We have invited Mr Mulatto and Frank Situation to talk to us about their new album Audio Proxemics. The album consists of nine sumptuous tracks as it explores a warm array of sounds from jazz-flecked deep house to soulful nu-disco with guests like Javonntte, Faze Action’s Robin Lee. Get reading below and CLICK THIS LINK to pre-order your copy!
Can you introduce yourselves for us please gents?
We are DJ’s Mr Mulatto & Frank Situation – co founders and label owners of Situationism Records. We are house music production unit ‘BRS’ (British Rhythm Services), Funk/disco outfit ‘Situation Edits’ and we head up and produce as the ‘Situation’ collective, as well as occasionally producing individually, remixing on other labels as well as our own productions.
You are about to drop your new album on your own label Situationism. Does this album mark a lot of years in the business? How much has your approach to putting out music changed today from when you first started?
We have been making music together for over 25 years now, Starting out as BRS – our first EP was called ’Time To Shuff’ on Cyclo Records.
This album does I guess mark a lot of years for us and shows the progression from our beginnings in making deep house, then established ourselves re-editing disco & boogies tunes as Situation Edits, moving on to the ’Situation’ collective, creating original Nu- Disco tracks.
This is the journey which has brought the Situation collective to the broad scope of sounds we are at today within this album. I think our approach has changed in the way that we work and collaborate much more now and tend to work more organically – this is down to the internet and advantage of file sharing and working remotely as well as the obvious advancement in technology.
If you were able to go back in time and give some advice to yourselves when you started out, what advice would you give about the music game today?
Always try and work with people who have mutual trust and respect for each other. Really learn how to use your equipment or learn an instrument – this will free up your creativity.
Where and when did you both meet? What made you start to work together?
We met around the mid 90’s at local parties and clubs as we shared a passion for the same style of US deep house at the time. Then hooked up with a mutual friend Rob Evans who had a studio in Stroud and started making house music in the late 90’s.
You have both been involved in party promoting over the years, tell us a little about what you’ve both been involved in?
He [Mr Mulatto] was involved in the DiY free party soundsystem during the early 90’s, hosting their seminal club night ‘Bounce’ fortnightly in his home town of Bath, as well as putting on free parties around the south west of England – notably involved with the now legendary NYE free party of 92/93 at Chipping Sodbury (referenced in the book ”Dreaming in Yellow”).
And he [Frank Situation] used to put on the very popular ‘Phat Nuts’ nights in the Gloucester area
during the 1990’s.
We both used to DJ all around Europe and a little in the States as BRS and have always put on local parties and club nights together since hooking up – more recently establishing the ‘Situation Sounds’ nights in Stroud having guests like Greg Wilson, Tom Findlay and more recently before Danielle’s tragic passing – Crazy P.
We regularly play at Glastonbury in the Block9 area (NYC Downlow, Meat Rack & Maceos) and Shindig festival and other club nights and parties locally and in London on occasion.
Tell us a little about the label.
The label was born 2014 as a vehicle for us to release our own original material from the Situation collective of musicians & vocalists – it felt the right option at the time to enable us to control and put out the music we wanted to make. Fast forward 10 years later and we are almost at the 100th release! The label has evolved into releasing other artists now and also re-releasing some rare, as well as classics and new BRS tracks. Also creating a great series of compilations ‘2Up2Down’ focusing on the deep house side of things, leaving the general releases to be more of a varied nature – which is how we like it.
We have had Tom Findlay’s ’Sugar Daddy’ releasing as well as Javonntte, Goshawk, BRS, BitterSuite, Groovement Inc. – More recently introducing new artists like ‘From The Bushes’…and a whole host of remixers like – Ashley Beadle, Greg Wilson, Dr Packer, Scott Diaz, Sean McCabe, DJ Bobafat, Andromeda Orchestra, Slope114, Julian Sanza, South Beach Recycling, YSE Saint Laur’Ant, Love Drop, Black Sonic …the list goes on!!!
Can you talk us through the new album a bit.
Our intention was to have a collection of tracks that resonated and worked for us and the collaborations that we made on the journey towards its making. We approached the idea of the album just over 2 years ago and just started compiling the tracks with everybody that we thought would work on the album and it organically started to take shape. We think that the album covers everything we love, from deep house to disco to jazz funk to Latin to acid jazz to soulful to boogie and beyond. Showcasing the different vocalists as well as some great instrumental tracks and musicianship.
Your album features some great artists! Javonntte for example. Tell us about his involvement on the album.
It was Frank who first approached Javonntte online via socials as we were really digging what he was doing in the videos of himself in his home studio – he’s a serious talent and a lovely human. We first released his track ‘If You Wanna’ on 2Up2Down Vol.3 in 2021 and the rest is history – fast forward and he has become a label regular with 6 EP’s released along with others dotted on various comps.
The album features an array of great vocalists. Tell us a little about Vanessa Jackson, and Andre Espeut. What stuff have they done before, what have they added to the album for you.
We have known and worked with Andre for 20 years now – he was there right at the start, on the 3rd release ‘Get To You’ back in 2015 and has created over 10 songs with the Situation collective over the years. He’s is an amazing vocalist/songwriter who we had instant chemistry with.
With South African based Venessa Jackson, Frank again contacted her online after hearing her on some Nu-Disco tracks and so we started working with her remotely to release ’Time’ on a vinyl 7” (SITU047) at the start of 2021, then released later that year with “Dangerous Games” and the relationship was formed – She then made her first visit to the UK in June 2023, where she came and stayed with us in Stroud. Spending 2 magical days in the studio recording 3 tracks and then writing a completely new song on the spot along with core Situation members Dr Keys & James Payne. This really turbo charged the album with 3 of the tracks now destined for the album
What are you most proud of with this album?
That there is a great mix of vocal tracks, as well as instrumentals and that each track holds its own and has qualities that we both love. Also the ability to successfully work globally with different artists in this way.
Have you got a favourite track or is that too hard to say?
Too difficult and unfair to pick a favourite! We love the album as a whole is the best
answer…
Who else would you like to shout out for the LP?
Our good friend Jon Gray who is based in Brighton, for his skill and patience in mixing down and co-producing the album. Lots of back and forth, changing and re-arranging to get everything sounding how we all wanted it. Also to our good friend Oliver Marsden who is a brilliant artist and allowed us to use his paintings for the album artwork.
Do you something planned for the launch that we should know about?
We are having a pre launch party on Friday 18th April at SVA (Stroud Valley Artspace) – With an opening (6-8pm) for the Gallery show by Oliver Marsden called ‘You Gotta Move’ which will feature the paintings from the album and more from his series. With a party after in the SVA venue space until late with DJ’s Mr Mulatto, Frank Situation & Jon Gray.
Then on Friday 25 th April, which is the release date, were will be doing an in-store at Sound Records – our brilliant local record shop – from 5-7pm where Dr Keys & James P will be playing some live keys & guitar over some tracks and a Q&A.
What can we expect to see next from you guys?
We are looking at getting a remix 12” of some album tracks out this year alongside other releases… ….and of course cooking up something special for our 100th release!
CLICK HERE OR ON THE ARTWORK TO PRE-ORDER and take a listen to this killer album!
