Sydney electronic music label and event promoter Deeper Than House is bringing the party to four separate locations around New South Wales this month.
Having already kicked things off on the Central Coast, this weekend it’s Sydney’s turn. The label’s seven-act roster will take over the Civic Underground, a venue they’ve become rather familiar over the past couple of years.
The label defines itself as an underground movement, but that hasn’t stopped it from gaining a lot of popularity. Recently, the monthly Deeper Than House sessions at the Civic sold out, a strong sign of the buzz currently surrounding the DIY collective.
“Selling out a show is no easy feat, but fortunately for us we have a really loyal and supportive following,” says Alastair Powell, AKA Deeper Than House-signee TK. “Some of these people come to every show, rep merch and just vibe us in the best way possible. It’s amazing. The rapid expansion of Deeper Than House is rather surreal. If you would have told me this time last year that I’d be touring NSW with the crew, I’d probably have laughed it off. I don’t think the realisation of all this will hit ’till we get going, but I’m really excited.”
TK has been with Deeper Than House since the very beginning, a date that more or less coincided with the beginning of his own career. While he can’t speak for the entire collective, he had fairly minor objectives at the label’s outset.
“When I first got involved with Deeper Than House, I was a clueless, fresh 18-year-old on the scene,” says Powell. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t really set out to achieve anything except stay along for the ride. And in the short space thus far, it’s certainly been one.
“At first, Deeper Than House wasn’t a label, it was just an event,” he continues. “Once we developed a following, that’s when the more serious side developed. Personally I wasn’t trying to bridge any gaps – I just really loved house music and wanted to share that. Although now I truly believe that DTH is Sydney’s premiere house event, and that gap [in the market] is slowly being filled.”
Along with TK, the roster currently includes Alec Bonnici, Val York, Sass, Natnoiz, Ludovic and Ellie D. They’re all taking part in the upcoming NSW tour, which visits Bowral and Newcastle after the Sydney show. The label-signees also regularly get together in groups of two to host the monthly Deeper Than House podcast via Bondi Beach Radio.
“The one thing that I love is how well we all get along,” says Powell. “We all have similar goals and aspirations, so we vibe off each other really nicely. Outside of music we socialise a lot, ’cause stripped back to basics we’re all mates.
“When it comes to creative advice, I’m sure [labelmate] Alec Bonnici hates me. We spam each other daily with things good and bad we have made, ideas, et cetera. But the banter between us is real and as much as I hate to say it, he’s a good mate.”
Deeper Than House events tend to have a somewhat nebulous structure, which is the case for the current tour. In keeping with the label’s music-first ethos, there isn’t special emphasis placed on any one performer. No one artist is hogging the spotlight, and the strength of the label lies in their equal-opportunity approach.
“The beauty of Deeper Than House and our bond as artists means that there is no conventional headliner,” Powell says. “Together we are the headliner. Musically we flow off each other and the night always progresses smoothly between us.”
In July, Deeper Than House issued a new single from TK called ‘Shadow’. The track’s deep neo-house groove extends an open invitation to dance, but it also features some hooky melodic sequences and chopped up vocal parts.
“I actually came up with the idea for this one whilst driving one night and quickly raced home – safely of course – to put down the basics,” Powell says. “I wanted to make a really stripped-back club tune, but didn’t want to over complicate things in the process. I think it really works, always gets a nice reaction when played out.”
Looking forward, TK is comfortable to keep experimenting with singles instead of diving into an album or EP.
“For the time being I really want to refine my sound,” he says. “It’s something that’s proving a lot harder than I first thought. My musical tastes are very broad and my Soundcloud likes reflect that. I think sometimes I confuse myself more than I have to. Until I find that sound, I think singles are the most appropriate approach to music release.”
As for the bigger picture, even if TK becomes a household name, he’s sure to keep repping Deeper Than House and emphasising the label ethos. “For the foreseeable future, Deeper Than House is my clique. They have done a lot for me and given me opportunities a young artist like myself could only dream of.”
Deeper Than House, featuring TK, is onFriday September 16 at Civic Underground.
