Gavin_P is currently taking Ibiza by storm, with his latest single ‘I Can’t Do This’ meeting universal approval and transcending the Balearic tribes, played by DJs across the Island from Mambo to OBeach, from Pikes to Wi Ki Woo. His piano house and trance grooves harking back to the heydays of the mid 90’s. We catch up with him in San Antonio, poolside on a hot August afternoon.
Hi Gavin, thanks for chatting with DMC! How are you enjoying Ibiza?
Hi Theo, great to see you! I always have a great time here. There are many different sides to this island and always something new to discover. The weather back home in the North of England is pretty dismal. I’m really looking forward to Fat Boy Slim at Pike’s tonight.
Your sound is perfect for Ibiza. When did you first visit the island and did you always know that you wanted to make music?
I’d love to tell you I’d been coming here all my life, but 2017 was my first time! I was hooked immediately. Not everybody gets it, but it’s right up my street. Since that first trip, I have visited four times every year. I go to plenty of other beautiful places for work and play, but the music is rarely anywhere near as good, and I think ‘It’s nice but it’s not Ibiza’.
What influences have most shaped your sound?
I’ve been DJing since 1995: Todd Terry and Strictly Rhythm were my first major influences…then Speed Garage came in and I took to that in a big way. Armand Van Helden is a huge influence for me. Then, somewhere in the mid noughties the house music scene lost its appeal for me. People stopped dancing and started holding their phones up. At the parties I play, I put some ‘up front’ in, but its that mid-90s sound that makes people put their phones away and start dancing. I love music that hits me deep in the soul. Even though I’ve been DJing for nearly thirty years, it’s this deep house renaissance that inspired me to start producing my own material.
Tell us about your fantastic new single ‘I Can’t Do This’ and the meaning behind it?
Anyone who has ever been let down by their lover can relate to this track, and those who haven’t can empathise. Think of Tomcraft: Loneliness and how dance music can be total therapy. Heartbreak pulls on people to let it all out and that’s what ive been seeing from people’s response to I Can’t Do This. Iwas sitting in Savannah on the sunset strip when it dropped. I didn’t let on it was my track but just guaged the response. People find joy through letting it all out.
https://fanlink.to/icantdothis
You’re releasing ‘I Can’t Do This’ on Waze’s Street Tracks label, following last year’s ‘Ain’t Nobody’ and May’s ‘By My Side’ / ‘Back Then’ EP, also on the label. How did you connect with Waze?
I just love what the label do, so immediately I reached out. We’re a really good fit together. They get me and they get my music.
Which three tracks are you currently most enjoying?
The tracks I love listening to aren’t necessarily new releases: I dig through crates and rediscover old favourites. My three most played at the moment (And also on my latest Beatport Chart) are First Choice – I Can Show You (Better Than I Can Tell You) (Phonk D Edit) The Fog – Been A Long Time and Blondish – Call My Name.
Which musicians (across all eras!) inspire you?
Great question! I have a real love of Sade, just so soulful. Kate Bush has been a huge influence in my life as well. I love reggae: As long as it connects with the soul.like Roy Ayers. Producers like me nowadays have an easier ride as we are standing on the shoulders of these giants.
When you’re not in the studio or DJing, how do you like to unwind?
Monday to Thursday, I’m in the gym before work. It good to get the heart pumping and that oxygen flow to the brain. I listen to a lot of mindfulness books on audible and I’m learning about metacognition and self-regulation. Previously when on holiday, it could take me until day six to relax. I’ve moved to a farm in the Yorkshire countryside very recently with my family. The green rolling hills help me to switch between work mode and family time.
What can people expect from Gavin_P for the rest of 2023 and beyond?
I’m glad you asked that! I have six tracks ready to go and I’m so excited! My cousin, DYSTRIKD is an incredible engineer, we have this natural almost telepathic connection that’s so useful for creativity. I have so much in the pipeline that the difficulty will be reining it in and choosing which three of the six to bring to you first. Expect some great sounds in 2024!
