013. Eufex - You Got It

Ok, I’ll concede that UK hard house isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. At its best it can capture a raw energy and vitality which begs to be let loose on a large sound system. At its worst, it is a collection of all the worst production clichés one can find in hardcore, jump-up and chart based dance music from the last decade crammed into one seven minute long mind numbing noise. Bad hard house sounds like the sort of music clowns would make if they broke into a music studio on an E induced rampage.

In terms of quantification, the split between these two categorisations is around 20% former, 80% latter. This is probably a generous estimate. You really have to work hard to uncover the gems of this genre. But even these caveats considered, it is a straightforward mystery why Eufex never really made a bigger indent into the UK, and even global, club scene than he did. You may not like what he produces, but you cannot disagree that the man has talent, and what he does produce is done with skill. Single handed, Eufex has been steadily supporting that slim 20%.

So why isn’t Eufex bigger than he is? Politics perhaps? While I don’t know the actors involved, nor have first hand information I am not in a position to accurately comment, but based on the evidence I can see it certainly seems that way. He had releases on strong UK labels, most notably Nukleuz. He had major support on several releases from Judge Jules. Yet in the end the man was forced to retire from the music industry due to lack of funds.

You got it is one of those big room, large sound system monsters. At home, you’re left thinking ‘ok, so this isn’t a bad tune.’ In a club, everything changes; it suddenly makes much more sense. The key point for me is after the rolling sub line ends its climb during the peak of the track and drops back down to the low end. As it climbs you forget just how much presence it originally had, only to be brought back with a bump. Add this on top of the complex layers of efx and percussion which are the hall mark of any Eufex track and you have on your hands a pristine example of what hard house should have been.

Eufex is one of those producers whose discography is so small and yet talent so great, it really is a crime not to have every production he’s made tucked away in the collection. He’s one of those little secrets, not big enough for the world and his wife to recognise, but significantly talented for those who know the difference to nod sagely when you drop one of his many underrated offerings.

Eufex - You Got It
[Ravage : RAV-105]
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