Interview with Toúcanplay

Hey, thanks for having us! 2025 has been great so far. We’ve hosted two well-attended parties in Manchester through our events and label, Movere. Of course, releasing with Crosstown Rebels (Rebellion) has definitely been the highlight so far, though!

This EP is a creation of all things that we like, from the high-energy of Coco Bongo to the more minimalist essence of Roots Run Deep. Our goal was to create an experience that puts listeners into a jungle-like environment, allowing them to feel immersed in the surroundings. Overall, it’s a true reflection of our style and the types of music we enjoy creating and playing.

The story behind this is actually pretty surreal for us. We released an EP a while back, and Damian reached out to us on Instagram, saying he liked what we were doing and invited us to create music for Crosstown Rebels. After about a year or so, we were thankful to be able to sign the four tracks in this release. It feels like a full-circle moment for us, especially since the first house music event we ever attended was a Crosstown Rebels night back in 2011 at the Warehouse Project in Manchester

When we were just starting as a duo, we didn’t have a name, but during an afterparty, our friend Femi suggested ‘twocanplay.’ We instantly liked the idea. We played around with it and decided to incorporate ‘tou’ from toucans, which felt like a clever twist with the toucan birds then becoming the perfect symbol for us.”

Manchester is an iconic place for music, as you might already know so playing to our home crowd is always special!

It is hard to compare to others, though, because every city has its own unique vibe, but at the core, the minimal/deep tech community feels very connected. No matter where we play, the crowd is always tuned in to the groove, appreciating the details and the flow of the music. It’s that shared understanding and energy that makes this scene special, whether it’s Manchester, London, or anywhere else in the world.

Artists like Art Department and, particularly, some of their releases on Crosstown Rebels have been hugely influential to us. Their unique sound inspired us to pursue our own approach to music production. Jamie Jones has also been a standout figure with his consistent output over the years being truly admirable. After attending Sunwaves and discovering the rominimal scene, we were introduced to SIT (Cristi Cons & Vlad Caia), whose set captivated us with deep, groovy basslines, hypnotic rhythms and subtle sound design. All of these influences have played a significant role in shaping the music we create today.

One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced over the years is creating music that doesn’t always fit within the norm. This has sometimes made it difficult to get our tracks signed to labels or played by certain DJs, which we understand. That’s why we have so much respect for Damian and Crosstown Rebels, who have always appreciated diverse styles of music, and a big thanks to them for believing in our sound.

What’s next for Toúcanplay in the coming months?
Our next release will be on our own label, Movere. We’re happy with how the event side of Movere has been running for over a year, and now it’s time to shift focus to music releases. After our release on Crosstown, our goal is to keep the momentum going, which means spending a lot of time in the studio. Ultimately, we aim to remain consistent with our releases, perform at exciting events, and continue to grow and evolve our label.