James Poole and GUDFELLA Bring Gator Boots to Defected

I still remember those summers that could melt the shape off your trainers. Every football match ended with someone carrying their trainers instead of wearing them, and every evening finished somewhere music was louder than common sense. Funny thing… decades later, the temperature is still doing her thing. She simply swapped sunburn for strobes and basslines.

That feeling came back while I was listening to an advance copy of Gator Boots, the upcoming collaboration from James Poole and GUDFELLA, due for release on Defected Records on 3 July 2026.

Two Fast-Rising Names, One Groove

Gator Boots finds James Poole and GUDFELLA joining forces at exactly the right moment in both of their careers. They have gathered serious pace over the last couple of years.

James Poole has quietly built one of the strongest catalogues among the new generation of UK house producers. His music has appeared on labels including Hot Creations, Hottrax, Elrow, Experts Only, Hellbent and Revival, while DJs such as Chris Stussy, Jamie Jones, Marco Carola, Joseph Capriati and Michael Bibi continue to praise his productions.

His 2025 collaboration Temptation became a favourite across countless dancefloors, and 2026 keeps opening bigger doors. From Ministry Of Sound to Defected‘s Ibiza residency at Chinois, with Drumsheds already waiting later this year.

Meanwhile, GUDFELLA has followed a different route to the same destination. Born in the Philippines and now based in Los Angeles, Kyle Domingo has already passed 113 million streams, collected appearances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, Brooklyn Mirage and Club Space, and gathered support from names including BLOND, SG Lewis and Michael Bibi. Then Morning Coffee arrived and here we go –  everybody seemed to have a fresh cup in the booth.

Ready For The Summer Rush

The first thing that caught me was the attitude. A dark, tech-driven house record that somehow makes the heat outside feel like the easier part of the evening. I loved the groove, and those cheeky vocals had my neighbours wondering if I had more guests than usual.

If a record makes me forget I’m supposed to be taking notes for an article, it’s probably doing something right. This one managed that quite early.

Do yourself a favour. Pre-save/pre-order Gator Boots here before 3 July, then come back later and tell me how many times you played it. And remember to wear comfortable shoes. Summer has a habit of lasting longer when the DJ picks the right record.

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