El Pablo Interview: "I want to show people I'm not one to miss on a line-up"

The UK Drum and Bass scene is a musical market that's becoming increasingly saturated, yet now and again - as in all circles of music - someone comes along and refuses to blend. El Pablo is one of those producers. Jumping up bills and a regular on Crucast (with whom he has just released a wicked new single 'Be With You'), El Pablo is a true wizard of the wobblers.

Plus, with live sets on the likes of Elevate Records and Clock Factory's BOG, a recent debut set in Europe, and an upcoming spot at Worried About Henry's Warehouse Project, it's clear the industry knows what's up too. 

With such steps being made by the producer, we caught up with El Pablo to chat all about the new tune, his relationship with Crucast, how the past year has been for him, and what's on the horizon. Check out what he had to say below!

Hi mate, how are you doing, what have you been up to recently?

"I'm good mate, just doing the same as always. Starting a million ideas on my computer, never finishing them, you know, constant cycle haha. 

"I've got a set at Warehouse Project next Saturday on the Worried About Henry night, playing K-Motions Crowd Control room in the Concourse, which is pretty insane for me.

"It's an opening slot, so I don't know what to expect. I don't know how quickly it's going to fill up. It's always a bit difficult when you're going first because you don't want to go too crazy, but you've got to go crazy enough so it's not boring. But either way, I’m really excited.

"I've not been up to much else, to be honest, just the same as always as I said, making tunes and hoping one of them ends up getting famous haha. I guess the same as every producer."

Is that how you start writing your tunes? Starting loads of different ideas seeing what sticks or is there more of a focus with it sometimes?

"It's different every time. 

"Over the years, my process as an artist has changed massively, especially when I’ve done the same idea so many times because when you're just doing the same thing over and over, there's just no motivation to finish it. 

"I usually try and start with a sound or find something cool enough that I can build around it because I find if I'm just making instruments or making drums, there needs to be some context between them, otherwise,  I'll just get stuck and lose interest in the tune."

Speaking of interesting sounds, I've had a listen to your latest tune, on Crucast, Be With You, and those glitchy tones on the drop are wicked, proper unique. What can you tell us about that track, how it came about and how it’s gone down?

"Thanks mate, I appreciate that. That tune was quite an easy one when I was making it. It just flowed easily. didn't have to force anything. 

"I'm really happy that it's managed to come out finally. I released one more melodic tune back in September of 2023 and I've really been wanting to get that sound out ever since, but it's been really difficult finding a home for it.  

"But yeah, it's been a really good experience and Crucast have been great with it."

Speaking of Crucast, you seem to have a proper sick professional relationship with them, what's it been like to have their trust and work with them?

"Crucast are great because it's a really down-to-earth label and they're creating, especially on socials, a real community with their label, which is something that's sort of dying out in the scene.

"They're great with the content on socials too and keeping it fresh, but they don’t have any pretension with it - like, we're the big brand and we're gonna do this - they just make you feel like everyone’s on the same level, everyone's part of the team.

"They're nice with the music too, they give me a lot of control and confidence about it. It's always quite uncomfortable and nervous talking to labels because you just feel like some idiot and they're like this massive thing but they make sure that you don't feel like that."

I can imagine as an artist, especially one that's coming through, that's invaluable, to just have someone there who's supportive through the whole process, but does it in a way that’s down to earth like you say.

"Definitely, it gives you so much confidence. 

"Like I said, you know, in this industry, you talk to so many people and you can feel really scared asking certain things. So it's really helpful to have different people I feel comfortable talking to and who I can ask what I want to ask, and the Crucast team are great with that. 

"They're great with support through content and community and events too, so I’m just really happy to be part of their journey as well."

You mentioned before the new track that it's a bit more melodic and you'd not done that for a while. How would you describe the El Pablo sound to someone who's not seen you live before and has not heard any of your tracks? Is it quite anamorphic? Or do you have a vibe that you strive to achieve?

"If I could describe my sound to someone who didn't know, I’d say it's a mix between Jump-Up and Dancefloor. 

"I've always been in love with Dancefloor, its melodies and that euphoric, atmospheric feeling. But I crave the drier drops. Dancefloor is very spacey, where I like the stuff that's like right down the middle, where it's got the elements of both that and the heavier stuff. 

"So when I make a melodic track, it always seems to have that dreamy element. Like with Be With You, it's got those dreamy melodies. But when I'm making a darker tune, where it's a bit heavier and with a big drop, I'll go down the Jump-Up route but I have to try and put a bit more context in it with different instruments and vocals.

"It's been like a war of sound design over the past couple of years with all the Jump-Up producers trying to make these sounds that no one's heard before. It's been sounding really good for a while, but it's getting to a point where everything's sounding similar. 

"Even if it's cool sounding, you're like, oh shit, I've heard that kind of drop before. So I'm just trying to add weirder elements, darker elements, just to spice up the tracks that I'm making."

I’d love to chat about what you've been doing over the past year, and what better place to start with that, than your recent venture to Pulsation in Bratislava, your first set outside the UK, how was that?

"I could talk for hours about it, it was so good, a proper mad experience. 

I've always wanted to come out and play in Europe. It’s been my dream ever since starting. And being there, it was like such a different atmosphere to the UK. I'm not trying to cut down the UK when I'm saying this, but it was a really refreshing feeling just seeing people in the crowd dancing a lot. Really letting go. 

I feel like in the UK, we've got a bit of a problem at the moment where people struggle to let go when they get to an event. It's like people are nervous and a bit more on edge to really like let go and just dance and have fun and not care what other people are thinking generally

Yeah, for sure, I saw the clips on your Instagram of the night and the crowds look absolutely mental

"It's easily one of my favourite sets I've ever done. 

"There's some sick energy in the UK, I’m not saying all the raves have no energy, but it’s changed. The type of energy that people have isn't the same as energy in a place like Bratislava, where people are just letting go and dancing."

What else have you been up to over the summer and festival season? Are there any moments that stand out for you?

"I think the major standout moment for me was actually playing Truck Festival. 

"It was one of the first festivals I went to when I was 15 years old. Me and my mate had to get my mum to come because we were too young at the time haha. So to come back and open the drum and bass slot of the festival was a proper full-circle moment quite early on in my career. 

"It was a crazy crowd, they were a bit younger and there were loads of people there. I think, Declan McKenna or someone was playing on the main stage at the same time, so there was no one there when I started, and then this rush of people came over. It was really cool and great to play on a massive system for the first time in ages too."

What have you got planned for the rest of the year and into 2025?

"What I'm hoping for, and it has started happening, is just getting more consistent bookings in the UK and across Europe, and being able to show people what I can do as a DJ.

"I used to be massive on the DJing, trying to show off all the time. Then as I got into the production and became more focused on that, I didn’t spend as much time mixing and wasn’t doing as many slots as I wanted.

"I really back myself as a DJ, so I'm hoping that this year I can start doing more sets and show more people that I'm not one to miss on a line-up; that's the main thing. 

"In terms of the music, I'm looking to hopefully branch out and do more projects with vocalists and just make some more memorable original tracks. I'm in a position right now where I'm, you know, making loads of beats, but can't get it to stick and I think getting some big vocal dubs would be the next step."

We ask all our interviewees this, your next set has been reduced to just three tracks, what are you playing and why?

"I'll say one tune I'd definitely play is ‘Worlds Apart’ by 1991 and Goodboys. I think that's a perfect drum and bass tune. 

"Another one is the Basstripper remix of Friction - 'Supersonic'. To be fair, any of Basstripper's tunes I'd play. I've been playing probably about 10 or 20 of his tunes in my sets for years and years. They're the only ones I don't leave ever.

"And then finally, I made a bootleg recently of 'Cooler Than Me' by Mike Posner. I posted a snippet on my Instagram of it recently, I've probably been playing that in every set for a while, so I'd say that one."

To find out where you can catch El Pablo live, visit his artist's page on Skiddle by clicking or tapping - HERE

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.