Levon Vincent's Six Springtime Picks

Levon Vincent is about to release his eagerly awaited Fabric mix – on April 23, to be precise.

Fabric 63 is a showcase of the raw, relentlessly driving house sound that the New York producer has been an uncompromising practitioner and champion of, and leans heavily on his own tracks as well as contributions from fellow travellers like Black Jazz Consortium, DJ Qu and Jus-Ed.

The launch party for the album is at Fabric on May 26, and will see Vincent play an extended set in Room 1 with support from Motor City Drum Ensemble and Craig Richards, while the Aus Music crew take over Room 2. More information about both the mix and the launch can be found here; to be entered into our prize draw to win a pair of launch tickets and Fabric 63 CDs, email your name and the words ‘levon vincent fabric’ to competitions@thevinylfactory.com.

You can also catch your man at Bloc in July.

To celebrate the release we asked Levon to share with us five records close to his heart. He decided to give us six, all of which apparently remind him of Springtime. It’s quite a selection, as you shall see…

BOMBERS
‘THE MEXICAN’
(WEST END 12″, 1978)

“One of my favourite records ever,” says Levon of this unforgettable, Morricone-derived disco romp. The work of Italo-Canadian studio group Bombers, helmed by producers George Lagios and Pat Deserio, the definitive version of ‘The Mexican’ is, for us, the extended mix that came out on West End 12″ in 1978.

FREEEZ FEAT. JOHN ROCCA
‘IOU’ (ULTIMATE CLUB DUB MIX)
(CRIMINAL RECORDS 12″, 1986)

A nifty Latin Rascals edit of the evergreen, Arthur Baker-produced electro jam. Levon: “This just screams springtime to me.”

SEVERED HEADS
‘DEAD EYES OPENED’
(INK RECORDS 12″, 1984)

“There’s something magical about this track.” He’s not wrong: ‘Dead Eyes Opened’ doesn’t just refuse to age, it grows more haunting and resonant with time. Check the suitably odd official video above.

REBBIE JACKSON
‘CENTIPEDE’
(COLUMBIA 12″, 1984)

Easily one of the best ever songs by a Jackson. Mental lyrics too.

KING SUNNY ADE AND THE NEW AFRICAN BEATS
‘JA FUNMI’ (1994 LIVE VERSION)
(from LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE, HEMISPHERE CD, 1994)

Smoking, synth-enhanced rendition of one of Sunday Adeniyi Adegey’s most iconic numbers (“many other versions of this classic out there,” says Levon).