If you take a peek into any self respecting breaks DJ’s record box, chances are you find at least one or two records with the instantly recognisable Fingerlickin’ label and standout artwork. Jem Panufnik and Justin Rushmore, the dynamic breaks duo otherwise known as Soul of Man, originally started Fingerlickin’ to provide a platform for releasing their own music out onto the house dominated dance scene of the late 90s.

Almost 10 years on, 2006 sees the two juggling a hectic schedule of DJing, producing and running the Fingerlickin’ label, which has grown into the most prominent label in the breakbeat scene today. It’s home to heavyweights such as the Plump DJs, the Drumattic Twins, Slyde, Lee Coombs, Krafty Kuts, A-Skillz and (of course!) Soul of Man, among others. Fingerlickin’ hasn’t just grown along with the breaks scene – they have helped define it.

Along the way, amongst all the album releases, singles and remixes from the various artists, Soul of Man have periodically released compilation mix CDs, with each showcasing the best tracks from the label at the time. Justin and Jem recently decided the time was ripe for the next funk instalment from the Fingerlickin’ camp, and have recently released Fingerlickin’ 4 just in time for another breaks-filled Aussie summer!

ITM caught up with Jem and Justin at Jem’s house late morning in West London, where the two were about to kick off a day of studio production on the long awaited Soul of Man album.

ITM: What’s the touring schedule been like for Soul of Man this year?

Jem: It’s been pretty full on as usual, doing the summer festivals over here. Both me and Justin have had fairly life changing experiences this summer; I got married and Justin had a baby so everything screeched to a halt for a while, we’ve just been getting back into things the last few months. It’s been a very busy year label wise, so it’s always good to take a breather with family and friends and reassess. And now it’s time to get back into it!

ITM: Other than the new compilation CD, what’s been happening in the Fingerlickin camp?

Jem: Yeah loads… loads as per usual! A-Skillz is doing extremely well, he’s had an amazing run of massive gigs this year. He’s just remixed ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ as part of a big [project] Queen are doing at the moment. Plump DJs have been working on their new album, that should be out mid 2007 if all goes well, they’ve been producing some amazing stuff! Slyde have almost finished their album, a couple of singles from that will be released pretty soon. Yeah, more tracks from the Brothers Bud… everyone’s just been getting on with their own thing, which has been great. Even our annually talked about Soul of Man album, which has been a long time coming, Justin and I have committed to spending a few days a week to get in and get it done!

ITM: What is it like for you and Justin these days – has Fingerlickin’s success translated into you guys being able to spend more time in the studio or DJing? Or does running the label still take up a lot of you’re time?

Jem: It still takes up a massive amount of our time… it’s slowly swinging around to where the label is in a position to run itself. Recently we had a bit of a knock with our distributor (Intergroove) going bust, but I’ll let Justin tell you about that – he’s just rocked up!

ITM: Hey Justin, Jem was just explaining that Intergroove, your distributor, went bust a few weeks ago. Seeing as a lot of independent labels go under when that happens, has this put a lot of pressure on Fingerlickin’ financially?

Justin: Yeah it’s been pretty hectic, though it definitely doesn’t mean we’re stopping the label. The problem is it that it [Intergroove collapsing] creates so much work for us… the word hectic probably sums it up best! We’re actually going to step it [the label] up to another distributor which is pretty much the biggest operating at the moment… so I guess you can say, from bad things good things happen!

ITM: The breaks scene in Australia is as strong as ever. What’s your take on the breaks scene in the UK at the moment?

Justin: Well it’s definitely huge at the clubs. Places like Fabric are going really strong, even Ministry of Sound have started doing breaks nights there which is quite ironic (laughs)... yeah the breaks scene in clubs is really healthy clubwise right across the UK at the moment. As record sales go, as I’m sure you’ve heard from a thousand people, the whole digital revolution has sort of shaken up the whole industry really. I mean, everyone’s still getting the music, but whether they’re actually buying it or not is another question. Because of this, record sales have definitely taken a drop of late.

ITM: The whole digital revolution with the instant exchange of, and access to, music through such mediums as MySpace and digital music sites have their obvious advantages though?

Justin: Of course, definitely… I think what we’re going through at the moment is a state of change. For us lot, who have been around for years, [we] have had to go back and reassess things and realise the focus these days is very much on the whole digital scene, and mediums such as MySpace. Whereas with the younger generation it’s nothing new, they’ve sort of grown up with it. The benefits are many, such as MySpace’s obvious advantage of direct marketing… It [the digital music revolution] is exciting, with many different pros and cons… but I guess as along as people still keep going to clubs, and talking to each other and not just sitting in cyberspace, then life will continue as we know it!

ITM: So, to the most important topic – the music! How was the process of putting together the Fingerlickin’ 4 CD?

Justin: It was great fun actually… Normally Jem and I would go into the studio, mix it in a day or two, and it would be done. This time though we had the idea of all of us [various Fingerlickin’ artists] making a track together and calling it the Fingerlickin’ All-Stars, so we did that track up at the Drumattic’s studio in Petersborough, with Andy Plump and the others, which was a heap of fun! But then Jem and I ended up mixing the whole CD there as well, so we got to spend the best part of three or four days with the Drumattics, just having a laugh really. Then of course Jem’s done some crazy artwork with the cover. I guess the album is a reflection of where Fingerlickin’s music is at the moment. Taking into account recent influences like the whole electro house and nu-skool productions prominent right at the moment. Overall – we’re really happy with it!

ITM: Slyde’s ‘Space Bass Rock’ is an absolute bomb! Jem was saying they’re album will be released fairly soon?

Justin: Well, it’s pretty much completed, actually, they’re only missing a track or two. There’s some exciting collaborations and projects on there! So depending on when the remixes of the singles to be released are done, and sorting out distribution and stuff, Slyde’s album should be out early next year.

ITM: The Rogue Element remix of you’re track Sukdat – how did that remix come about, did you guys approach him?

Justin: Yeah, well Rogue Element was definitely the flavour of the year last year, and I just loved his productions – there were few people coming up in the breaks scene that stood out as being A-class, so it was simply a matter of us picking the best out there at the time. We approached him, and he was really into the tune, and came out with the finished product that worked out great!

ITM: He’s got a really signature sound with his productions doesn’t he?

Justin: He does, definitely. Though I actually caught up with him the other day and had a listen to a couple of his new tracks. He’s currently working on his new album and the tracks are going in a slightly different directions than his usual stuff… can’t wait to hear the final product when it comes out!

ITM: So… will we be seeing you guys down here in Oz this summer again throwin down you’re usual funk fuelled DJ sets?

Justin: We’ll, we’re not coming out this Christmas unfortunately, we want to get our heads down and finish the Soul of Man album, then come down there to Oz with something to shout about… come down there with the Fingerlickin’ posse and do it large!

‘It’s a Fingerlickin’ Thang Vol 4’, mixed by Soul of Man, is out now through Fingerlickin’/Inertia.