An unsung hero of the U.K.s underground ‘dance’ music scene for two decades now, Phil Asher has managed to become not just proficient in every mode he works in, rather he has become a pioneer or scene leader in whichever field he turns his hand to. Surrounded by music and records from an early age, his Dad worked at Harlequin Records, bringing home all the latest releases to a young and eager Phil. He went on to work in Quaff Records and Vinyl Solution, two of London’s finest record stores that were instrumental in pushing house and soulful music in London.
As a producer Phil Asher’s been supplying us with deep, emotive house music since the early nineties when under a variety of guises (i.e. Pascals Bongo Massive, Basic Soul, Rising Suns) his tracks first started to appear on labels like Henry St, Tomato and Basement 282. Since then Phil’s production has matured marvellously. He has completed well in excess of 200 of his own productions, as well as innumerable remixes. In house music his beats are second to none, his influence and range incomparable in the U.K. If, for consistency and outright talent, any British producers deserved to be compared with the mighty Masters At Work it would surely be a compliment best levelled at Phil Asher and Restless Soul.
Restless Soul is the production collective founded by Phil Asher and Luke MacCarthy, but whose ranks are sometimes swelled to include the likes of Modaji and Felix Hopkins amongst others. Restless Soul (as production chiefs or remixers) have been responsible for some timeless slices of dancefloor soul such as Jaymes Samuel “When It Rains” (Giant Step), “After Ours” (Chilli Funk), Bugz In The Attic “Thinkin Of You” (Bitasweet), “Piece In My Life” (Clairaudience) and brilliant current releases “Happy/Let Your Feelings Show” (2000 Black), Terri Walker “Ching, Ching” (Def Soul) and Blaze “I Think Of You” (Slip n’ Slide). They have also worked extensively on the music of artists like the Naked-affiliated Lisa Shaw, Brighton’s Bah Samba and Nathan Haines (Chilli Funk).
Phil Asher’s production does not stop at the house/garage finery Restless Soul are perhaps best known for. Phil has been an integral part of the West London derived ‘broken beat’ scene since it’s inception, pushing the boundaries of dancefloor music with productions for the Laws Of Motion, People Records, Bitasweet, Archive and Fireworx imprints. He was co founder of the Co Op night (at the shockingly good Plastic People venue) alongside 4 Hero’s Dego, I.G. Culture and Demus. One of the most musically-exciting clubs to appear in the capitol in the last decade, Co Op became the essential testing ground for new material in the broken beat genre. At times it was ferocious entertainment as the DJs battled for oneupmanship using technical prowess and the most complex rhythms imaginable to out do each other.
Phil’s “Sweet and Sour” LP for French label Versatile (made under the Focus alias) accommodated many of Phil’s production styles under one roof. Combining deep electronic house, broken beat, 80s inspired boogie and memorable vocal moments, it is one of Phil’s original productions that perhaps best mirrors a Phil Asher DJ set.
Establishing his name from early outings at one of London’s first house clubs Delirium, Phil became an extremely in demand DJ on both the national and international circuit. As well as the aforementioned Co Op, Phil played for many years alongside previous Southport Weekender guest Patrick Forge at “Inspiration Information” (Fridays weekly at Notting Hill Arts Club). He was monthly resident at Ministry Of Sound (Soul Heaven) and has guested at Garage City, Off Centre and made many trips to DJ overseas.
Depending on where he’s playing, Phil’s sets can traverse deep, jazzy and vocal house, broken beat, disco, soul, Latin, jazz and funk. He is not an easy DJ to pigeonhole, but what can be said is that his sets are always spontaneous, soulful and amazingly well put together.
Phil has in recent years been producing two new songwriters, Shea Soul and Zansika, with songs out on Seasons Recordings, Raw Fusion, Loungin, Especial and Suburban. He has recorded an LP called Deep Electronic Sound under the guise Phlash & Friends on Archive Records featuring Shea, Zansika, Light Particle, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Karizma, Zaf, Danny Huckridge, Lady Alma, Ommas & Benji B, Sandra Nkake and a host of discovered and yet to be found talent. Phil once again will be doing whatever he wants on this project, but stresses it should be filled under House Music. He has also remixed for Kathy Brown, George Levin, Tony Allen, Osunlade, Amp Fiddler and Alton Miller.
