It moves away from the usual process of a beat led project that has become so familiar among DJ’s, the album is designed to be listened to from start to finish, a complete work.
Each track escalates beyond club use and into as a composition in its own right, dripping with its own unique element of identity and personality. With full songs, complete instrumentation and a focus on melody the album equally takes time for a sophisticated selection of serious club workouts. While reflecting Yousef’s standing as a global DJ “A Product of Your Environment” is influenced by Yousef’s personal history and global travelling exploits yet nodding to melancholic Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Prince as much as wild moments on the floors and booths of Cocoon, Circo Loco and Space.
Already the dancefloor workouts have received heavy support from DJ elite, with Loco Dice, Magda, Carl Cox, Guti, Uner and Nic Fanciulli already wearing thin the promo copies. The project has allowed Yousef to open up his collaborative instincts too, inviting some unknown but extremely talented musicians to perform.
Each track has been produced, played on, arranged and mixed by Yousef, with collaborations coming from Mercury Prize nominee Gwilyam Simcock on the open and fresh sounding album finale “Dissolve”. “In fear of dusk” features Neil Campbell, one of the UK’s finest classical guitar players, creating an evocative masterpiece that is arguably Yousef’s strongest (and most complicated) club offering yet.
