Reinventing the classics with DJ S.K.T

Although DJ S.K.T's success has rocketed since 'Take Me Away' devoured dancefloors across the world and hit the UK Top 20 earlier this year, the London-based producer is no stranger to the scene, in fact he's been a part of it for over ten years.

He's a dab hand at taking classic tracks and revamping them, he put his spin on Nightcrawler's 'Push The Feeling' On in 2013, mixed up Miguel's 'Adorn' and 'Take Me Away' (listen below) features the same lyrics from Truth Faith's club classic of the same name.

DJ S.K.T's talents don't end with his own distinguishable bass-heavy, garage-laced productions, he also looks after the careers of his musical peers by running his imprint Up-Tempo Records. We caught up with him ahead of his gig at Pier Jam in Blackpool this weekend. 

For anyone who's unfamiliar with your musical background, could you fill them in on how you got started DJing?

I've always been into music and got my first pair of decks when I was 13, they were Soundlab Belt Drives. At 15 I entered the Technics DMC under 18s DJ competition and came fourth in the country which gave me the experience of playing live in battles to thousands of people across the country.

Around the same time, I was messing around on basic music software making my first tracks at home. By the age of 16, I managed to get a DJ residency in Tottenham through a friend of a friend. I got the opportunity to play out the music I was making which people really responded to so I started pressing a few tracks I’d made onto vinyl.

I used to put hundreds of copies in a gym bag and drive all over London on my moped selling them to the record shops myself. 

Your track 'Take Me Away' features the vocals from Truth Faith's 1991 track of the same name, when it comes to taking parts of an iconic club classic, how do you make sure that you do it justice when you revamp it? 

The tracks I've re-worked are songs that I feel a connection with, either from hearing them growing up or just from being tracks that I've loved to DJ over the years.

In terms of doing it justice I just try to make all the music I make to the best of my ability and try not to cut corners. It took me a year to find the right vocalist to sing 'Take Me Away'. For me, tracks like ‘Take Me Away’ are iconic and it would be a shame for them to get lost in time and for a younger generation not to be able to connect with them.

I’ve also been really fortunate in that every remix or remake that I’ve done, the original producers and singers have got in touch to give me their blessing, from MK on the Nightcrawlers remix to Miguel on ‘Adorn’. 

As you just mentioned, you remixed The Nightcrawlers 'Push The Feeling On' which got snapped up to the Ministry Of Sound label and you still play there regularly. What's your relationship with the club like?

I've got the utmost respect for Ministry - the club and the label. As a label they've remained independent of the majors and continue work their catalogue in new ways to make sure both them and the artists make the most from it.

As a club you can't really beat the vibe they've created there, from the layout to the sound system and line ups. You can tell the people that work there are passionate about music. 

On the topic of UK gigs, you're playing at Pier Jam part 2 with MK and Dusky to name just a few, are you looking forward to it? The line up is massive!

Yeah I’m really looking forward to this one. The line up is spot on. It will be good opportunity too to test a couple of new tracks I've been working on with a crowd that'll know their music.

Can you tell us a bit more about your own label Up-Tempo Records, what sort of stuff do you aim to put out?

Up-Tempo has been running for a few years now originally as a platform for my own music when vinyl was dying out.

As time went on, artists that were remixing my releases had their own material they wanted to release so I started to put out other producers music via the label. We've had some really good releases on Up-Tempo, last year we signed As I Am's 'Saving Grace’ which was then relicensed to Defected.

Most of my music comes through Up-Tempo as a starting point which has helped to establish the label within the industry. As a label, I'm open to all kinds of music and I don't think labels should be limited to one sound – so long as the quality is there. Going forward I want to keep the same philosophy and just keep releasing great music. 

How does it feel to have a position as one of Mistajam’s 60 Minute Mix DJs on BBC 1Xtra? What can we expect from your two mixes a month?

It's an honour, I've obviously listened to the show for years and the slot I've taken was held by my friends and colleagues at Defected Records before me so I'm in great company.

Musically you'll hear stuff that I'm into – that you'd hear in my club sets, I'm using it as an opportunity to support up and coming talent too and to give them the exposure that they might not have had yet. 

You've got some dates lined up at Together/Defected over the summer at Amnesia. What are your fondest memories of your time spent on the island? 

I think I've literally been to every party island apart from Ibiza. I was meant to have gone for the past 3 years but for one reason or another I wasn't able to or never ended up going.

I’ve always said that if I were to play in Ibiza, it would have to be for the right party and at the right place. To me it's one of the meccas of house music, so I wanted to make sure I did it properly.

To be playing at one of the best clubs over there for two of the best brands is something I’m really looking forward to.

What track is without fail making its way into your sets at the moment?

[laughs] Well, I'd have to say 'Take Me Away' and a new one I have signed to Defected called 'Dirty' (above) both always go off. 

What's next for you in terms of production?

I just want to push the boundaries and make better and better records, I'm not interested in making hits, I just want to make the best records – timeless tracks that people will be playing in 10-15 years' time. 

Check out more of DJ S.K.T's upcoming gigs.