Minxxx
Deep’art first crossed my path this past summer amidst the loaded 32 track Various Artists album off Cream Couture because of their standout track ‘Tantalize.’ Ever since then they’ve been at the top of my radar, not only because of their increasingly addicting sound and releases, but because of all that they embody.
Deep’art, although born as DJs/Producers, quickly grew to a party — and an absurdly special one at that. To stand out in London, to make a name, to create something special, a special vibe and a family feel, something intimate and unique, is no small accomplishment, given the city is one of the most famous in the world for electronic (and most notably underground) music. Although they’ve only been around a relatively short while, Deep’art has made a name for themselves here.
Amidst the endless options on a weekend night, nestled on Kingsland Road in the brick walled intimate Basing House, Deep’art entrances and enchants with sexy deep music and intimate vibes to create a something truly special. With increasingly stacked showcase lineups, featuring artists such as Climbers, Balcazar & Sordo, Lee M Kasall, Max Chapman, and Matt Fear, it is clear that Deep’art has made and continues to make a mark in London. With their next party on the horizon this upcoming Saturday, December 8th, featuring my latest obsession Forrest, the always amazing James Pople, and an intriguing “Secret Guest,” we sat down with the men behind the vibe, Chris Ware and Glen Revell, to learn more …
Who are we speaking with here?
Yo Yo I’m Glen how you doing. Hey there I’m Chris.
Tell us about your upbringing; and how it has influenced you, the parties you throw, and the music you love?
Glen: Well, I have come from many eras of the EDM scene but got really into my music with the old house an garage scene from about 1995 onwards, and being artist myself I hope I have taken the best things I have learnt and put them into helping the parties we throw…
C: Well I was raised in the north Essex countryside (a county about 40 miles north east from London) where a whole lot didn’t happen. My earliest exposure to music would have been listening to my parent’s records. Mum loves Motown whilst Dad is a Pink Floyd, Neil Young etc kind of guy. I learnt how to play the guitar when I was about 13 but it wasn’t until I was 17 that I discovered Dance music. I have a very eclectic taste in music and I suppose that has influenced what I play when I’m DJ’ing, and what acts we look to book when we put on our showcase parties.
How was the music scene growing up?
Glen: Tracks were a lot harder all them years ago to find. There was a lot of hard work searching high and low in local record stores, there wasn’t digital when I first started…
C: Well as I grew up in the middle of nowhere I had to search for a scene. It was in my late teens that I discovered house music and even that was on the lighter side, and probably considered commercial. It wasn’t until I started to venture into London and hitting more tech/tech house nights that I started to unravel the underground. I still love that driving sound which comes across in our sets today.
How has it influenced your music and shaped you into the producer/dj you are today?
C: Exposure to many different sounds and styles is always going to shape you as a DJ or producer, and sometimes even subconsciously. Its just about channeling those ideas a creating something special, be it a track or a two-hour set. I feel our sound is ever evolving because we continue to be influenced by the new music and experiences we have.
How is the music scene where you live today?
Glen: The scene is very very strong, so much competition. But what I love is the togetherness among artists, not just in London, but all around the world from America, Brazil, Mexico etc… its amazing really. My love for the scene couldn’t be any higher and a lot of artists are supporting each other which is great! You can always find a great party to go to whether its a well known venue or a pop up venue hidden somewhere
C: I have recently moved to London so the scene is pretty special. We have globally recognised clubs such as Fabric, but also so many pop up venues to give you a different clubbing experience all together. Musically London is strong especially with House music having a new lease of life under the alias of ‘Deep House/Nu Disco’. However its not just dance music that is putting London on the map with so many good live acts coming through in all genres.
At what moment did you two come together?
Glen: On a dating website for dj’s looking for a friend to play with haha
C: Haha. Wouldn’t that be great if there was such a thing.
How did Deep’art come to life?
C: I first met Glen around early 2010 through a mutual friend he was throwing parties with. I was asked to play a warm up set a few times. Being the swell guy that Glen is, he offered to play back to back with at the start so my set time was extended and I got to drop some tunes to more than five people. The rest as they say is history.
Which came first, Deep’art as DJs/Producers or Deep’art as a party?
Glen: Us as artists formed first then shortly after we wanted to start Showcasing some of the scenes best upcoming talent who we thought would go on to be really established artists..
C: Yeah we were DJ’s first and felt that we, and those in the scene around us, were not getting to showcase our talents. So Deep’art Showcase was born. For us production only really kicked off at the start of the year and we are still learning a lot along the way.
Give us details about your first event. Was it a success? What lessons did you learn?
C: We learnt a lot from our first party which wasn’t a particular success in terms of numbers. The key change for us was venue which saw us move to Basing House in Shoreditch for our second installment and we haven’t looked back a year later. The Basing House crew have been nothing short of amazing to be honest. Our nights run smoothly thanks to their staff and they have supported us a lot with what we have been doing! They are getting such a good reputation for being the best intimate venue in East London and we are very happy to be calling it our home.
Describe the music scene in London. Does having such an abundance of great talent in London make it easier or more difficult to brand a unique party?
C: Well as I mentioned earlier the music scene in London is strong at the moment. However with a strong scene comes more demand and the local talent seems to play in the city quite regularly. This is great but taking a step back it is in danger of being burnt out. There are lot of parties out there booking the same artists week in week out and there is little to set them apart. We try to Showcase artists that are strong but not necessarily a ‘household name’ in the scene. We ask our regulars to trust us in who we book and we hope they leave satisfied, and I suppose a year on from our first party that seems to be the case.
Tell us about this upcoming season and which artists you’re most excited about.
Glen: Well, December 8th is our last party of the year and we wanted to have a few friends play to end the year in style. There’s so many great artists at the moment. Our Secret guest we have wanted for a while and can’t wait to hear them rock the dance floor. And next year we have some amazing Showcases lined up with lineups that haven’t been seen yet in London, so watch this space…….
Tell us about your aspirations and what is on the horizon for Deep’art as a party and Deep’art as an artist.
Glen: Well, we are so greatful to have achieved what we have this year as DJs and producers but we are very focused on working hard and getting to where we wanna be. As our friends Climbers said “at the top man, at the top” haha. Next year we have some amazing releases which we have kept under wraps and some great parties, so hopefully we can enjoy another good year.
C: Yeah we couldn’t have asked for a better year in terms of our own development as DJ’s/Producers and our Showcase parties. I would love to take our party abroad at some point or a mini tour as artists. If we continue to grow and develop as we have done I’d be very happy. 2013 will see us release on some labels we have loved for years so that’s going to be pretty cool.
What advice would you give to an aspiring promoter?
Glen: Don’t listen to us haha… On an serious note just stick to what you believe in an be patient, spend time searching for artists an look after them even if your party isn’t busy, if the artist leaves happy, that will go a long way………..
C: Its funny when people call us promoters because we are really just a couple of DJ’s who are putting on nights showcasing artists we would want to hear. It turns out though there are a few other people who want to hear that music as well. So as Glen says, stick to what you believe in, look after the artist you book as you would want to be treated, and think about what makes you different and focus on that. Originality is key.
What is your drink of choice?
Glen: Well, anything really, haha, but I do love a Hendricks or vodka lemonade
C: Depends who’s paying. Ha. My girlfriend turned me on to Gin and Tonic a few years ago. I think it adds a bit of sophistication to my raving and misbehaving.