Lavan

"He may have been born and raised in England, and he may currently call Berlin home, but there is something inherently NYC-esque about Lavan McNaughton’s music. He’s got that classic New York sound down pat — the kind forged by labels like Strictly Rhythm, King Street, and Emotive, both subtly soulful and utterly groovy, it’s a sound that’s timeless. Hints of jazz drift through his latest, the ‘It’s Happening’ EP on London’s always on-point SlothBoogie label — emotive chord progressions, a preponderance of electric piano tones, even a breezy organ solo on leadoff track ‘Tremendous’ — but at its core, ‘It’s Happening’ is just rock-solid house goodness, a bit sophisticated yet party-ready. Lavan’s been perfecting this sound for a while, having learned the ropes on cracked music software and his father’s old funk and soul records, followed by an introduction to ’90s house via a roommate. EPs like 2020’s ‘Balance’ (released on Beats Of No Nation) and the following year’s ‘Loose Change’ (via Wah Wah 45s), among others, made converts of US garage–friendly spinners worldwide — we’d bet the house that ‘It’s Happening’ will continue that trend. " - Bruce Tantum, DJ Mag