Goldtrix - Trippin' on Love

Killer dance music can come out of multi-million dollar studios after months of hard labour from teams of writers, conglomerate producers and elite mixers. The big tunes can be the result of grand plans. More often than not however, the stuff that sends a shiver across the dancefloor and flies effortlessly into the charts is down to a perfect accident or a haphazard release of sublime energy. Such is the story of Goldtrix: two London producers who happened upon the disembodied voice of fledgling American diva Andrea Brown, and found themselves inspired way beyond the call of duty. When the debut Goldtrix single 'Trippin' made its underground emergence at the end of summer 2001, it was immediately apparent that something special had gone down. A gargantuan deep house anthem, it attacked the genre like it had only just been invented.

Lit up by newcomer Andrea Brown's amazing interpretation of the much respected Jill Scott song 'Its Love', the tune also carried a profoundly soulful quality. A clear, bright and whopping 'deep R'n'B' diamond from the mineshaft of serious house, 'Trippin' pulled in euphoric early reviews and went to No. 1 on the Buzz chart and No. 4 in the Cool Cuts chart in the UK. Evidently, some forceful creativity had been released. What lies beneath 'Trippin' and what points to a major future for Goldtrix and Andrea, is years of groundwork, waiting for the right moment.

The British producer/writer team of Danny Goldstein and Matrix (Jamie Quinn) fused their names and their talents to form Goldtrix after meeting in the studio working on mixes for UK drum'n'bass star Goldie. Both Goldstein and Matrix are well respected within drum'n'bass circles. For several years programmer and classically trained pianist Goldstein has worked behind the scenes with d'n'b mover J Magik. Co-incidentally the more retiring half of the duo (Danny avoids interviews) had previously worked with Andrea's older sister, soulful house star Kathy Brown on her 'Love Is Not A Game' hit. The more profile friendly Matrix has been releasing much lauded drum'n'bass since 1992. Part of a crew of British drum'n' bass heads who moved through London's influential Speed club and stayed with the style through the 90's, Matrix issued his debut album 'Sleepwalk' through Virus in 2000 and continues to DJ around the world.

Goldtrix was not planned as an escape from drum'n'bass for either Matrix or Goldstein, but as a parallel path where they could open out the parameters and more easily bring in vocalists. "I've always liked house music," comments Matrix." Its kind of weird because when I first got into club music there was no drum'n'bass, it was much more one whole thing, and most of it came out of house music anyway - people putting breaks into house. So this is sort of full circle for me."

Initial auditions for the right voices didn't bear fruit. Then by chance Andrea's vocal fell into their lap. The 19 year old youngest daughter of the Brown dynasty had taken a trip to Florida accompanying her sister while the Miami Winter Music conference took place. In Miami, Andrea repsonded to a suggestion that she could do a good job with 'It's Love' and headed to Miami's Science Room studio for a one take, career making, a cappella rendition of the tune.

Having grown up in Brooklyn before moving to South Carolina in her teens, Andrea had wide taste in music, from hip hop to Aaliyah, Tina Turner to gospel singer Kim Burrell. The honeyed soul piece by singer songwriter and one time Roots and Erikah Badu collaborator Scott was a challenge which she more than rose to. By the time Andrea had finished with it, the song was in another galaxy. Even without a backing track the vocal was special enough to make its way across the Atlantic and into the hands of Evolve Records who passed it on to the newly formed Goldtrix. Once the pair had settled on the uber-pulse foundation for the tune, Evolve let it loose as a Balearics mashing limited edition. After< Tags

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• andrea brown