Individually, Geordie badman Sammy Virji and London-born Smokey Bubblin' B have formidable reputations in the worlds of garage and house music, particularly when it comes to blending the two. So it's only right they be brought together to whip up something as a duo, which is exactly what Lockt's 1Forty outfit have done for their new compilation EP 1FFNG005: Funky & Garage.
Sammy and Smokey's contribution, "Santorini" is the perfect meeting of minds and somehow the perfect sonic representation of the Greek island. Over a crisp garage snap and jumpy bass line, a smooth sax line meanders through the mix beneath a disembodied vocal sample floating soulfully over the top. "This first got discussed about 18 months ago," Smokey Bubblin' B told Complex, "so it's been a long time coming. I'm so pleased to have worked with one of my favourite artists and labels together for this."
If, like most of us, you sorely missing jetting out to warmer climates for the dance, this will probably make things a whole lot worse.
