Continuing our spotlight series called Favourite Finds, we ask some of our favourite DJs, collectors and selectors to tell us the story behind how they came across one of their most cherished records.
For the next instalment, we’ve asked esteemed DJ, producer and radio host, Giles Smith to give us an insight into a special record from his collection.
A key figure at the forefront of deep, roots inspired dance music in London for 25 years, Giles’ taste and talents are up there with the best. For 21 years before recently going solo, he was co-founder and one half of Secretsundaze - one of the capital’s best loved and consistent parties and DJ duo’s. His set’s draw from all manner of influences and genres, with a strong lean towards deep and soulful music be that soul, hip hop, street soul or deep house (the genre that he is most known for). He’s toured the world as a DJ, released under various monikers including as part of the duos Two Armadillos and Secretsundaze and put out two highly praised releases on the iconic Eglo records imprint in 2025. Couple that with his much loved, bi-monthly residency on NTS Radio and it’s clear to see Giles’ breadth of musical knowledge is truly top tier.
"So, the record I have picked is a beautiful record however it’s not anywhere close to being one of my most treasured or rare records but it does have a deep emotional connection and meaning.
Rewinding to summer 2004 i was in Ibiza for one of two Secretsundaze parties we were throwing and some holidays which of course being in Ibiza was centred around music and hedonism. During this period I’d mix up US deep house with some of the more groovy, minimal sounds from Germany and I think we had invited Peter Kreimeier aka Losoul to come and DJ with us.
A friend had left this mix tape in our car from a DJ that was apparently the girlfriend of friend of his but that’s about all we knew. We bumped this mix constantly throughout our drives in the sunshine and I became obsessed with one of the opening tracks on the mix that was deep, organic and otherworldly. This was of course pre shazam etc and no one had any idea what it was.
Somehow the tape got lost and I was gutted knowing I would probably never hear it again. I sometimes tried to remember how it went in my mind but I’d kinda forgotten how it sounded. Two years later I was having a peek in the older stock, in the racks at Phonica and found this record with a beautiful, striking sleeve. I decided to randomly check it out of curiosity. My mind was blown as I heard the track and recognised it as the tune. I definitely made some of those weird noises that sometimes emanate when you get excited about seeing a record. I was so happy.
It turned out to be a track from a special one-off collaborative project by Luciano, Pier Bucci and Argenis Brito called Monne Automne - three artists I was really familiar with at the time although this project was totally unbeknown to me. It started to become a record people recognised from me and I’d always open daytime sets with it.
A year or so later we were compiling and mixing Secretsundaze Volume 1 and I used “Automne” as my opener which felt really poignant and also captured a musical moment in time perfectly. Whether you believe in God, or “the universe” or just “fate” this record felt destined to find me."