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Master H
Biography
Master H’s striking frame is poised… He manipulates the decks with the dexterity and nimbleness of a sound surgeon evoking sonic soul. Master H is in control, seducing the dancefloor with his unique blend of fresh and funky house music. Hassen Gouaned is the latest French export to be snapped up by Soma Records, a debonair, designer DJ who has been setting alight the hottest and most fashionable clubs of Paris, New York and Glasgow in recent years with his flamboyant style. With slick production skills to match, ‘Thirteen’ is his deft debut album. Brimming with crisp, soulful and innovative music of quality, Master H is set to explode on a global scale.
The legacy of Daft Punk has led to Soma cementing relationship with France and its artists. Hassen Gouaned aka Master H is part of the next generation of groove-masters from a country that takes its house music extremely seriously. He is a natural talent who first caught the attention of Slam and the Soma team at a party in the Miami Winter Music Conference. They were immediately struck by his fantastic technical wizardry on the turntables and also his vibrant, virtuoso presence as he hypnotised the captivated revellers. Stuart from Slam was so impressed he asked Hassen to DJ at his imminent wedding party back in Glasgow, with this invitation a meeting was scheduled for him to visit Soma HQ…
Two years of hard work later and Master H has now released his debut album as a result of this fortunate encounter. As well as his lucky habit of being in the right place at the right time, Master H has also worked hard to achieve his recognition. He has been DJing for over ten years, originally playing soul, funk, hip hop and house every night of the week to students in the South of France, often playing mammoth sets of up to ten hours. It was here he learned his craft, mixing up all these influences into a bewitching brew. His skills were promptly spotted and he was soon giving them an H master-class at the hippest bars and clubs in St Tropez.
He soon became the DJ of choice to a chic clique of party professionals. Spinning at fashion soiree’s from the likes of Paul Smith and Versace in Paris and New York, Master H found himself rubbing shoulders with a celebrity A-list of supermodels and superstars as long as the catwalk. Throughout this heady period he never compromised his musical integrity and at one such party he found himself Djing to the French godfather of house and techno – Laurent Garnier! The F-Communication maestro was overwhelmed by his vivacious vibe and offered Hassan a summer residency at his club night in Corsica whereupon a firm friendship flourished. At Garnier’s private millennium party, he and Master H played funk records back to back all night. As if that wasn’t enough to make any aspiring DJ/producer green with envy, he has held residencies at The Queen Club and Cabaret in Paris and Spy Bar and Chaos in New York and yet still remains one the friendliest guys you could meet. A giant gentleman with a ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’. You might even say he had the ‘H factor’.
On Hassen’s first visit to Glasgow, Soma hooked him up with studio production wizard, musician and songwriter Andy Gillespie (Andy played and co-produced on Slam’s ‘Virtuoso’, and has recently completed a world tour as musical director and keyboard player for the legendary Simple Minds. He is also about to embark on co-writing Simple Mind’s new album. In addition to this he was the drummer on Slam’s Alien Radio live tour). Their first outing in October 2000 was the dynamite ‘Mayflower EP’, which included the massive ‘Magic K’ bomb on the B-Side. This cracking cut was recently re-released (July 2002) due to substantial demand and found a home in a large cross section of DJs boxes. Jocks of all genres, from Lottie to Carl Cox were unleashing this mysterious electrified house anthem.
For two years Master H had been channelling his energy into the completion of his engaging opus. City hopping from Paris to Glasgow and back again he has made more trips than the Eurostar express. The outcome is a compelling concoction of funk soaked hi-tech soul and electro jazz inspired house that will fry the dancefloor to cinders. With all this time in Glasgow he has also become a resident at the Slam clubs nights.
The album title ‘Thirteen’ is derived from the postal area in France where Hassen was raised, it’s also his lucky number. The album opens with a spoken word excerpt from ‘La Femme Du Boulanger’ (The Butchers Wife), a classic French film, which sets the tone of the album. Andy Gillespie supplies the emotionally charged haunting strings. The bold and brassy ‘Mayflower’ is an infectious slice of slick house featuring the man himself on vocals. Whereas ‘F Word’ a turbo charged, funk injected blowout that commands you to dance.
Master H’s debut album would not be complete without the exceptional ‘Magic K’, dedicated to a special inspiration in Hassen’s life. This electro-tinged excursion is a classic in the Soma vault, recently presented on the ‘Soma 10 Anthology’ collection. Next up is the eponymous ‘Thirteen’, co-produced with Soma brothers and sonic voodoo bandits of house, Silicone Soul. This auspicious meeting of musical masterminds has delivered an uplifting behemoth of a tune, with its cut up vocals, irresistibly groovy bassline and soaring strings. This was recently released as a single with two stunning Mylo remixes. The Silicone Soul connection continues with ‘Don’t Stop’ featuring the vocals of Louise Marshall of ‘Right On!’ national chart fame. Penned by Andy Gillespie and Gordon Goudie this catchy number will have hands reaching for the sky. The forthcoming twelve inch release of this features two reworked versions by Master H. The ‘Space’ mixes are twisted slices of mutant disco house. H_Foundation have also contributed a deliciously deep dub.
The Latin frenzied ‘Us’ is a feel-good extravaganza that oozes with burning bass and rhythm for those summer nights, guaranteed to kick-start a carnival climate on the dancefloor. The funk quotient goes interstellar with ‘From Here To Space’, taken from the flip side of the recent ‘Magic K’ release, this slice of future house was also a firm DJ favourite. Another collaboration on the album is ‘HQ’, this time with Glasgow housemaster DJQ. ‘HQ’ is in a tougher, trackier style and is a sure-fire peak-time floor-filler.
‘Ramadan Break’ is full of eastern promise; a stunning track that fuses fiery electro rhythms and congas into a very unique and tempting listening experience. The striking melodies lead perfectly into the final track of the album ‘C’est La Vie’. This disco trip had the Ibiza faithful dipping into delirium last summer and was a club smash reaching No 3 in the official UK Club Chart!
‘Thirteen’ is an amazing debut from a future funk sensation which proves to be lucky for Soma Records and lovers of house music.
