Contributing Writer
The Late Night Munchies boss talks his new two-tracker ‘Gimme Dat Vibration’ on South of Saturn, the DIY ethos shaping his sound, and what it truly means to get ‘lost in the sauce.’
Hey Tony! Welcome to Music Is 4 Lovers. How are you doing?
I’m doing alright! Thanks so much for having me. I’m really excited to be back with Music Is 4 Lovers and to finally share my new EP on South of Saturn with everyone. It’s always special releasing music with a label that I’ve been a fan of and connected with over the years, so I’m looking forward to talking a little more about the project and the music behind it!
You’ve released music across labels like Dirtybird, Desert Hearts, Space Yacht and Music Is 4 Lovers, while also running your own imprints. How do you decide when a track belongs on one of your labels versus someone else’s?
A lot of it comes down to the identity of the track and where I feel it fits best. With my own labels, there’s a certain sound and culture I’ve built around them, so if a record feels like it represents that world, I naturally want to keep it close to home.
At the same time, I’ve always believed that the right song deserves the right home. Releasing on labels like Dirtybird, Desert Hearts, Space Yacht, or Music Is 4 Lovers allows the music to reach a different audience and become part of a larger community. Sometimes a track can be a great fit for my label, but if another label has a stronger connection to the sound or the moment, I’m happy to let it live there. In the end, I’m not really focused on putting everything out myself just because I can. I’d rather find the right home for each record and let the music speak for itself.
You launched Late Night Munchies back in 2015, initially as a way to help create opportunities for artists around you. Looking back more than a decade later, what are you most proud of about what the label has become?
Honestly, I’m most proud of the community that has grown around Late Night Munchies. When I started the label in 2015, it was about creating opportunities for myself and the artists around me, especially people I felt deserved more chances to have their music heard. Over the years, the label has grown and evolved, but that purpose has never really changed. We’ve released music from some incredibly talented artists, built relationships with people all over the world, and created a platform where artists have a little more freedom to be themselves. I’m also proud that I’ve been able to sustain it for more than a decade. The music industry changes so quickly, and labels come and go, so keeping Late Night Munchies moving while continuing to put out music I genuinely believe in means a lot to me. At the end of the day, it’s more than just putting out records. It’s about creating a space where artists feel supported and giving people opportunities that I wish I had when I was coming up.
Your journey has taken you from Panama to Alaska and eventually to Seattle. How have those different places and communities shaped your musical identity?
I think each place gave me a different piece of the puzzle. Panama exposed me to a really diverse mix of cultures and rhythms from an early age. There’s a natural sense of groove, movement and swag in Latin music that I think has always stayed with me, even as my sound has evolved. Then moving to Alaska was a completely different experience. It was a smaller scene, so you had to be resourceful and really build your own community. That’s actually where I started Late Night Munchies, and being in that environment taught me that you don’t necessarily need to be in a major music city to create something meaningful. Seattle has probably had the biggest influence on me as an artist. I’ve been able to experience so many different sides of electronic music. It’s also where I’ve been able to develop my sound, build Late Night Munchies, collaborate with other artists, and create events like Be My Guest. I think all three places taught me something different: Panama gave me the rhythm, Alaska gave me the DIY mentality, and Seattle and streaming on Twitch gave me the community to really develop it.
Seattle has been a huge part of your story, and you’ve spoken about wanting to create more opportunities and visibility for emerging artists. What do you think the Seattle scene does especially well.
There’s a lot of talent here, and people are genuinely willing to support each other, whether that’s through music, events, visual art, or just showing up for one another. Seattle also has a really strong DIY spirit. You can build something from the ground up here, and I’ve seen artists, promoters, DJs, and creatives create their own opportunities rather than waiting for someone else to give them a shot. That’s something I really respect, especially for how tough it can be. I also think there’s a willingness to experiment and blend different sounds and cultures. You can go to a party and hear house, techno, bass, disco, Latin sounds, and everything in between. That diversity keeps the scene interesting. For me, that’s why creating opportunities for emerging artists is so important. So many people here have something special to offer and just need someone to give them that first opportunity or put them in the right room. I want to help create those rooms.
You’ve released a brand-new two-tracker, “Gimme Dat Vibration” on Lee Foss’ South of Saturn. How are you feeling now that this one is finally out in the world?
I’m feeling really good about it! There’s always a little bit of nervous excitement when you put new music out, but this one feels especially good because South of Saturn has such a strong identity and history within house music. Having Lee Foss, Kaysin and the team believe in the record and give it a home is something I’m really proud of. “Gimme Dat Vibration” is one of those tracks that was made with the dance floor in mind. It’s groovy, energetic, and has that funky, slightly dirty edge that I love. I wanted something that could create that moment when you see the whole room moving together, and the B-side, “No Love For The Bass,” is a straight tech-house roller that’s been ripping in my sets. Now that it’s finally out, I’m mostly just excited to see where it goes. You make a record, spend all this time obsessing over the little details, and then eventually you have to let it go and let the people decide what it means to them. That’s always the best part.
You described these tracks as being made for those moments when people can “get lost in the sauce” on the dance floor. What does getting lost in the sauce look like to you?
To me, “getting lost in the sauce” is that moment when you completely stop thinking and just become part of the music. You’re not checking your phone, you’re not worried about what time it is, you’re not thinking about who’s watching, you’re just locked into the groove. It could be a packed dance floor at 2AM, everybody moving together, or it could be you in the corner by yourself absolutely going for it. There’s no right way to do it. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about house music. For a few hours, everybody can leave whatever is happening in their real life at the door and just get weird, get sweaty, and have a good time. So if you hear “Gimme Dat Vibration” or “No Love For The Bass” and suddenly find yourself making questionable dance moves with a drink in the air at 1AM… congratulations, you’re officially lost in the sauce lol.
What was the initial spark behind title track “Gimme Dat Vibration”? Did it begin with a bass line, a vocal, a drum groove, or something else entirely?
Honestly, the track started with the bass line. The vocals came in afterwards and really became the personality of the record. Once I heard “Gimme Dat Vibration,” I knew the track had its identity. From there it was really about building around that phrase and creating something that felt funky, hypnotic, and a little bit naughty without overcomplicating it.
South of Saturn feels like a natural home for this particular sound. What made Lee Foss’ label the right destination for these two records?
I think it was really a combination of the sound, the timing, and the label’s identity. South of Saturn has built such a recognisable world around groove-heavy, funky, club-focused house music, and these records naturally felt like they belonged in that universe. I’ve also been following what Lee Foss and the label have been doing for a long time, so getting the opportunity to release on South of Saturn was definitely meaningful to me. There’s a certain level of trust that comes with putting your music in someone else’s hands, and I felt like they understood exactly what these records were trying to do. I also didn’t want to force the tracks into a particular box just because it was a cool label to release on. The music has to make sense first. When I realised these records could sit comfortably alongside the South of Saturn sound while still feeling like me, it felt like the right fit.
Finally, after “Gimme Dat Vibration”, what’s next for Tony H?
There’s definitely a lot happening! I’m really excited to be playing Nocturnal Wonderland for the first time, which is a festival I’ve been looking forward to for a while. I’ll also be announcing some Canada dates soon, so I’m excited to get back up there. On the music side, I have a pretty ridiculous amount of new stuff lined up. I’ve got upcoming releases on House of Hustle, Somethin’ Light, Farris Wheel, Mi Domina Records, Kneaded Pains, and several others. I’ve also been spending a lot of time in the studio and continuing to build out Late Night Munchies, so there’s definitely no shortage of music coming. I feel like I’m in a really productive chapter right now, lots of shows, lots of records, and lots of reasons to keep dancing. So after “Gimme Dat Vibration,” just keep an eye out, because I am definitely not slowing down anytime soon.
Tony H’s ‘Gimme That Vibration’ EP is out now on South of Saturn
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