About Lost in the Rhythm
Lost in the Rhythm (LITR) is an underground music movement. We celebrate spirit, sound, and shared frequency within deep and soulful dance music culture.
Founded by UK DJ, promoter and broadcaster Rob Coley, the project traces its roots to the early 2000s. Inspired by visits to legendary NYC parties like Body & Soul, Shelter, and Deep Space, Rob immersed himself in a sound that felt spiritual, communal, and timeless. Record store pilgrimages to Dance Tracks, Vinyl Mania, and Vinyl Junkies (RIP) laid the foundation for what would eventually sow the seeds for the very first Lost in the Rhythm session
The Origins: A Red Light and a Feeling
Lost in the Rhythm truly came to life during lockdown. In a world on pause, we turned inward. What emerged were late-night sessions streamed online—a red light, two hours of vinyl and MP3s, and deep musical intention.
There was no mic, no hype, just soulful storytelling through sound. The vibe was deeply rooted in the traditions of artists like Ron Trent, Trinidadian Deep, Antonio Ocasio, Lars Bartkuhn, DJ Spinna, Kai Alcé, Osunlade, and Joaquin ‘Joe’ Claussell. Every Sunday really did feel like a midnight ceremony, despite it being in an East London dining room.
From Private Sessions to a Global Signal
What started as solo broadcasts soon expanded into a monthly online gathering. Guest DJs from around the world shared their interpretation of the LITR ethos. Rob, then hosting a monthly deep house show with Wayout Radio, transitioned to Universal Rhythms, where the Lost in the Rhythm Radio Show officially began to take shape.
Early guests like Juliet Mendoza, Mari Ella, Coflo, and Andrew Marriott brought their heat, while Rob continued to open each episode, setting the tone with warm-up sets steeped in soul, rhythm, and release.
Radio Syndication and Seasons
After Universal Rhythms closed, the show moved to Mixcloud and later YouTube, staying true to its video-first identity. Artists such as Portia, Philippe The Haitian, Roy Westfield, Mikekon, Mazin’ Grace, KCIV and Cullen G carried the torch, and Lost in the Rhythm was soon syndicated on DanceGruv Radio (North Carolina), where it continues to air monthly, alongside the ever-present YouTube archive.
Each episode flows as a journey, celebrating new deep house, soulful edits, vinyl gems, and future classics, all grounded in reverence for the DJs and producers who came before us.
ADE 2023: Radio Meets Dancefloor
In October 2023, Lost in the Rhythm stepped out from behind the camera with its first international appearance at Amsterdam Dance Event. As part of the SNE × Conneqting.the.Dots showcase, we hosted a live radio broadcast from Feed Amsterdam featuring Moroccan DJ and producer Cee ElAssaad. Three days later, we hosted our first dancefloor showcase at Oceean, with sets from:
Frederick (Astral Arts)
Harry De Courcy
Oriabela
It was a defining moment: bridging our online energy with a real-world experience.
ADE 2024: Stepping Fully Into Tomorrow
One year later, we returned to ADE with a full-scale showcase at Feed Amsterdam. The line-up featured:
Juliet Mendoza: headlining and continuing her journey with us since gracing us with that very first radio show guest mix
DJ Tracksuit: the Belgian/Amsterdam native being a natural fit with the LITR ethos
Pappafunk: who helped shape those early pandemic sets
An of course Rob, whose presence and selections remain the project’s anchor
Lost in the Rhythm Records
2024 also saw the launch of Lost in the Rhythm Records, a natural evolution of the platform’s vision to bridge generations, preserve culture, and create space for the next wave of deep house storytellers. Volume 1 of the label’s four-part EP series includes contributions from:
Floyd Vader
DJ Solid (reimagined by Shukie)
MikeKon
Guerrilla Science
Featuring vocals from Sarah Lyons and Novakane Omega, this release laid down a marker: music that transcends trend, time, and geography.
We celebrated the record’s release and label’s inception with two special London events in October 2024:
A release weekend launch at Love Vinyl with Shukie, Si Kurrage (Point Blank Radio) and Rob
A follow-up at the BBE Store post-ADE, featuring Shukie, Pappafunk, Rob, and international guest Zahra Habib (London, Toronto)
The Sound
Each Lost in the Rhythm radio show is a two-hour meditation flowing through deep house, Afro house, soulful edits, and jazz-infused rhythms. From analogue warmth to digital soul, the selections are guided by story, not trend. This is a place where DJs play from the heart.
Community & Collaboration
We believe in collaboration. Lost in the Rhythm has featured guest DJs and producers from the US, Canada, the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and Australia, with each one adding to the pulse of this ever-evolving movement.
Through it all, the ethos stays the same: We move together. We grow together. We get lost in the rhythm.