco, Solar & Galen (Sunset Sound Systems), and so on, but there was also the U.K./London tech house scene, that played some of the West Coast stuff, but also made their own spin and interpretation of it, and what was going on at the time. DJs like Asad Rizvi, Rob Summerhayes, the Reverberations label, Ben Watt and Jay Hannan of Lazy Dog, Inland Knights, and so on, would play this kind of music.

To really understand what this tracks says and describes, you have to know about the London deep house going on around 2003, the Reverberations label is a precise example, and the London tech house scene. It really describes and has a feeling of friendly sun-bleached, hot, warm London streets in the summer time, communal happiness and love in urban terrain, carefree and ready to go wherever in London for the next great party, aspects not always seen or felt in London at times… It fits perfectly being played on 1 of the Sizzle boat parties along the River Thames in London around 2004. It has elements of London tech house, the slightly serious sampled sounds, but then the undeniable soul and warmth of house, then female vocals. It really does capture the essence and describes the time and scenes to perfection, and what was going on in London. It is like it has not been made or composed, but somehow experienced and joyfully captured.

The tracks below are some good examples of this strain of warm, fun and inclusive house/tech house music:

• Ain’t No Ceiling by Fresh & Low. i! Records, US 2000.
• Brighter Dayz (Californian Sunshine Mix) by Pure Science. Pure Science Communications, UK 1997.
• Changes (Original Mix) by Sandy Rivera Featuring Haze. Defected, UK 2003.
• Chilldoubt by Souldoubt. Viva!, US 2001.
• Do It (Miguel Migs’ Transport Dub) by Deep Theory Featuring Haley. Large Records, US 2000.
• Dimbeloid by Dexter. Beat Code, UK 2003.
• Everybody by Inland Knights featuring Toka Project. Drop Music, UK 2000.
• E-Commerce by Sean Dimitrie. Leaf Recordings, Canada 2001.
• Free by Terry Francis. Hallucination Limited, US 2003.
• Free (Original Mix) by Third Movement. Forensic Records, UK 2001.
• Feel It by Ross Couch. Offset Music, UK 2004.
• Greatest Hit (Extended Disco Mix) by Annie. Loaded Records, UK 2000.
• Hold Your Turtles by Appleheadz. Loaded Records, UK 1999.
• In This Life by Kaskade. Society Heights, UK 2003.
• I Will Get On (Joshua Remix) by Annie. Loaded Records, UK 2003.
• Jacob’s Groove (Fresh & Low Remix) by Infectious Audio. Offset Music, UK 2004.
• Lovelee Dae (20:20 Vision Accapella) by Blaze. Playhouse, Germany 1998.
• Loose Leaves (Bryan Robson 4/4 Mix) by Nova Scotia. Airtight, UK 2001.
• No Reason (DJ Meri Bonus Percapella) by Mambana. Vendetta Records, Spain 2001.
• No Time by Toka Project. Drop Music, UK 2001.
• Northern Comfort by Inland Knights. Drop Music, UK 1999.
• Open Your Eyes (Original) by Yann Fontaine. Low Pressings, UK 2000.
• Release by Mario Fabriani. Nightshift Recordings, US 2004.
• R. U. Serious by Pete Moss. Worship Recordings, US 2002.
• Slippery Heights by Asad Rizvi feat. Mel Dymond. SOCO Audio, US 2004.
• Slowburning (Original Mix) by Andrews & Edwards. Offset Music, UK 2003.
• Sweet Nothing by LawnChair Generals. Viva!, US 2002.
• Take 5 by Johnny Fiasco. End Recordings, UK 2003.
• The Book (Epilogue Reprise) by Salt City Orchestra. Paper Recordings, UK 1994.
• Too Late (Too Latte Mix) by Impossible Beings. End Recordings, UK 2002.
• Try Her For Love (Johnny Fiasco’s Vocal Mix) by Colette. Moody Recordings, US 2000.
• Your Love (Ian Pooley’s ‘Summertime’ Mix) by Noel Nanton. Honchos Music, UK 2002.

‘Slowburning (Original Mix) by Andrews & Edwards. Offset Music, UK 2003 (45 RPM)’ is a stunning tune, and although it seems to conclude… it is not an ending, more of a halfway point, a realisation, to be played halfway through a mix, rather than at the end, to go on to even better things!

A remarkable tune that describes something so difficult to encapsulate, it describes the indescribable, and it does it so very well! An amazing era, so friendly, inclusive, warm, sunny and full of love. And as Liz Edwards said ‘It is music for everyone’ (‘What Happened To Tech House?’ made by Resident Advisor in 2021) and has not really been rivalled since… The golden years, no doubt.

There are 2 mixes by the Offset Music label, that you can find online, search for:

• Textures mix by Matt Craske (Offset Music) 2003, from deepmixes and gallerysound.
• Offset Music label mix, 2004 (Mixed by George Andrews & Matt Craske).

(Please note: this review may not be 100% accurate, but I have tried my best, using my knowledge.)