TuneLab
MARK FARINA in The Lab NYC
A Mark Farina set in The Lab NYC is like slipping into a well-worn leather jacket—instantly familiar, impossibly cool, and a reminder that deep house can be both soulful and subtly adventurous. We're all here for the Mushroom Jazz adjacent vibes, pretending we're too chill to Shazam every other track. The vibe is laid-back and sophisticated; think low lighting, plush banquettes, and a crowd that sways rather than jumps. Technically, it's a tour through jazz-inflected deep house and downtempo, with a relaxed 120 BPM average and a harmonic home base in 12A.
Shifts into 3B and 3A introduce soulful and Latin flavors, while the energy balance—a strong low end at 0.57—keeps everything grounded in a warm, groovy pocket. The extended play of Mousse T.'s 'Horny' is a lesson in funky patience. For the diggers, it's a masterful selection: the smooth, jazzy opener 'Early Werk' by Ancient Deep, the lush, cinematic keys of Alphonse Mouzon's 'By All Means', the soulful vocal turn of Norman Connors' 'Look Ahead', and the pristine, pop-inflected magic of Clean Bandit's 'Rather Be' (The Magician Remix). Essential deep cuts include the timeless, off-kilter groove of Pepe Bradock's 'Deep Burnt' and the sunny, afro-house closer 'Imimoya'.
The journey is a seamless, horizontal cruise, starting with Carlos Mena's vocals on 'Early Werk', hitting a playful peak with the extended mix of 'Horny', and drifting off on the sunny, percussive shores of 'Imimoya'. A tracklist that feels like a deep, comforting exhale.