Contributing WriterSorley, a rising star from the UK, has been steadily gaining recognition in recent years for his diverse approach to house music. This September, Sorley made his debut on Revival New York with his latest single, ‘We Go Deep’. We caught up with him to discuss his sources of inspiration and the creative process behind this release.
Hi Sorley! Welcome to Music Is 4 Lovers. How are you, and where in the world are you right now?
Hey guys how are we doing? I’m currently in my studio here in Sunderland in the North East of the UK.
Your latest release ‘We Go Deep’ is your debut appearance on Revival New York, a label we’ve been watching here for a while. How did that come about?
Yeah it’s a great brand, I love what Mike and the team are building, me and him were chatting and he asked if I had any new music to send to Joseph Capriati, he was digging We Go Deep and there was a slot in the calendar for us both to get it out, so we went for it.
The release is slightly darker than most of your previous music. What inspired the track creation here?
I think as you mature as a producer you explore different sounds as your taste develops. I’m always experimenting when I’m in the studio, I usually start with a particular sound that lights a fire inside or a sample that excites me and then see where the idea takes me.
You were tipped early on as an artist to watch by the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard in 2020… Three years on, how do you think that early attention and spotlighting have shaped the early part of your career?
It’s a funny one you know because we all know what happened in 2020, I feel like things were bubbling for a break, leaving work, getting selected as future fire, and then boom pandemic hit which none of us were expecting and kind of halted the hype and I lost a run of solid gigs. It took a bit to process to be honest, but I look back on that time now with gratitude because I used that time to develop my mindset, skills, and vision for the long term and today I feel so sure of what I’m building and what I want to achieve, which may have been a different story if it hadn’t of happened this way.
You’ve also released on labels such as DFTD, Knee Deep In Sound, SHÈN and Cuttin Headz, covering a wide range of sounds and styles. Why do you think your sound is so versatile?
I think because I love and appreciate great music and take inspiration from a wide variety of genres. My sets always feature tracks from different styles/sounds and as a DJ I try to deliver them in a cohesive way so as a producer I’m always making whatever I think could work in my sets. I never wanna be a one trick pony, I’d get bored of making the same stuff time and time again, where’s the fun in that. Plus I’m always developing and learning so I feel like I’m only just getting started still and it’s the best feeling.
Talking styles and sounds, you’ve collaborated with artists such as Franky Wan and Dance System. Is there a dream collaboration you’ve always had in mind?
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to collaborate with the person who got me into this music, and that’s JJ, Jamie Jones. I love his versatility but you can always tell it’s a JJ record and that’s what I aspire to have with my own music.
Hot since 82 is another who got me into this music and we’ve become good friends which I always find mad. I’d love to see what we come up with.
Anotr as well, I love what those boys are doing and building with the music and no Art. They started out on DFTD similar to me and it’s been inspiring to see how they’ve developed over time. Chatting with Jesse he gave me some advice about starting a label and it was exactly what I needed to hear.
2023 has welcomed arguably your busiest summer with shows from key European hotspots such as Amsterdam and Ibiza through to Bali. What has been the highlight?
They’ve all been so great so it’s tough to pick, but Bali was a big one, my first time ever over that side of the world off the back of my music and it was something I was dreaming of when I was in my day job so it felt like a massive step in the right direction.
We also saw that you plan on launching your own label, SOUL93. Tell us a little about the ideas there and what we can expect.
All I can say is that it’s coming soon, and I feel really free as an artist and this is the most excited I’ve ever been with my creativity.
Lastly, is there anything to add before you leave? What else should we look out for before the end of the year?
SOUL93 😉
Follow Sorley:
Instagram – Facebook – Soundcloud
