Sit Down With An Artist: FRANK

Welcome to the second instalment of 'Sit Down With An Artist' on Hun Sauce stories. I chatted with FRANK, a passionate tech and house artist from the vibrant music scene of London.

Over the past decade, FRANK has crafted a unique sound in dancefloor focused electronic music, drawing inspiration from his UK roots. His productions and DJ sets blend dark + gritty, minimal beats with UKG-inspired baselines, deep techy grooves creating a one-of-a-kind listening experience.
In this series, we'll discuss FRANK's journey, his influences, and his exciting plans for 2024. Let's get to it gang...

1. What are you looking forward to in 2024?

"Life in general I think! I spent a lot of time in 2023 gigging and networking, so this year, I am really looking forward to getting my head down in the studio and making more and more music. I am enjoying producing more than ever before and have, in the last year or two, really found my sound and my flow when it comes to my productions. I’m really looking forward to working with some other artists this year and putting out lots of collaborations - I love working with other like minded people in the industry with nothing but passion for music. I am also looking forward to creating more DJ and production content for social media - something I am absolutely terrible at in reality… but, determined to make it work!"

2. What’s been your favourite venue to play to date?

"Oooo that’s a tough one - I played at Ministry of Sound last year and as it was the first club I ever went to, that was a really special moment for me. However getting to close the ground floor at EGG recently for a 3 hour set was something I will never forget. I think however, playing at Warehouse LDN about 10 years ago would also stand out. There’s something about a 50,000 watt Funktion One in a tiny warehouse that just cannot be matched…. Those walls would flex with the bass."

3. Where do you draw inspiration for your sets and how do you pick the selection? What are you usually drawn to?

"Inspiration for my sets comes from all around me, and the crowd on the night - I tend to freestyle nearly every aspect of my live performances so, whilst I have select tracks in a playlist for most sets, I rarely stick to that playlist and end up digging for other tracks and just playing what feels right in the moment. In terms of what I am usually drawn to…. Anything that makes me pull the stink face. If it’s dark, dirty and makes me move and dance…. It gets played!"

 

4. What’s the scene like in London? And playing for Midnight Sessions?

"The London scene is a funny one at the moment and has been for a few years (since Covid I would say). I’ve had some of the best crowds and some of the worst over the last few years. The energy on the dancefloor is definitely much more difficult to cultivate - people’s attention spans are much shorter these days and I’ve found the more underground events are really struggling to pull in decent sized crowds. Only last week I was stood on the dancefloor of ministry of sound at 2am and genuinely, me and my friends were the only ones there. Other than staff and the DJ. I’m not going to name names; but the headliners were huge and have been for many years. 6-10 years ago that club would have been packed wall to wall…. It’s really quite sad to see. What’s even more of a shame is that the new super clubs such as Drumsheds seem to sell out 15,000 tickets regularly, for a venue that really struggles to portray a true raving experience. It’s a confusing time for DJs. The clubs with the real roots in the music industry, with the real sound systems, where you have a fully immersive experience from start to finish are really struggling at the moment. Raving is changing… and rapidly. It’s a tricky world to navigate, especially as a promoter.
However; playing for Midnight Sessions has been a real breath of fresh air in recent times. A huge shout out to Acid Harry - keeping the essence of real raving alive with the brand. The Midnight Sessions crew have genuinely become family since their inception as an event and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the fam. If you haven’t caught one of their events yet, I would highly recommend getting yourself down to one of their nights. They’re filled with nothing but love, good vibes and incredible music and people. What more could you want?"

5. Who are your idols? Who would you love to go b2b with?

"Skream. He has to be one of the most versatile and talented individuals in the music scene right now and a real inspiration as a person too. Carl Cox has to get a mention here too…. No other DJ has been at the top of their game for nearly 40 years, stayed relevant, pushed the boundaries of music and DJing so consistently, all whilst maintaining his passion and integrity the entire time. The guy is a living legend.

Another name that I think deserves a mention in recent years would be Darius Syrossian - his label Moxy Muzik has been pushing the boundaries of house and tech music for years now and they keep going from strength to strength. I have a lot of admiration for the brand and Darius himself."

6. What three tracks never leave your USB at the moment?

"This is tricky! I play such a wide range of genres so I’ll give you 3 for a few different genres - house and tech."

House:

• Bizen Lopez - La Reflexion
• Obando - Keep the Secret
• Davide T - Lollipop Kiss

Techno:

• Victor Ruiz - Touch the Darkness
• Aidan Rudd - Demon
• Gamma Intel - Trust (kinda breakbeat but has been doing bits in my techno sets)

7. How are you finding tutoring?

"I love it! Helping others find their passion, achieve their dreams, learn a new discipline or even save their lives…. it’s honestly the most invaluable part of what I do. Music changes lives. It saves lives. I have a number of students say that if it wasn’t for music and DJing, they wouldn’t be here with us right now. I resonate with them so much - in a world that can be so cruel and difficult to navigate, it’s truly an honour to be able to help other people find their true calling and to find peace in their lives. Maybe I should start a new business…. FRANKS’s DJ Therapy! Haha! In all seriousness, the family at the London Sound Academy do such incredible work every single day. Whether a tutor or student, we have such a great network and family of people surrounding LSA. I would encourage anyone who loves music to give it a go - you never know how it might help you!"

8. Tell us more about XNTRIK and how did you start this event?

"XNTRIK started between myself and two friends, Lo-Tac and Dapps - we had originally started it just doing some local events at locals bars and pubs, a little weekend money earner and some extra playing time and experience in front of a crowd - we rebranded at the end of last year and ran our first London event in February at Basing House. We did boys and girls back to back the entire event and it went better than we could have ever expected. Unfortunately we all lost a close friend shortly afterwards and haven’t managed to solidify our next event date yet, but watch this space - we have some really exciting things in the pipeline!"

9. What upcoming projects or collaborations can we look forward to?

"I am working on some amazing music with my good friend SHAW at the moment - we recently released some techno tracks on an Argentinian Label called Kindergarden Records - the EP reached Number 8 in the Beatport Tech House charts and even charted in the top 100 overall releases. The response we have had since has been great. We are working on some minimal deep tech tracks are the moment and I am stoked to get them on the dancefloor and you can count on more and more music from us! I have also been working on some UKG and Drum and Bass tracks with my partner B3KKA and they are seriously naughty…. Again. Watch this space!"

10. Anything else you want to talk upon?

"Just a thank you to every single person in my life that has supported my journey to this point and continue to do so - Hun Sauce included - finding like minded, passionate people and surrounding yourself with them in every aspect of life, not just the music industry is what I am all about. It’s all love in the world of FRANK and I cannot wait to continue to bring forward the good vibes, smiles and positive energy through my music and DJ sets!"
 

I was super thrilled when FRANK joined the ranks of Hun Sauce customers. In the photos used throughout this story and the videos from EGG, you'll spot him flexing the Smiley Yellow Embroidery T-Shirt. This staple tee features our signature wavy smile, embroidered on the front chest in neon yellow threads. The best part? The smile glows under UV lights. Now that is banging for playing in clubs.