Dear Ollie, thank you for accepting your nomination to be our Artist of the Weekend! We are really pleased. How are you?

Thank you for having me! I’ve actually just lost about a third of my digital music this week - which is a bit mad - but I’m making the best of it by rediscovering a lot of stuff, and by recording a vinyl mix for you today!

Tell us a little more about yourself. Where do you come from and how did everything start with you and music? Was it love for the very first sight?

I got into DJing as you do when you’re mainly listening to dance music, though I was listening to proper rubbish - the kind of thing that went on to become ‘EDM’ - despite my parents always showing me things like The Shamen, A Guy Called Gerald, Orbital etc. but parents are wrong about everything aren’t they.
I started putting on nights at my local club ‘Bunker’ in Deptford. We were 17 at the time and this was the only club that wasn’t wise to fake ID’s, so I had my entire year from school coming down every time.
I started getting booked around a bit and playing a bit better music, getting into house. Then one day my friend Jack dragged me to his stepdads club night - which I was very dubious about - it turned out his stepdad was Nathan Coles and the night was Wiggle, so that introduced me to this style and there was no going back really. Going on to play and produce it followed pretty naturally.

I bet it sounds like a bit of a cliché but who are your biggest musical influences?

You can’t beat a good Terry Francis mix. With tunes it’s harder to say! Some of my favourites are anomalies from people I don’t normally rate. However, my shelf seems to be full of Gideon Jackson and Jay Tripwire records. You can’t listen to stuff at my local shop, but If I see a record by either of these guys I’ll always grab it. I take a lot of inspiration from artists like Corrie, Yapacc and Berkson & What, who seem to come through with a completely different approach to every track.

Where do you get your inspiration from when it comes to making music?

It always has to be some kind of an experiment. Whether it’s trying to make an unusual element work, or following some kind of theme. Sitting down trying to make ‘a good track’ doesn’t work for me at all. I don’t really think ideas arrive in my head fully formed so changing up the process each time seems like the best way to invite a few happy accidents in and add a bit of character.

Did you choose the labels you work with or they chose you?

I’m very lucky in that respect, I got approached by the exact labels I’d choose myself!

How do you get ready for a gig? What things do you normally consider when you make your selection?

Getting ready for a gig is chaos, I normally have the right number of tunes picked, then panic grab about 3x more on my way out of the house.

Can you describe your style in a few words? What are you looking for in a track when it comes to building up your mix?

I’m after tunes with a good groove but they need some trippier off-key elements to give me something to think about. I can’t stand big buildups and drumrolls in tracks, that takes me right out of the groove. I’ll often buy a tune and edit those bits out of it.

What is the ideal venue for you?

Clubs wise it’s got to be Fabric. I’ve been at the FUMP and London Loft Parties recently though which aren’t in clubs and it’s exciting going somewhere new, without all the oppressive aspects of being in a club. Somewhere that lets the party run its course too - after hours is the best bit!

What is your idea of being successful?

Getting to travel, getting to play at really good parties all the time, getting a few tunes out on wax.

Is there anyone you would love to play back to back, someone you admire as a Dj?

I’ve had a few great gigs lately with James O’Connell as ‘Jamollie’.
I’d also love to have a go keeping up with Eddie Richards!

What do you do in your spare time? What music do you normally listen to?

If I’m not working on a film, I’ll be looking for or making music… Or cooking a curry, In which case the soundtrack’s bands: Talking Heads, Blondie, Echo & The Bunnymen, Belle & Sebastian, Beck, Hot Chip.

Thanks again Ollie! Enjoy the rest of the summer and hope to catch up with you again very soon.