FREAKIN’ FIVE

by Tristan Da Cunha

Freakin Five is a new regular feature here on the blog that explores some of the records that have inspired me or are causing havoc on the dance floor in my sets. Here are 5 bombs that flick my switch and light me up. Check em out and get your freak on. 

Let me tell you a little story about where i got the name Freakenstein …

Gee Crew -  Freakenstein

About 6 years ago i was dancing and chatting at the infamous Club der Visionäre in Berlin one summers day. I was having a conversation with my friend Bruno and the name Freakenstein came to me. I said to him i wonder if anyone has been called Freakenstein to which he replied “Yeah there has to be someone” . I immediately checked Discogs like i always do and low and behold there wasn’t any artists called Freakenstein. However there was this track there in the search results … So naturally i checked it out only to be blown away by a super rare electro boogie jam with a song about this freaky girl that only comes out at night. i LOVED it and decided that it was a great sign with it being an old electro tune to use this name for my alias.  

I am also a huge Parliament , Funkadelic & George Clinton fan and Freakenstein sounded a little like Dr Funkenstein one of Clinton’s characters that he used to perform and record under. It all felt so funky and meant to be so i decided there and then that was the name for the project and in that moment Freaky was born. 

This track has a special place in my heart and is just so damn goooood . A little bit of me didn’t want to reveal it as i still don’t own a copy on vinyl but a large part of me wanted to share the story and give you some history as to how the whole freakin thing came about.

Masarima - Freak Like U 

I’ve been playing this incredible vocal track since before it’s official release . The producer behind amazing Mystic Jungle / West Hill studio who’s responsible for this immense tune was kind enough to give me it up front and it immediately became my go to song to end my sets with. The vocals really speak for all the freaks and the groove is uplifting and positive making it a sweet note to end on after a nasty couple of hours of electro, breaks and techno. Anyone who’s seen me play over the last couple of years will have heard me drop this one and it always gets an amazing reaction from the dancefloor. A proper ray of light to contrast the dark nasty freakiness . There’s also remixes from Egyptian Lover and Luca Lozano but for me it’s all about the original versions . A Future classic .

Paul Johnson - I’m a Freak 

One of the most prolific Chicago house producers and definitely one of the freakiest mother fuckers to come out of the windy city . Paul’s music smacked and jacked in all the right places with his sleazy lyrics and signature swinging grooves. This track was made for a Freakenstein set and is useful for when i want to drop some 4/4 beats to switch up the electro and breaks and add some extra texture to the freakiness. This is just one of many PJ jams that are constantly in my record bag, he’s easily one of my favourite producers and a HUGE inspiration to me. Sadly Paul passed away recently but his music lives on and continues to light up the world and make people lose their shit. Rest In Beats brother x 

This one has just been reissued by Chiwax so grab it if you don’t have it. BANGER Alert

Transparent Sound - Freak Frequency 

I love a good vocal as you can tell by the selection here … I also love instrumental music and dubs too but a good vocal is more hard to come by.  This particular song if you can call it that is something that i didn’t discover first time round . It was through Transparent Sound reissuing it that i became aware of it and instantly fell in love with it. 

I contacted Orson one half of Transparent Sound and asked if i could do my own version of it . Orson was open to the idea and sent me the parts. All i really wanted was the vocal so i could write my own track underneath and make myself an extra freaky personal version to play over the summer. I wanted a more banging version of it , Freaky’s Peak Freakquency Mix incoming …. For now though here’s the original version . Keep those ears open and eyes peeled if you are curious about the new Freakmix . 

AUX88 - I Need A Freak remix 

The detroit duo Aux88 are easily one of my favourite electro producers and biggest inspirations. Their futuristic electro-funk and trademark techno bass sound is dancefloor dynamite and has Freakenstein written all over it. So much so that I even sampled the original of this track for my debut release on Hearlucinate, ‘Freakin’ Time’. 

This Mokotron remix whips up the bpm and adds some extra vocals turning it into more of a song with verse and chorus. Injected some extra sub in the bottom end and you have a sure fire booty banger that takes the original to another level. 

I love the lyrics as well. I regularly “need to freak” and cut loose. Unfortunately it’s not the best mixdown and sound quality so doesn’t bang as hard as it could but it still doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s Freakin fire 🔥