Josh Butler

A massive year looms for the Leeds dynamo kicking off at Egg Ldn

Interview by Nicky Trax

 

Hey Josh, a big welcome back to DMCWORLD. Big night coming up at the weekend at Egg Ldn, what can party people expect from your set?

Hey DMC! Well, I’ll always try and tailor a set for each night depending on the venue, crowd and of course my mood. Generally though I keep it rooted to House fuelled by solid gritty drums often with melodic chords and vocal hits.

Have you any secret bombs up your sleeve ready to drop?

Check out “Separation” from my good friend PAWSA, out on his own label, Groover.

Can you tell us what’s new for the New Year in terms of productions, remixes and projects?

I’ve got original music coming out on Kaoz Theory, Defected and Material and I’ve also got collaborations with Hauswerks, Santé and more in the pipeline. I’ve also just finished a remix for Namito & Jonny Cruz and one for Ralph Lawson later this year too!

Cool! How does playing in London compare to other cities or countries? Do you count London as one of your favourite spots?

London is without a doubt one of my favourites. I’ve said it before, the UK is at the forefront of the world’s dance music scene, and London obviously plays a huge part in that. Last time I was at the Egg was crazy, so can’t wait to get back!

What are some of your proudest moments/memories from these past 5 years in the scene?

It’s been one hell of a ride so far and I’m happy to say that the hard work is paying off. I think my proudest moments have to be remixing Fatboy Slim, touring with Nile Rodgers & Chic and holding a residency in Ibiza.

How do you manage to keep it fresh, new and vital? Does the house/techno scene pressure producers to always be one step ahead?

I try not to worry too much about pressure, that can become a creativity killer. I’ve always wanted to push my sound forward, learn new techniques and experiment with styles and of course technology. I think a combination of using tools available and wanting to try new ideas results in keeping things fresh.

Is there any track that you’re particularly proud coming up?

I’m really happy with my forthcoming EP on Kaoz Theory. As I mentioned before, Kerri’s become a good friend of mine and an inspiration. With these tracks I’ve dug a little deeper into my sound and not thought too much about making the dance floor go crazy but more about the progression and space in the arrangement.

Which record would you say set you on the House music path?

Faithless’ ‘Insomnia’ was the first record that I bought so it’s gotta be that! Timeless track.

You grew up in New Zealand and then moved to Leeds, how much of an influence did the setting around you have on your path towards music? Were there any other major influences on your path such as key people, DJs, producers or clubs?

Well when I lived in NZ it was a very remote, rural area so there was no club scene, especially for House music. However, it did give me the time and focus to practice my own production. I kept very much in touch with music from the UK at the time so the electronic side of my influences was still definitely coming from home. There is some great homegrown music in NZ though, Fat Freddie’s Drop, Salmonella Dub, Concord Dawn etc. My latest side project, Kahu, has allowed me to reflect back on my time in New Zealand. I explore some different areas of my music taste, darker, more percussive tribal rhythms. The name comes from Maori mythology and being in the North of NZ, Maori culture was a big part of my youth. I’m looking forward to getting back over there in March to tour.

So what does the future hold for you? 

Pushing my sound forward, some amazing collaborations in the works and some projects outside of music that are coming together already…

And before you leave us, can you tell us something you think we should all be listening to before we head out the door to the Egg Presents…party at Egg Ldn?

Kerri Chandler b2b Chez Damier live from Southport Weekender…perfect pre-party vibes and I actually had the pleasure of being there that night! 

https://www.facebook.com/joshbutlermusic

Josh Butler headlines Egg Presents…alongside Cristoph, Anotr on Friday January 22nd at Egg Ldn and all info www.egglondon.co.uk