From Sweeping Hair to Sharing Stages with Oliver Heldens

Following GAWP's latest Heldeep Records release, "Killer Sound," created in collaboration with Aden Rémai and featuring vocals from I Jah , the UK producer continues to establish himself as one of the label's familiar names.

From early inspirations like Daft Punk and Crookers to performing alongside Oliver Heldens at iconic venues such as Printworks and Roundhouse, his career has been shaped by constant evolution and a passion for pushing his sound forward.

In this interview, he reflects on his creative journey, shares his enduring love for vinyl collecting, and offers a glimpse into the music still waiting to be released.

Who have been your biggest inspirations in becoming a DJ and producer? Did you know from an early age that you wanted to become an artist?

From an early age, my biggest inspirations were the French house scene. Artists like Daft Punk and Thomas Bangalter really got me hooked when I first started listening to electronic music back in 1998.

When it comes to production though, it was definitely Crookers. The Italian duo Bot and Phra. They were the ones who really inspired me to start making electronic music in a style that's much closer to what I create today.

Looking back at the music you produced when you first started out, how would you describe your early sound? And how has it evolved compared to the tracks you make today?

When I first started making music, I was creating tracks mainly for the crowd. I was trying to make music that sounded like what was already popular at that time because that's what people wanted to hear I thought.

Nowadays it's completely different. I make music based on my own ideas and creativity instead of trying to fit into what's already out there. Now I'm much more focused on experimenting and expressing my own style. Technology has also changed massively. There are so many production tools available now that simply didn't exist back then, which makes making music much more exciting.

As for AI, I haven't really had the chance to dive into it properly yet, but I've seen what it's capable of. So far, I've mostly stuck to working with real vocalists, but who knows? Maybe after this interview, I'll finally take some time to experiment with it myself.

You've released several tracks on Heldeep Records over the years. Can you take us back to how that relationship first started?

It was such a long time ago that I honestly can't remember every detail. Like most producers, I was simply making music and sending demos to labels.

At the time I was working in radio during the day, producing radio shows, and then producing music at night. I'd send my demos out to different labels and radio stations, hoping someone would pick them up. I believe that's how Heldeep Records first discovered my music. Over the years that professional relationship naturally developed into a friendship as well.

You also joined Oliver Heldens on the Heldeep 5 Tour. What was that experience like?

Yeah, that was in 2019. I played seven dates on the Heldeep 5 Tour, five in America, the Miami Pool Party, and then the Amsterdam Dance Event later that year.

More recently I also supported Oliver at his Roundhouse show in London, which was a fantastic experience. I'd never played there before. It's such an iconic venue. It's more of an event space than a nightclub, so it finishes earlier, but the sound system was incredible and everything about the night was really well organised. It was an honour to play alongside Oliver again after all these years.

Is there one DJ set or performance that stands out as unforgettable?

Printworks definitely comes to mind. I played there with Oliver Heldens around 2019 or 2020. I shared the lineup with artists like James Hype, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and it was an amazing experience. Just being part of that lineup and getting to perform at such an iconic venue made it a really special moment.

Outside of music production and performing, what other passions or interests do you have?

Record collecting is probably my biggest hobby. I've built up a huge vinyl collection over the years. My taste in music is always evolving, so I'll go through phases where I'm obsessed with a certain sound and collect everything I can find from that genre. Then my taste changes and I start collecting something completely different. It's almost like creating a physical playlist that keeps evolving over time.

Apart from that, I love travelling, discovering new food and meeting new people. That's honestly one of the best parts about being a touring DJ.

Is there one record in your vinyl collection that's especially meaningful to you?

Probably some of my own records. I have unique copies that only exist once, and because I've lived with those tracks throughout the entire creative process, they mean a lot to me.

I also own the complete Roulé collection, which includes all of those classic French house releases. They're becoming increasingly difficult to find these days, so that's definitely one of the highlights of my collection. In general though, I don't really collect records because they're valuable. I collect music that reflects my taste.

What's something people might not know about you that's funny or surprising?

I used to be a hairdresser. I spent six years working as a hairdresser while I was also starting out as a DJ. My parents wanted me to have something to fall back on, so during the week I'd be washing clients' hair as an apprentice, while DJing at weekends.

As we move further into 2026, what can fans look forward to? I've got a few exciting projects coming up.

Sadly, one of my close friends, DJ Dan, recently passed away. We had several tracks and remixes ready to go, so I'm currently figuring out the best way to release those. I'd love to put some of them out on vinyl as a tribute because they really deserve to be heard.

I released a new record last week in collaboration with Aden Rémai and vocals from I Jah called "Killer Sound." on Heldeep Records. It's a really special record for me and it was amazing working together with these artists. So there's definitely plenty to look forward to.