DJ Barely Legal Interview: Best Behaviour

Image: Barely Legal

After being drip fed garage throughout the nineties, it's no surprise that Chloe Robinson aka DJ Barely Legal has come out the other side with an appreciation and flare when it comes to bass music.

She unleashes everything from grime to house, creating the ultimate party soundtrack irrespective of the venue. From giant festival stages to compact basements, the Barely Legal mayhem suits them all. 

She highlights the breed of new talent that is currently paving the way for some of the most exciting sets across the country whilst juggling time the airwaves. DJ Barely Legal has held her own on Rinse FM, 1Xtra and NTS (listen below), championing the music she loves and the artists who deserve recognition. 

Ahead of her UK gigs including Bugged Out Weekender, In:Motion and Eskimo Dance, we caught up with Chloe to chat about her musical upbringing, her new label Pretty Weird Records and the importance of getting involved in the rave. 

Your label Pretty Weird Records was officially launched just before the summer, how are things looking so far? Any upcoming releases we should know about?

Well I am definitely learning that starting and running a label is no easy task. There are so many different things to think about so I'm taking one step at a time basically.

I've had some really good feedback already and couldn't believe Four Tet included my first release in his essential mix with Jamie XX on Radio One, through that loads of people found out about my label straight away. Anyway next releases TBA soon!

Wen’s 'Hailstones' was the first track to launch with Pretty Weird, is this genre the style you're going for with the label?

Nope, I definitely have no specific style with this label. I like tunes from all genres and tempos, I'm pretty fussy though when it comes to what I think's sick. I'm not one of those DJs who will just play a track because it's 'cool' and unreleased or popular, I have to properly rate it.

A few releases down the line I'm sure it'll be obvious that each release is going to be pretty different from the other, sound and tempo wise- a reflection of what I'd play during a set, a bit of everything! 

You came up with the name DJ Barely Legal back in 2011 when you were 19. Did you get up to all sorts of trouble when you were under age or were you relatively well behaved?

I was pretty naughty! I got suspended three times in secondary school and got the most detentions in my year to the point where when I left school to go to a different sixth form I still owed them a good few detentions.

I did go to Grammar school though, so you'd get a detention for the most pathetic things, something as basic as throwing a rubber at someone's head.

You recently said on CrepJunkieTV you’re still a 'real raver at heart' and like to go into the crowd after a set rather than sit in the backroom, why do you think it’s important as an artist to carry on experiencing events first hand? 

It's important to understand what the crowd are reacting to. Of course you can observe this from being on stage, but not from being back stage and sometimes it's just fun to throw yourself into the crowd. Not literally, although I do still need to do a stage dive. Katy Bs a great example of someone fun who will just run into the crowd and go sick after her set.

You're headed to Bugged Out Weekender this January. A load of ravers at a holiday resort in Bognor Regis, what are you expecting from it? Have you been to one before? 

I'm expecting swimming pool fun which I will be heavily getting involved with. I haven't been to one yet, I'm bringing inflatables!

But first you’re playing at one of the Eskimo Dance parties (the event that Wiley curates). How much has grime's sound influenced you and what are your thoughts on its resurgence?

I started listening to grime around 2003 and when I incorporate grime into my sets it's usually going to be grime from years back that's nostalgic to me and to others in the crowd.

One of my first sets on Soundcloud was with Wiley so a lot of people still talk about that set, which is cool. I think it's great grime is so powerful at the moment, and at last acts who have stuck true to the genre are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

You’ve always cited your mum as one of your biggest influences in regards to your love for garage, does she ever come to your gigs?

She's yet to come to one, I think I need to find a cool day festival for her to come to. My mum parties harder than me though and I party pretty hard.

DJ Barely Legal plays at the Bugged Out Weekender 2016 from Friday 15th - Sunday 17th January. Check out the rest of Barely Legal's upcoming gigs.  

Words: Becca Frankland and Louisa Newton