WIGS: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

There’s no punches held here. This is a fast and fiery assortment straight from the off – a promising entry to the series from a DJ popping up in all the right places.

Listen and read the interview below:

Tell us about the mix you’ve recorded?

For this mix, I wanted to create a transparent representation of how my club sets are sounding at this moment in time. I also wanted to showcase the breadth of my influences: from the rolling, 00s progressive house at the start of the mix to the more dynamic, latin-inspired techno toward the climax. I’ve struggled historically to merge my influences into club sets that sound both cohesive and diverse. I feel like I’ve reached a point where I can do both simultaneously and I hope that comes through in this mix. The hour includes unreleased music from the amazing Maara, Von Rui and Bliss Inc, three producers that have had a huge impact on my sound as an artist. Big shout out to them!

From where presently do you draw influence?

Most of my influence – both as a DJ and as a producer – comes from the club. Seeing new DJs at fresh and exciting venues in London really excites me and makes me hungry to explore new sounds. The queer scene in London especially has been a huge source of inspiration in the last year: parties like Meanwhile, Club Are and Unfold continue to influence me as an artist and as a DJ.

Is dance music as relevant in the present as it was the past?

As a young person at the moment, I feel increasingly scared about the country we’re living in. With the far right (fuelled by our British media) on the rise, it feels like a very dark time. Clubbing for me has been one of the few outlets that truly let me escape: dancing with friends, letting the music take you on a journey; it truly feels like you’re in another world. Dance music feels just as relevant as ever, providing true escapism and promoting unity in an otherwise increasingly fractured and divided society.

What were your earliest memories of club culture?

I first started clubbing back in 2023 as a fresh faced student, just coming to terms with living in London. I definitely felt lonely in the city and, being a very sensitive person, was finding the pace of the city very overwhelming. Despite this, I tried to push myself to get myself out and go to events. I distinctly remember going to Fabric on my own to see Sansibar play his live set. Sunny has been my hero ever since I was 15 and I was ecstatic to catch him play. His live setup was positioned on the opposite side of the room to where the DJ booth was. When Young Marco finished his set, Sunny started his live set but no one realised he was on the opposite side of the room! For a good 15 minutes I was standing facing the crowd while everyone was staring bewilderedly at Young Marco, wondering where the sound was coming from!

Should dance music be political?

Absolutely! I’ve always thought the dance music scene has the power to incite change and to harbour safe havens for marginalised groups. The scene was built upon providing these safe spaces and in the current political and social climate, this is as important as ever.

Define your sound?

My sound has fluctuated frequently over the last year or so. My Wigs project has always been rooted in progressive house, however, I’ve enjoyed dipping my toes into different genres – whether that’s techno, dembow or electro. Going forward, I’m trying to bring all of these sounds into something more cohesive and bring progressive house into a more dynamic space.

What was the process behind your last record?

My latest record is coming out on V-sion, the brainchild of the amazing Kasra V. It’s a 4 tracker that explores sounds across the progressive house spectrum. I wanted to ensure the tracks had a modern functionality to them while also maintaining a nostalgic sensitivity. My favorite records are ones that give you goosebumps while listening at home but equally make you want to get yourself down to Fold and shake some ass!