Since the release of his highly regarded and quickly sold out debut 12" on Tru Thoughts, Flevans has had a career spanning 7 years, with 3 studio albums (and soon to be released remix album), 7 singles and numerous remixes under his belt. As one of the original and earliest signings to the highly successful Brighton label Tru Thoughts, Flevans' early work was steeped in the essence of sampling, taking inspiration from blues, soul, funk, big band and classical genres (to name but a few), Flevans quickly became well known for his ability to piece together these different genres, adding a contemporary twist to create music which always had an undeniable hook and eye for the dancefloor. His first 3 12"s for Tru Thoughts became some of the fastest selling singles on the label, who then went on to release his debut long-player, 'Make New Friends'. This album, which still continues to win new fans 5 years after its release, has seen numerous licenses, including the beat heavy 'Hey Mr Bundle' to Bonobo's Solid Steel compilation on Ninja Tune, the disco-tinged 'The Notion' featuring on the respected Electric Soul compilation by The Unabombers and debut single 'Begin Again' being used by Ministry of Sound.
Following this release, Flevans released two 7" singles under the name Mooch on Jack To Phono records, an up and coming London independant label, who went on to release the 2nd Flevans long player, 'Unfabulous'. This album, again instrumental and sample heavy, also charted a move towards a more organic sound, with Flevans lending guitar, keys and bass to many tracks on the record. Unfabulous also showed a more diverse side to Flevans' production, from the instrumental hip-hop of 'The Greeting Song' to the dirty electronica of 'Cold Hands', the album quickly became the best selling album on Jack To Phono.
The following year saw Flevans take the bold step of liberating himself from all his vinyl and sample material - a move which was inspired by playing Bass in Brighton band Backini - and began work on his 3rd studio album, with the focus on song writing from scratch, without samples. The album, '27 Devils' was completed by December 08, and within days of completion, Tru Thoughts has snapped it up and offered Flevans a new 3 album deal. Far more polished and diverse than its predecessors, '27 Devils' showcases Flevans' musical talent, offering a fuller , heavier and more live sound. It also featured the vocal talents of Sarah Scott and Shona Foster, as well as some of Flevans' own vocals, and in the short time since it's release has been incredibly well received. A follow up remix album is due in Dec 09.
Throughout his production career, Flevans has also built a reputation as a great DJ, who is purely focussed on playing tunes to make a dancefloor move. In the last few years alone, Flevans has played extensively across the UK & Europe, including the MTV Canne Film Festival party and a headlining slot at the Big Chill Festival, as well as DJ'ing further afield, including Friends and Family in Tokyo, and Turntables in New York. Gleefully mixing up raw funk, hip hop, electronica, breaks and disco, as well as always dropping a few exclusives, Flevans always seems to know the right tunes to play.
2010 sees Flevans team up with Lack Of Afro for their debut longplayer, 'The Pick-Ups', head to Australia for a DJ tour and to record an EP with Lanu (The Bamboos) and release the 4th Flevans studio album ('The Sound That Man Made') which will be supported by full live band (Flevans, 2007)!
You can listen to Flevan's music at:
http://www.last.fm/music/Flevans
Released Albums:
Flevans - Make New Friends
Flevans - Unfabulous
Flevans - 27 Devils
Flevans - The 28th Devils
Flevans - Looking Out For My Mr Bundle Ep
Reference:
(2007). Flevans. Flevans. Retrieved from http://www.flevans.co.uk/biography/
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