Meet the Unapologetically uplifting – Adam Killey
Producer and DJ Adam Killey brings together melodic house, Italo influences and a deep love of dance music history,
Producer and DJ Adam Killey brings together melodic house, Italo influences and a deep love of dance music history, shaping a sound that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. His latest release, “Wonderland,” arrives on Self Control Records as a bright, carefree rush of warm synths, percussive grooves and open-air optimism, accompanied by Logic Kid’s smokier, US garage-inspired “Looking For Guidance Mix.”
Following a renewed focus on production, releases and DJing, Killey has also become part of Bristol’s growing party scene through Supersocial. We caught up with him to discuss the unlikely charity-shop discovery that first sparked his imagination, the winter origins of “Wonderland,” his love of Italo, Balearic and post-disco sounds, and the heavier club music he is preparing to share next.
For anyone discovering Adam Killey for the first time, how would you introduce yourself, and what should they know about the person behind the music?
As a producer, I make melodic dance music with a cosmic edge, underpinned by chunky, percussive 4/4 beats. As a DJ I mix all manner of things, from 80s post-disco and proto-house to more modern deep house and edits.
I’ve been making music for as long as I remember, but last year I made it my mission to improve my production skills, finish more songs and put more music out. I also decided to buy some turntables and started DJing again. Both decisions have taken me on a journey to releasing tunes via Self Control Records plus setting up Supersocial with three fellow Bristol DJs and getting out and playing more.
Can you remember the first electronic record, club night or musical moment that made you think, “I want to be part of this world”?
One of the first records which made an impression on me was Future Sound of London’s ‘Dead Cities’ which I picked up for 99p from a charity shop when I was a kid. It’s a very experimental, unique-sounding dystopian album, different from their earlier acid house stuff, built around industrial soundscapes and heavy beats. The production on it blew my mind and was unlike any music I’d heard. ‘We Have Explosive’ still goes hard.
“Wonderland” feels optimistic, carefree and almost defiantly uplifting. What was happening in your life when the original idea first appeared?
The track started life as a faster 125BPM Italo thing, built around an old Xmas record sample which is still in the final version. The earlier version had been sitting unfinished on my hard drive for a couple of years until I revisited it this year during the dark, cold English winter. I guess I was longing for the sunshine, which must be why it sounds optimistic!
The track has been described as both melodic house and Italo-influenced. Which artists, records or eras helped shape that side of your sound?
The production on the 1986 Italo song ‘Get Closer’ by Valerie Dore was a big influence for this track. Ethereal but with classic gated 80s drums. I love that track – her vocals are almost operatic. I think I’d also been listening to a lot of James Murphy/DFA remixes when I was working on the song which I think is apparent.
Generally, I’m really influenced by 90s/00s Balearic sounds, particularly Andrew Weatherall’s style of combining gritty and dreamy sounds. I also think that the bendy synth line in Wonderland is a subconscious nod to ATB’s classic house track ‘9pm (Till I come)’, which I wouldn’t normally listen to but is clearly ingrained in me!
Was there one synth line, melody or studio accident that unlocked “Wonderland” and gave the track its identity?
I was really focused on variation when making this track. I was trying to follow the 30 sec rule – so adding/changing elements every 30 seconds. I was also playing a lot with reflections by sending each element to delay and reverbs at different points. I manually tweaked the filter on the bassline which means it hits the delay FX more at certain points than others – I really like the sound this achieved.
The record feels made for open-air dancefloors and long summer evenings. What does your own perfect summer party look and sound like?
I love summer festivals and parties in random European cities. Especially Portuguese and Spanish festivals like Primavera and Benicassim that start at 8pm, go all night through, and cover a wide array of bands and DJs. Those crowds just seem to embrace whatever artist is put in front of them, at whatever time. So probably something like that.
Logic Kid takes the track somewhere smokier and more searching with the “Looking For Guidance Mix.” What excited you most when you first heard his interpretation?
Paul (Logic Kid) did such a great job on his remix of Wonderland. He chopped up and processed the stems (I think on his MPC) to create something more dance-floor friendly and fresh sounding whilst retaining the sonic palette of the original. The beat in his version takes me back to US garage – I’d love to hear it played in a club.
You have returned to Self Control Records for this release. What makes the label feel like the right home for your music?
Self Control’s staple tends to be on the deeper end of house music so I was surprised when they picked up Wonderland because it’s slightly outside of that style.
But Jan (Warner) who runs the label has been a great supporter in my stuff since I upped my game last year and clearly recognised some potential in the track. He’s a fantastic producer in his own right and we’ve connected through sharing our productions with each other and our broader love of electronic music. I’m always keen to send him stuff I’ve been working on, mainly for his expert feedback but I’ve been lucky this year in that he’s wanted to put a couple out.
Now that listeners have entered “Wonderland,” where would you like to take them next, and what else is on the horizon for Adam Killey?
I’ve got several club-ready 120BPM+ tracks that I’ll be looking to put out over the coming months. I also have some Bristol parties planned for Supersocial so will be looking to get behind the decks more.
Away from that, I’ve also got some tracks in the pipeline with my old friend Dev who plays bass in Idles. A heavier, sleazier sounding style than I normally produce, but still geared towards club dancefloors. Watch this space!
