François K - FK-EP [Wave Music]

Format: 12" in printed sleeve.
CAT: 50004-1

Francois Kevorkian is a name that needs no introduction. With over 40 years in the game, FK has occupied numerous roles in his long and legendary career: drummer, DJ, A&R man, remixer, and producer; his skills know no bounds. Having DJ’d during the nascent days of NYC club culture alongside Walter Gibbons, Larry Levan, and more, he has been there since day one. Years spent in the seminal clubs of the era sharpened his ears and his prowess behind the mixing desk led to him becoming the A&R man at the legendary Prelude Records label in the early 80s, which in turn led to him working with artists such as The Eurythmics, Depeche Mode, Erasure, D-Train, Yazoo, The Smiths, Kraftwerk, and many more. A true NYC original and legend, Kevorkian remains active today and the respect he commands among his peers has never diminished. His adventurous extended DJ sets, seminal mixes, and remixes, and his open-minded approach have ensured he will go down in history as a musical pioneer.

Let’s rewind to 1995. Kevorkian’s ‘Wave Music’ imprint has come to life with a handful of releases. Nobody could imagine that his self-produced ‘FK EP’, the next release on the label, would be an absolute classic. Easily one of the most consistent, exciting, and solid EPs to come out of NYC during this golden era of dance music. Across 4 tracks, we embark on a sonic journey through a world that is undoubtedly informed by FK’s time as an engineer, DJ, and most importantly, music lover.

The EP’s opener ‘Hypnodelic’ introduces us to this world, a deep, driving cut that fuses Freddie Turner’s dub vocals with FK’s keyboards and impeccable drum programming, oozing cosmic electronic soul, this track was bound to be a future classic. ‘Mindspeak’ also features strong drums and, with a respectful nod to Chicago, is an incredibly well-mixed and arranged peak time cut that will take your dance floor into deep space time and time again. ‘Edge Of Time’ welcomes us to the flip side of the EP, with wild latin percussions, tablas, and old-school trumpet stabs driving this monster cut, not to mention cavernous dub effects and that huge bassline that just doesn’t let up. Essential. ‘Moov’ closes things out with a more muted and stripped-back vibe. Reversed percussions and spaced-out synth chords tie together this beautifully subtle and warm track, one that builds into a crescendo of hypnotic melodies and rhythms and the perfect way to close what has been a truly special musical journey.

This essential reissue of the ‘FK EP’ has been fully licensed, sanctioned, and remastered in conjunction with FK from the original master sources by Optimum Mastering, Bristol, UK, pressed on high-quality vinyl and packaged as the 1995 release was. A true classic, available again for 2018. Welcome back Wave Music!