It’s fair to say that Local Talk – who have been at this game since 2010 – over the years they have regularly delivered the kind of house music (and beyond) that they would only play, listen, and dance to themselves. Mats & Tooli have worked hard to avoid the dangerous traps of following trends, which in the long run can water down a label to just a portal, instead being a quality music brand with lashings of sass and bags full of character.
Local Talk’s mission has been, and continues to be, about delivering their own musical personality via artists and producers that they love and respect, and on this anniversary collection the Swedish duo are proud to present their second label compilation, ‘Local Talk – 13 Years Later’. Here In Part 1, Local Talk have reached out to some of their regular in-house family as well as new friends on the scene. Covering a wide spectrum that touches on classic house, deeper house, warm soulful house, some Detroit flavour, and broken rhythms all delivered via some of Local Talk’s favourite producers like Soul Renegades, Nico Lahs, Laroye, and Alex Attias.
“We’ve now been at this since 2011 and over the years we’ve really tried to deliver the kind of house music (and beyond) that we would play, listen and dance to ourselves. We really tried to avoid the dangerous traps of following trends which in the long run can water down labels to just a music portal instead of a music brand with character. Basically, we aim to deliver our own musical personality via artists and producers that we love and respect. To sum things up, we are proud to present our second label compilation, Local Talk – 13 Years Later.
In part one of our 13 Years Later compilation we reached out to both regular in-house producers as well as some brand new friends on the house scene. As always, we try and aim for a wide spectrum of styles and you’ll hear everything from classic house, deep house, soulful house, Detroit(ish) house, broken etc from some of our fave producers like Soul Renegades, Nico Lahs, Laroye, Alex Attias etc. We sincerely hope you will enjoy this selection of dance MUSIC as much as we do and that there’s something for everyone on our compilation.” – Mats & Tooli
You can now listen to the full premiere of Shaka’s track ‘Got To Get Better’ exclusively on our sister channel Dancefloor Romancer while reading the great interview we had with him. Enjoy!
WWD: Thanks for taking the time to talk. Where are you today and what are you up to?
Hey guys, thanks for having me. Today is actually a typical day that I spend in the studio. That means getting up relatively early, going for a quick jog and then working in the studio with a clear head.
WWD: Loving your new single on the forthcoming Local Talk 13 Years Later compilation. But this isn’t your first rodeo with the label. How and when did you first hook up with the guys?
As a DJ I have been following the releases on Local Talk since the beginning and they always have a permanent spot in my bag. I always liked the definition of house music that they released. A nice mix of old school vibes and modern soulful house. Also you can hear that they have a connection to jazz. The label is everything I look for as a producer, also that I focus on, and that I feel attracted to. That made me make contact with the guys in 2019, and send them a few tunes, which to my delight led to my first release on Local Talk the following year.
WWD: How many releases have you had on Local Talk?
Until now two. The Riverwalk EP in 2020 and The Birds Eye View EP in 2022. And now of course a contribution to the fantastic upcoming Local Talk 13 Years Later compilation.
WWD: How long have you been a producer? What was your first ever release?
My first experiences with producing were towards the end of the 80s, when some friends and I were playing around with a 303, an 808 and a 707, but that’s not really worth talking about! We just had fun doing some pure and raw acid house for ourselves with that limited equipment. But I kept at it and bought more and more gear and my very first release came out in 1995 on the Swiss label D3.
WWD: If you had to put a pin on your sound, what words would you use to describe it?
Warm, positive, soulful, multi-layered, jazzy, laid back, but still suitable for the dance floor.
WWD: What do you feel has been your most notable release throughout your production career?
Oof, I still find that really difficult to judge. I think that should be decided by others, haha.
WWD: Which of your releases do you feel should have gotten more love?
Also a difficult question! If I had to choose one, then maybe the title track from my “From Distance To Common EP” on Vibes and Grooves.
It’s not that I think this is my best-produced track, but it has a very high emotional value for me. It was created after the lockdown period and is divided into a first painful part, the distance, and then a joyful part, a return to the “commons” afterwards, so to speak. No idea if anyone can feel that when listen to the track and or if they would interpret it that way, but for me it expresses exactly that.
WWD: What other labels have you released on in your time?
Kolour Ltd, Traxx Underground, Balance, Enterbt, Morris Audio, Vibes and Grooves, Plastik People to name a few.
WWD: Who do you think is making great music right now?
When we talk about dance music producers there are so many, it’s hard to make a list here, but if you listen to the Local Talk 13 Years Later Compilation, I think there are quite a few of the top producers represented!
WWD: Talk us through your track – ‘Got To Get Better’?
Maybe the title is a bit of a red herring, but it’s meant in a very positive way and not demanding. I’m a very positive person and it’s hard for me to get rattled. The track was created in the summer and I think it has a joyful and also euphoric vibe. A toast to life, so to speak. It’s multi-layered like many of my tracks and I always try to build up and release a certain tension.
WWD: Why do you think that Local Talk is such a solid label?
Apart from the fact that the guys from Local Talk work absolutely professionally, I think they are deeply rooted in music from many different directions and thus make a fantastic selection of releases. They feel the zeitgeist but don’t lose the roots. Good music always prevails and they have the right feeling for it.
WWD: What else are you working on that you can share?
A lot of new releases are planned for this year. In spring there’s an upcoming EP on Quintessentials and an EP on the Italian label Tasty Treats. There are some others I can’t tell you about yet, but I’m very excited about them!
WWD: What keeps you both busy outside of music?
I try to keep my work-life balance as good as possible and take enough time for my social contacts. I also do regular sports and try to go out into nature as often as I can, it really helps to clear my mind. And I am a passionate cook too!
Release Date: March 3rd, 2023. Buy Here
Shaka: Facebook // SoundCloud
Local Talk: Facebook // SoundCloud