Contributing Writer
Super Progressive is the brainchild of William Noglows, a DJ, podcaster, and storyteller whose journey into electronic music began during the pandemic when he discovered a stash of Global Underground and Renaissance CDs. What started as a personal obsession soon became a mission – connecting with a global community of progressive house enthusiasts and interviewing legends like Danny Tenaglia and Hernan Cattaneo. Through his Super Progressive podcast, Noglows dives into the history, philosophy, and artistry of the scene, exploring how meticulous track selection and a sense of community define progressive house.
As a DJ, Noglows is all about storytelling, seamlessly blending house, deep house, and techno without being bound by genre labels. His warm-up sets prioritize subtlety and fresh talent, while his main sets reflect a relentless dedication to track discovery, inspired by Hernan Cattaneo’s five-hour-a-day listening routine. Now, with plans to write a book on 90s club culture, he’s on a mission to document the stories that capture the soul of the underground, preserving the spirit of a scene that continues to inspire him.
What was your entry point into electronic music, and how did your early experiences shape the way you now engage with the progressive house scene—both as a DJ and as a curator of conversations?
My entry point into progressive underground music was during the Pandemic when my older cousin gifted me his old Global Underground and Renaissance collection. I had never heard of DJs like Sasha, John Digweed, Nick Warren, and Dave Seaman before. Then I found the Facebook Group Progressive House Classics and realized there was a global community of clubbers who loved this music more than anything else and are so passionate. I got hooked on it.
You’ve mentioned that progressive house is more about an approach than a specific genre. How has this philosophy influenced your track selection and mixing style during your DJ sets?
I think rather than just looking for tracks that are categorized as ‘progressive house’ I look for all different sounds of house, deep house, and techno and try to bring them together in a way that makes sense.
In your interviews with legends like Danny Tenaglia and Hernan Cattaneo, you’ve observed their meticulous preparation for sets. How has this level of professionalism impacted your own approach to DJing?
I try and listen to every single track released on Beatport and go through my promos each day. Hernan said he listens to five hours of music a day so that’s the standard I hold myself to. If I can listen to every track released, I’m confident nothing will slip through the cracks.
You’ve expressed a desire to write a book on the history of the progressive scene. What aspects of this history do you feel are most crucial to document, and why?
I want to write a book on 90s club culture. I think there are so many important stories that speak to the values of community that quality clubs bring. With the state of small venues evaporating here in the UK, I think it’s important to document just how important clubs are.
Your warm-up sets are known for their subtlety and depth. How do you craft these sets to set the tone for the night, and what challenges do you face in doing so?
I think the tracks I naturally get most excited about are the high energy, pumping tracks, but those obviously aren’t appropriate for an opening set, so I try and find the tracks from up-and-coming artists that I like. I find that an opening set is a great way to promote rising talent.
Having played at venues like Skyline in Glasgow and Super Progressive events in London, how do you adapt your sets to different audiences and environments?
I think it’s a case of getting to know the clubbers on the dancefloor personally. Usually at these gigs, I know everyone on the dancefloor by name, and that goes a long way in terms of knowing what the dancefloor is looking for in terms of music.
The Super Progressive podcast has featured a range of artists from various backgrounds. How do you select your guests, and what do you aim to uncover in your conversations with them?
I usually take requests from my listeners or I will decide on a region that I’m interested in learning about and will interview as many people as possible that can speak to that region. I got super interested in the Melbourne scene and did six interviews in a row featuring Melbourne artists. So it usually goes like that.
With the rise of digital platforms, how do you see the role of podcasts and online mixes in shaping the future of progressive house and electronic music culture?
I just think people want to learn more about their favorite artsits. You can do that in a genuine authentic way with a podcast. So I think you’ll see more and more people starting their own podcasts just to make their own contribution to this scene.
Follow Super Progressive on Instagram