1. Growing Up

Growing up, there was always some sort of music being played in my house. What really grabbed my attention were the Chicago house and Detroit techno records my brother would play. My dad was a DJ, so I guess I followed in his footsteps there. He introduced me to a lot of Motown and ’80s music, which has had a great influence on my production. I think living in a house with so many different genres being played has allowed me to see the benefits of always staying open-minded when it comes to music.

2. Inspirations

Masters At Work have inspired me a lot over the years. I remember first seeing them play at the Southport Weekender in the UK and it was absolutely amazing, six decks and two mixers between the two of them. A lot of inspiration comes from ’80s producers, as well as the more obvious ones like Daft Punk and Michael Jackson. Nowadays I love Maceo Plex, Eric Prydz, Tale Of Us… they all have such a positive effect on the way I look at both DJing and producing.

3. Your Crew

My family and friends are all people I keep very close to me. They all support me so much in everything I do, and I tend to take a lot of advice from them. They are all into the music I make and play, which is great. I work alone 99 per cent of the time, but would definitely consider collaborating with artists I respect and enjoy. I became self-employed last September, and this became my main job then, so my idea is to focus on growing my name further before looking to collaborate.

4. The Music You Make And Play

I love all sorts of house and techno, so I don’t try define my sound in one specific subgenre. That’s also how I play – I seem to just think if I enjoy a record then I’ll play it. You can normally judge a crowd and what they like after watching the DJ(s) beforehand, or even by your first few tracks, so I always approach sets with an open mind and don’t have anything planned.

5. Music, Right Here, Right Now

I think the music scene is really good at the moment. There are some amazing DJs and producers about, and each one will help inspire other artists within the industry to keep improving, and also younger/newer artists trying to break through. This all adds to the overall strength in my eyes. A lot of people need to remember music is an art so there is no right and wrong, it’s just people’s opinions. If you believe in yourself, then you can reach your goals. Everyone struggles with certain factors in their chosen profession at some point, and I never let that put me off. The scene back in Newcastle, UK isn’t the strongest, but there is some great talent there, so I hope it works out for them all. Recently I’ve seen Mano Le Tough, Tale Of Us and Dixon, and they have given me some great ideas and inspiration for future projects.

Cristoph’s two Sdyney dates are Sunday July 5 at Home Nightclub and Saturday July 11 on Kit And Kaboodle.

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