TuneLab
Kornél Kovács in The Lab LDN
Kornél Kovács in The Lab LDN is like receiving a personally curated mixtape from the coolest record collector you know—all dusty gems, forgotten anthems, and grooves that prioritise feel over flash. We're here for the subtle nods, the raised eyebrows when a perfect loop locks in, the joy of hearing a classic in a new context. The vibe is intimate and heads-down, a master at work in a booth surrounded by shelves of vinyl. He crafts a deep, rolling house narrative at a steady 125 BPM, with the 12A key providing a warm, melodic backbone for most of the journey. The energy spread (0.5657 low, 0.3308 mid) indicates a beautifully balanced sound where bass weight, rhythmic texture, and melodic snippets all share the stage.
His mixing is nuanced and musical, often letting two basslines interplay before elegantly resolving the tension, a technique that rewards close listening. The digs are exquisite. Opening with Oxia's 'Unity (Up Mix)' is a statement of pure, uplifting house intent. Gabriel Marchisio's 'More Days on Week' is a recent, loop-based minimal house cut that fits like a glove. The epic, soulful stretch of C+C Music Factory's 'Just A Touch Of Love' is a daring and glorious deep dive, while Tanya Louise's 'Deep in You (Rob's Vibey Dub)' is a lesson in atmospheric, dubby pressure.
Even a techier cut like Alex Dolby & Santos's 'Raw Road' gets folded in seamlessly. The journey is a warm embrace. It starts with the soaring pads of 'Unity', finds a joyous, singalong peak in the heart of 'Just A Touch Of Love', and winds down with the timeless, deep garage swing of Mood II Swing's 'Closer'—a closing track that feels like a heartfelt farewell.