We were lucky enough to catch up with bumpin’ DJ & producer Huxley ahead of his debut appearance alongside Harri & Domenic at Subculture this week.
With solid releases on 2020 Vision & Hypercolour it came as no surprise that Michael Dodmam creeped into the Subbie’s collective consciousness just at the end of 2012. So much so that we had to get him involved. Following that mighty Sub Club SoundSystem set at RockNess earlier this summer, we knew it wouldn’t be long before he graced the basement of a Saturday evening.
In brief, his love for the old school house sound that gives a sentimental substance to his dj sets and production outputs is where he ticks all the boxes. As well as hitting the top with a trademark UK 90s house and 2 step vibe that is taking the world by storm over the last 18 months, he is also without a doubt one of the most likeable dj’s we have had the pleasure of dealing with recently.
Here is our exclusive interview with him live and direct from his digs at the Amsterdam Dance Event…
Where are you from, where are you based now, how old are you?
I’m 28, I’m based in London but am originally from Tring in Hertfordshire.
Going back to your UKG roots, where did you pick up your interest in the 2-step sound? Who were your influences from that era?
I was into D&B originally – Mickey Finn, SS and people like that. I shifted towards garage purely because the record shop I was buying from started stocking more Garage so my ears were opened to it.
Tuff Jam, Nice ‘n’ Ripe, MJ Cole were inspirations, especially MJ Cole, whose music made me think more seriously about being a producer.
Here is an Old School Garage Mix Huxley recorded for ID Magazine…
What were your first musical experiences – was music a big thing in your house growing up?
Definitely. Everyone in my immediate family had a big interest in music. My dad especially had a big impact always putting on Jackson Brown or Van Morrison or whoever in the house or car or whatever. My mum also sang in local Gilbert & Sullivan productions, which of course helped.
How did you start producing?
My brother helped a lot as well as he was into the production thing before i was. My first experiences were learning what he did on Impulse Tracker. When I was 15 – Garage stuff. I started releasing about a year or so later.
Do you enjoying the travelling aspect of touring -places like Japan, etc. Any particular highlights from last year?
Yes and no. It’s great when you get to spend a few days in a place and experience it (like Japan), but on the most part it’s just in and out. The most you see of the place is the hotel and the airport. Obviously though there are some great places I’ve been to along the way, like Japan last week, New York and also Copenhagen are a few favourites.
How did you rate your experience up at the Sub Club Soundsystem at RockNess? What memories do you have of playing in Glasgow or Scotland in general – any standout moments/good anecdotes? How would you rate the crowds here (clichéd, I know, but you need to ask these things)?
It was the first festival in Scotland I’ve done and it was wicked. The crowds in Scotland on the whole seem like they are one of the most up for it in the UK. The memories i have of playing in Glasgow are brief but great. I’ve only played twice before, but both were really great nights. I can’t remember much of the stand out moments to be honest. I think i had a bit too much Buckfast last time i was up…
If you could pick anyone in the world to remix you, who would it be and which track would you want them to do?
The Prodigy and probably Shower Scene or Walk 2U.
Who are the up and coming artists we should be watching out for in the future?
De Sluwe Vos, Brame, Second City, Route 94 and Three Bar.
How do you think social media has impacted artists? Do you think it’s a good thing to give fans accessibility to you – or do you prefer to have an air of mystique?
Depends on the individual – like anything with the internet there are good sides and bad sides but it is cool for people to be able to reach out via twitter/facebook
What are you working on just now? What do you have planned for the rest of the year and after that? Any new releases/remixes/collabs in the pipeline?
Well, right at this minute I’m preparing for a big weekend of gigs, an ADE demo for Novation and my forthcoming EP for Aus which is due out around December. My collab with Shenoda is out now, too.
https://soundcloud.com/defectedrecords/huxley-shenoda-i-dont-know
What stuff are you playing in your sets at the moment?
House is the easiest way to describe what I play!
Finally: How did Michael Dodman become Huxley?
It came about from Aldous Huxley as I was reading Brave New World around the time I had to think of an alias.
Going forward, we expect that there’s more of the faultless same and more than a few surprises on the way from Huxley. There are some EPs, singles, more collaborative projects with the likes of Sam Russo and Ethyl and some carefully selected remixes in the pipeline.
Anyone who has heard recent sets for Rinse FM and Fact Magazine will know will know what to look forward to at Subculture with his on-point DJ sets that span house, garage, techno and beyond.
Advance tickets for Sub Club on Saturday are available HERE or in store at Tickets Scotland, & More on the door.