Hugo LX
Hugo LX
30-10-17
By Fabien Marini
SWEAT is your party for queer house heads and their friends! For the latest edition, the SWEAT crew is bringing you the prodigy of the new Parisian house scene: Hugo LX (Serving la Mona/ My Love Is Underground) for a jazzy and soulful house masterclass! Hugo LX is a true music enthusiast who has been making some serious waves in the new Parisian house music scene. Although his better known production could be classified as classic or old school house, his musical journey was not as straightforward. Pavliné catches up with him ahead his gig for SWEAT w/ Hugo LX!
Hey Hugo, first of all and for those who might not know you, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your DJ career?
I’ve been in and out of this music thing for the more than a decade, producing music in a wide array of styles and tempos, from jazzy hip hop to contemporary dance music, through ambient and organic house.
These trips through styles and BPMs also express part of my nomadic reality, cruising between many places and countries. Growing up unrooted also allows me not to feel boundaries too much when it comes to genres, categories and even social layers.
Though everything and everyone is unique, we can nearly always find common grounds. As I’ve been back to DJing extensively for the last three years, I try to express all of this through my selections and mixes (nothing’s more lovely than when two songs play well together!)
You had a few releases on high profile music labels lately. Which one of these was a the real breakthrough track for you?
Though the label was newly born, I think Drifting Away on Nick V’s Mona Musique label made a special and significant impact, and I’m happy DJs play it worldwide, including some of my favourite selectors. It's definitely humbling!
We had Nick V playing at SWEAT a few months back, which was sooo much fun! I believe he played a role in introducing you in the new Parisian house scene. Could you tell us more about that?
Nick V is an uncle to most of Paris' latest wave DJs, and he played a special role connecting us to well-established and successful music structures, labels and clubs.
I remember nearly stopping music in the summer 2014, discouraged by label politics and projects being unreleased or poorly promoted. But he kept asking me for some house or broken beat demos, and the first batch were immediately published on the now defunct 22track playlist, allowing me to gain some attention by renowned label heads and DJ’s.
I read you also have a strong connection with Japan, and Kyoto in particular. You said you like Japanese Urban Soul, 80s electro and ambient. Do you also like Japanese house (because I do!) and if so, could you give us a track or a DJ you like in particular?
I’ve been into Japanese house for a long time, and have befriended several DJs there over the years. One of these friendships recently materialised in myself remixing the master Satoshi Tomiie on his latest offering. Also I'm an avid fan of Mr YT aka MissingSoul, and the master Kuniyuki (Rain of Ocean is one of my favourite Japanese house tracks ever, and it’s barely house!) who I expect to work with in the near future…
Last but not least, salute to my friends Hiroaki OBA, Tomoki Tamura, Stereociti, Kez YM, Takecha and Yutaka Yonenaga!
What can we expect from your set at Dalston Superstore?
Turning the event into a comfortable and intimate party! That’s what it’s all about!
You have a strong relation with vinyl. When did you start collecting records and what do you find so compelling with that format?
I started collecting at age eight. I like the generosity of the format - it’s a circle, it’s colourful, comes in various shapes and sizes, and credits on the labels, give food for thought, knowledge. Giving a vinyl is transmitting a legacy!
Finally, can you think of a track that would fit the tropical and hedonistic aesthetic of SWEAT?
Let’s go back to basics… maybe something from the Nott Us labels..
I-Aye-Bye-You by Billy Robinson probably. It has a very sweet layering and comfortable feeling, but it’s actually a real burner!
Catch Hugo LX at SWEAT on Friday 3 November from 9pm-3am at Dalston Superstore!
Hugo LX