North Italian producer Francis Kay returns with “Racks”, a new Tech House release on Groove Inc. Built around deep basslines, a powerful groove and a raw vocal, the track reflects the artist’s increasingly focused approach to club music.
For Francis Kay, electronic music is about keeping things simple while making an impact.
Born in Northern Italy, the producer has developed a sound centred around groove, deep basslines and raw club energy. Rather than filling his productions with unnecessary elements, Kay focuses on finding the right combination of sounds and allowing the groove to do the work.
That philosophy is at the heart of his latest release, “Racks”, a Tech House track that combines a four-on-the-floor rhythm with a distinctive street-inspired vocal.
The story behind “Racks”
According to Francis Kay, the track began with a relatively simple idea.
“Racks started from a simple groove idea around a raw, street-vibe vocal I found.”
Once the groove and vocal were in place, the rest of the production developed naturally. For Kay, this initial connection between rhythm and vocal was enough to establish the direction of the track.
The result is a production designed with the dancefloor in mind, but without losing the spontaneity that comes from simply following an idea and seeing where it leads.
“I always try to imagine how it could sound on a dancefloor, but I also just listen and vibe with it,” he explains.
That balance is important to “Racks”. The track has a clear club focus, while the vocal adds a different character, bringing what Kay describes as a street vibe into the four-on-the-floor framework.
A track built around the groove
If there is one element that defines “Racks”, it is the groove.
For Francis Kay, the bassline is not simply another layer in the production. It is the foundation on which the entire track is built.
“The bassline is the foundation of the whole track.”
The vocal gives “Racks” much of its personality, but the deep, raw bassline remains the element Kay feels most connected to. It is also representative of his broader production philosophy: groove first, unnecessary elements out.
This approach has become increasingly important throughout his evolution as a producer.
Learning to do more with less
Looking back at the development of his sound over the last few years, Kay identifies one major change: focus.
His productions have become more stripped back, with greater attention paid to the relationship between individual elements.
“I’ve learned that I don’t need to add too much to a track,” he says.
Instead, he now pays closer attention to groove, space and sound selection, choosing the right elements rather than simply adding more.
It is a relatively simple philosophy, but one that fits naturally with the current direction of his music.
Francis Kay’s Tech House influences
Kay’s current listening habits also reflect the sound he is developing.
The Italian producer is currently spending a lot of time listening to Tech House and minimal-oriented music, with artists including Cloonee, Franky Rizardo, Michael Bibi and Joseph Capriati among his references.
For Kay, however, influence is not about imitation. These artists provide inspiration through their approach to groove, basslines and club-focused arrangements, while he continues to translate those influences into something personal.
That distinction is important for an artist developing his own identity: taking inspiration from the scene while maintaining an individual voice.
“Groovy, street, raw”
Asked to describe his current sound in just three words, Francis Kay doesn’t hesitate:
Groovy. Street. Raw.
Those three words provide perhaps the simplest description of what listeners can expect from “Racks”.
There is the groove that drives the track, the street-inspired character of the vocal and the rawness of the bass-heavy production. Together, they create a sound designed for movement rather than complexity.
If Marco Carola played “Racks”…
There is one DJ Kay would particularly like to hear playing “Racks” during a set: Marco Carola.
And he already has a moment in mind.
Not the opening track. Not the closing track. Somewhere in the middle of the set, where the track can make its impact without needing to carry the entire journey.
“I think it would make a pretty solid, dirty impression.”
It is a fitting choice for a track whose identity is based on groove and raw club energy.
With “Racks”, Francis Kay continues to sharpen his approach to Tech House, focusing on the fundamentals that make a club track work: a strong groove, a deep bassline, a memorable vocal and just enough elements to make an impact.
For a producer whose own description of his sound is groovy, street and raw, “Racks” feels like a natural step forward.
“Racks” by Francis Kay is available on Groove Inc.