Contributing WriterLloyd Barwood debuted on this label late last year and continues to mark himself out as one of prog and melodic’s most exciting new talents. His synth craft is second to none as he explores both light and dark moods and grooves that have won support from greats like Henry Saiz and Eelke Kleijn. The London-based DJ and producer has already made his mark on AXEPT Records, Controlled Substance and Stripped Digital and now follows up his recent ‘Edhoes Through You’ EP with another tasteful two-tracker.
1. Hey Lloyd, thanks for sitting down with us today. How have you been?
I am very well, thank you! It has been a busy but amazing summer. I had the pleasure of DJing at Balance Festival in Croatia, made my debut in Amsterdam for Progressive Hub, and played shows across the U.K. It feels good to have some downtime again now, so I can get back into the studio and use all this newfound inspiration to write some new music.
2. Your new EP ‘Nothing Like It Was’ comes out on Last Night On Earth on September 11th. Can you tell us about this release?
‘Nothing Like It Was’ is a very special release for me because it was born out of my debut show handing over the decks to Sasha at 909 in Liverpool back in February. I wanted to write a record specifically for that set to capture the essence of a Sasha set whilst still staying true to my own sound. I never expected the reaction to be that big, and the record ended up with the biggest reaction of the night. Shortly after, I sent the record to Sasha; he loved it and started playing it all over the world. What’s so unique about the record is that the chord progression constantly changes and evolves every four bars across the 16-bar phrase, which gives this feeling that the record is constantly changing and evolving.
3. This is your second release on Sasha’s label. How does it feel to be called up again?
How does this EP differ from your first record on the imprint? This is actually my third release on the label in the last 12 months. It all started with ‘Chain of Thoughts’, then my second release was ‘Echoes Through You’, and we are now here with ‘Nothing Like It Was’. It always feels amazing to be releasing on Sasha’s Last Night On Earth. It was always my dream label to sign to, and to now have three EPs and a total of seven tracks out on the label feels very surreal. The A-side on the EP, ‘Nothing Like It Was’, continues that melodic, uplifting sound that has been a theme in my music, but moves away slightly from the UK garage feel found on my first two releases. The B-side, ‘Manouevres in the Dark’, is a completely different vibe altogether. This track is deep, dark, and groovy, much more of a heads-down-and-get-dancing record than a hands-in-the-air record like ‘Nothing Like It Was’.
4. When you start a new track, what usually comes first for you: melody, groove, vocals, or something else?
It actually really depends on the type of record I am writing. With the UK garage/progressive house crossover tracks like ‘Chain of Thoughts’ and ‘EchoesThrough You’, these always tend to start with the bassline and drums, as that is the foundation. However, ‘Nothing Like It Was’ all started with the chords. I created this constantly evolving chord progression and then built the record around that. In other cases, I might come across a sample, like a vocal, that I love and build the record around that. It really depends.
5. You’ve worked and shared line-ups with big names in progressive house, including Sasha and Nick Muir. What are the best lessons you’ve learnt from working with these artists?
There is so much to learn from these progressive house legends. A few of the key themes I have noticed are:
– The way they conduct themselves behind the booth. They are always very professional and work with a strong sense of decorum. They know when to keep their distance from the artists playing before or after them; they work closely with the sound engineers and event staff to ensure the setup is correct and working as expected; and they are focused on the two most important aspects – the crowd and the music.
– Their song selection and ability to build a cohesive set that takes the crowd on a journey. With these legendary artists like Sasha, Danny Howells, James Zabiela, Nick Muir, and many more, they select records not because it is a big record to play, but because it is the right record to play then and during that part of a set. Don’t get me wrong, there is always a place and a time to drop a big record, but it can have so much more impact if you set this up correctly, which is what they do so well. It also goes without saying that their technical ability when it comes to DJing is second to none; they use the decks just like an instrument to create energy and emotion that you just cannot achieve whilst listening to a record on its own.
– They have no ego, both behind the booth and outside of it. The biggest artists always give up their time to speak with the fans and also help the up-and-coming artists trying to break through. There is no jealousy there, and they understand the power of building a strong community that is founded on a shared love for the music and the mentality of “your success is my success”.
6. Genres are consistently growing and evolving. Where do you see progressive house heading, and what artists should we be watching?
Progressive house is currently going through an amazing period of strength. With the introduction of Balance Festival and lots of new promoters spinning up events all around the world, it feels like progressive house is, once again, really on the way up. In general, dance music seems to be getting faster, BPM-wise, and I see progressive house artists starting to push up the tempo too. In terms of artists to watch, you obviously have all the legends, but there are also some awesome artists out there that are breaking through and really moving the scene forward. Some that come to mind are Maze 28, Richie Blacker, Carina Lawrence, Sinca, Mathew Sona, Tom Pavicich, Julian Milan and many more.
7. What are some of your favourite records to listen to when looking for inspiration in production?
There aren’t specific records that I listen to when looking for inspiration. If anything, I spend a lot of my free time listening to DJ mixes from artists I love, people like Sasha, Danny Howells, James Zabiela, Dave Seaman, Anthony Pappa and beyond, which is actually where I find much of my inspiration. I find this gives the records some context in terms of where they are being played in DJ sets, and that then inspires me to make certain records. Also, just listening to playlists of electronic music, not specifically of the progressive house genre, gives me little pieces of inspiration or ideas that I can then take into my own music.
8. Thank you for speaking to us today. What can we expect from you for the rest of 2026?
It is going to be an exciting end to the year. I will be flying out to Ibiza at the end of September to make my debut out there; then, the day after, I will be flying to Budapest to make my debut there too. I will also be playing in Sheffield for the Another Life Cathedral After Party in October, where Sasha is playing beforehand, as well as supporting Sasha in Glasgow at the end of November for Colours. In terms of releases, my ‘Nothing Like It Was’ EP comes out on LNOE next week. I will then be back on Eelke Kleijn’s DAYS Like NIGHTS label at the beginning of October, before closing out the year with my debut release on Selador – a collaboration with the legendary Medway. Exciting times!
