If you haven’t had the chance to access our first digital issue 10:10, we caught up with Newcastle based, 21-year-old DJ and music producer, TJ. Making waves with his hard hitting tracks, and a motivating attitude and work ethic, he’s on the rise to becoming one of the greats. Read our in depth interview accompanied by an exclusive track ‘Eenie Weenie’.

Tell us a bit about yourself, how was it growing up in Newcastle? What kind of music would you say dominates the scene there? Is there a style you would say defines your area?

I’m a 21 year old producer / dj ready to make waves in the hard techno scene, my style varies from fast techno beats to playing out makina. Growing up in newcastle it’s always been known for makina, clubland and fast beats which is what has inspired me to make my own; however, hard techno in newcastle is on the rise and I’m ready to be a part of it.

What’s the club scene like at the minute? What’s happening right now that’s causing momentum?

Newcastle is known to have some of the best night life in the UK, it has some of the most famous clubs such as Digital which Amelie Lens, Michael Bibi and the iconic Patrick Topping. Right now, the club scene is turning on its head and raving is starting to dominate where people can enjoy themselves more freely.

Tell us about how you started producing music? Where did you find love for the craft?

I started producing during lockdown 2020 but I didn’t start with techno, I started with making trap / drill beats and selling these to upcoming artists around the world. However, once I began going to more and more techno events I knew I wanted to make something different. With the knowledge of the producing software I already had it made it easier to learn the basics of creating a unique techno sound.

XYZ Official · XYZ TrackID: TJ - Eenie Weenie (FREE DL)

When it comes to building up a sound, what instruments, equipment, or software would you say is most useful to you?

The software is a must; my personal go-to is FL Studio 21, however, when it comes to the rest of the equipment, all I use is a laptop, midi keyboard and well-known plug-ins such as RaveGenerator. I find most of the instruments I use on sample sites or sample packs, this gives me the opportunity to manipulate any sounds created to make my own using mixing plug-ins.

Who do you think has influenced your music from before you started producing? You’ve remixed Tony De Vit’s ‘Bring The Beat Back’ and Wigan Pier’s ‘Ozone Bounce’, which are quite old school.

The very first inspiration for me was Metro Boomin - not a techno producer whatsoever. However, as I progressed onto Techno I looked at the likes of BLK and Charlie Sparks for that raw techno sound with a bouncy vibe to it. With the old school remixes I enjoy taking iconic songs and putting my own twist on it but also making sure it keeps the sound people will know me for.

You recently won a competition with Raw Cuts out of 60 entries. What was your approach to this mix?

I wanted to show what my sound was all about; fast, bouncy and groovy. Something that can make a crowd show energy throughout whilst also being taken on a journey. In the Raw Cuts mix I included songs that are hidden gems which is also another key objective when creating a mix as it keeps all the listeners attention and can be unexpected.

Your latest track ‘Eenie Weenie’, tell us about the concept behind this track and how the development of the sound came along from when you first started it?

It goes back to the bouncy, fast sound I’m trying to create whilst also giving everyone something they can sing along to. I learnt this sound mainly from Charlie Sparks, he shows this in a lot of his tracks such as ‘Hollaback Girl’ and ‘My Humps’. I started it with the intention of using the vocals from the track ‘Short Dick Man’ and then putting my own twist on it, layering the track with PsyBass and giving it that hardcore feel.

When it comes to getting feedback, it can be good to apply it to your music, but it also can veer you away from your original sound. Where do you look to for feedback during your process and before releasing?

I love getting feedback. This is what makes my tracks sound even better each time. I always like to give my friends an insight into what I’m currently making and they will always give feedback for me to apply to my music. For example, on LISTEN TO THE BASS, one of my friends gave me the idea to use that sample and apply it to my own sound, from there the track has been played by Mark Blair, CL-TX and Pawlowski. I feel like if I don’t showcase my unreleased to people first I’ll never know whether it’s ready to go out or not.

As an artist, how important is your image and style? How would you describe your own dress sense? Does it differ from when you’re at home, to being on set?

For me my image and style is extremely important, I like to take a lot of pride into what I wear and how I present myself. I would say I have the dress sense you’d expect most hard techno producers / djs to have; baggy clothing with some edge to it. I feel most comfortable when in baggy clothing, I get this inspiration from mainly fashion influencers I follow on Instagram and celebrities such as Kanye West, Skepta, George Heaton and Clint419. If you were to support the dream line-up, who would the headliners be? My all-time dream lineup would be Charlie Sparks, I hate models and Sara Landry.

Follow TJ in Instagram.

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