With so much noise out there right now, it’s never been such a challenge to stay ahead of the game! This week an icon of Liverpool’s House and Techno scene joins us to talk keeping it fresh. Ahead of the forthcoming Selector Part 3 release (a label sampler featuring Lewis Boardman, Ki Creighton, Bimas, Cabarza and R.O.N.N), Circus Recordings boss and veteran producer Yousef takes five to discuss direction, championing new sounds and “heart beat of house”. What’s more, the label-head shares a brand new cut from the release exclusively with When We Dip readers. It’s all below! 

As someone who has been involved in electronic music for the guts of two decades how do you constantly find ways to keep things fresh, both for yourself personally and in your productions?

I guess I just do what I do. Constant touring, being the sole A&R for Circus Recordings, and Carioca Records, of course running my Circus Events and listening to and buying new music always I guess keeps me current. I just do my thing but I guess its always fairly fresh! ☺

When making new music do you ever feel bound or constricted by what you’ve done before?

I just sit down and make what comes out I find if I restrict myself in any direction is causes problems. The times when I just let go I make the best music as a producer and play the better sets as a dj. Just doing what feels right is the only way.

In your eyes, how has your production style changed over the years?

I’m at a point now where I can choose to be either pretty scrappy and loopy and old school, or extremely meticulous and musically detailed (to a point) or a combo of both. I can sit down and decide to aim at a style rather than just hoping to make a track. I do find that just going for it still serves me best however.

Having been in the game for so long do you ever find things becoming repetitive? Or is there still that exciting spark from when everything was all new?

I don’t have time to be repetitive to be honest! With touring, running a label and events and a weekly radio show going out to 4 million listeners around the world, that all demands me to be on point and fresh, becoming repetitive does not get a chance to look in! (I hope!)

It seems these days that it is no longer enough to just be a great DJ or producer. You must now have a heavy online presence as well, a persona if you will. Do you think people are becoming too focused on the person behind the decks rather than the music that is being played?

I sadly have to agreed in some respects… The club kids – although music lovers – are also massively curious about the personalities of the DJs, which I guess is a sign of the social media times. It is what it is, but it’s pretty painful to watch people get star stuck over DJs when the real hero is the music.

With your label, Circus recordings, what do you look for when artists send you demos? Is there a certain signature sound that you’re after?

I’m always after fresh-sounding well-made house, techno and electronica with personality and colour. It can be super deep or blistering hard but with the heart beat of house running throughout. Vocals too sometimes as well.
If I feel it, I sign it.

Electronic music seems to becoming more and more included in the mainstream. Some artists see this as a curse, others see it as a blessing. What’s your view of this situation?

In any field of entertainment there are always peaks and troughs, that’s the way it goes, or that’s the what it can make you feel at least! ☺ But we all strive for success and yes big records can open as many doors as are shut, the important thing is you are making music and playing music you love, success and commercialism are two different things IMO

Looking forward how do you see your sound developing?

Who knows… possibly a lot more techno as it gives me the freedom to play more hip hop style on decks which I spent so many hours practicing at. I’m also producing music in Dolby Atmos, which is moving surround sound, 3D for clubs, which I was working on today, which is incredibly forward thinking and makes your tracks sound beyond belief, and incredibly subversive. It’s an amazing new format.

Follow: Yousef // Circus Recordings