With his second EP for Metalheadz Detboi is widening his sonic arsenal, bringing his first 170 productions to the table alongside more of that chunky 130 breakbeat goodness that he’s caught so many ears with. Ahead of the release of the Secrets EP we grabbed him for a quick chat about tempos, collabing with Goldie and his favourite old school ‘headz records.
DNB Dojo: Hey man, thanks for taking the time out of your day for a chat! Where are you in the world and what are you doing today?
Detboi: I’m currently in not so sunny Dublin, just home from work…about to get a brew on!
DD: So your second EP for Metalheadz is just about to drop. How did your connection with the label come about?
Detboi: Ant TC1 had heard a few of my tracks on Special Request’s Essential mix, so he sent me a message and I sent him over some tunes. At the time I was on a short trip to New York and within a matter of 24 hours I’d been signed to Metalheadz then chatting to Goldie over the phone in my hotel room…mental! A childhood dream!
DD: The EP sees you venturing into the 170 tempo range for the first time, with really excellent results! Was it difficult making the jump up from lower tempos? Was it your idea, or were the ‘headz crew pushing for faster material?
Detboi: Thanks so much! With the risk of sounding arrogant it wasn’t difficult really to be honest. I grew up listening to my favourite artists switch tempos so it was a buzz for me to try. Both Goldie and Ant really encouraged me to do it but I was never pushed, they loved the 130 stuff anyways so jumping to this tempo I felt confident I could create something weighty. When you already have the backing of people like that you go into the studio firing!
DD: On the Joyride EP you got the chance to collaborate with Goldie himself. What was it like working with him in the studio?
Detboi: Sadly, it was never a studio thing, just emails and samples! One day maybe 😉
DD: You’ve also received a lot of support from Paul Woolford’s Special Request alias. Can we expect to hear some collabs in future?
Detboi: Where’s Paul when I need him…eh…I’m sworn to secrecy about this one.
DD: You’ve clearly got a deep appreciation for the older school of D&B, particularly the distinctive ‘headz sound. Are there any specific records which were influential in developing your recent material?
Detboi: J Majik – Your Sound and Asylum – Da Base II Dark where the first records I used as my template for the 170 stuff, they have everything I love about a Metalheadz record, and Source Direct – Stonekiller. These tracks are a masterclass on programming breaks.
DD: Last up, what’s next for Detboi?
Detboi: I’ve already got another EP signed and ready to go on Metalheadz Platinum which will see more 165/130 tracks again. Then I’d like to switch my attention back to doing a few more shows and launching my own apparel range of clothing and jewellery called All Kru…big second half to the year!
Detboi’s Secrets EP drops July 14th on vinyl and digital; checkout out a preview of Claws below and hit up the Metalheadz Store to grab a copy direct from the source.