TuneLab
NORMAN JAY MBE Good Times house set in The Lab LDN
Norman Jay MBE's Good Times set in The Lab LDN is a history lesson in soul, opening with the powerhouse vocals of Aretha Franklin—because if you're going to start, start with a queen. The vibe is warm, inclusive, and nostalgically charged, a living room party where every track sparks a memory or a new discovery. This is an eclectic journey through soulful house and rare groove, cruising at a comfortable 123.4 BPM average with 12A as the harmonic backbone, allowing for smooth blends across decades.
The energy is balanced with lows at 0.54 providing a steady, funky pulse, mids at 0.38 carrying the rich instrumentation and vocals, and highs at 0.07 keeping it smooth and warm. Jay's mixing is conversational and effortless, a master selector letting classics breathe. The digs are legendary: the Swing to Mood dub of 'Closer' by Mood II Swing is deep, hypnotic house; G.Q.'s 'Make My Dream a Reality' is sweet soul perfection; the Frankie Knuckles remix of Lou Rawls's 'You'll Never Find' is a timeless garage gem; and Foals's 'Late Night' in its Solomun remix offers a modern, emotive twist.
Scott Martin's 'A Love Like Mine' and Babert's 'Dance a Little Bit Closer' are extended, piano-led excursions into pure joy. From the iconic opening, the set builds through the soulful peak of the Lou Rawls remix, before closing with the minimalist, looped curiosity of BiohB's 'brutaler loop', a reminder that even legends like to keep us guessing.