Jey Kurmis Interview

From a budding Leeds producer with confidence issues to Hot Creations' golden boy, Jey Kurmis has shown that hard work and persistence pays off. With a prolific work rate, tracks such as 'Not Too Flabbeh' and 'Flick City' combine the swagger of deconstructed hip-hop with a modern house bump and plenty of dark bass.

Celebrating ten years behind the decks this year, and almost as long in the studio, we caught up with him ahead of his Egg Presents appearance on Friday 19th August alongside wAFF and Latmun... Tickets and more info here.

You've been DJing for decade now. What and where were you playing when you started out? Electro was pretty big back in 2006!

I remember my first set well, Down & Dirty in Halifax. It was a great night too. The music I played has always been house/techno sound. But you are right, electro was massive in 2006. I loved it. The electro scene parties in Leeds were awesome too. Then I started playing only a couple of sets here and there at Sanseis and Mint club.

You started producing a few years after that. For those who are starting out now, what was the point where you felt you were good enough to land on a label like Hot Creations? Were there any game-changing techniques or tips that you can remember?

It took me like six years of making so many tracks thinking, 'Are they good enough? Will people like them?' I now just ask myself, 'Do I like this track? Does it make me wanna move, play it, hear it out?' You just have to like the music you're making yourself. Once your happy with the track, play it to your mates, get clips on SoundCloud and get some feedback. As this is happening, be making another bomb.

Over these years I taught myself everything I know and developed a sound that I like. So through experience I picked up lots of techniques and I’m constantly evolving. It doesn’t happen over night but if you love and enjoy something, you stick at it.

Landing on Hot Creations with the 'Lil'Nic French' EP was obviously a huge mark in your career. How did you hook up with Jamie and Lee? How much has being on the label helped open doors?

I had a confidence issue at first with sending out my music so I kept all my tracks to myself. I burnt some tracks for my mate, James Agus, who said he really liked them. He gave the CD to Richy Ahmed who is the A&R for them. From there this is how communication developed between the crew and I. The label is awesome! To be playing alongside friends and idols at Paradise, Hot Creation and Kaluki parties is more than a dream.

In a recent interview Jamie said that he played loads of your tracks, both released and unreleased. How long do you road test a track before you know that it's ready? What rate are you producing tunes at at the moment and what's on the horizon in terms of forthcoming releases?

I now make my tracks whenever I can, I used to be able to make quite a lot per week, now I hope to get two or three done. Road testing I do pick up on things that need amending in the track. I’ve got to a point though that now when I export the track from Ableton, I am already happy with it.

Leeds has a sturdy reputation for electronic music. How did it shape what you do? And what are the current parties to check out there? Do you notice a difference when you play for a home crowd?

It was in Leeds when I saw Claude VonStroke play and he dropped his track ‘Deep Throat’. I was fascinated. Hearing that track is what shaped me and started me producing. As forP parties to check out, I've always gotta mention Stuart Forsyth and Stuart Darwin who run the Dirty Disco. Ten years and still wicked.

Then you have your choice from Wire, Mint Club, Mint Warehouse, Bank Holiday Garden Parties… There's always something booting off, from nights like Prism, Circular, Mint Sessions…

You, Patrick Topping and wAFF seem to be a pretty tight crew. What's the funniest/weirdest/wildest thing that's happened when you've been hanging out together? 

Yeah, we have known each other a good few weeks now. Haha, only joking. I don’t get to spend much time with chart Topping and Woof as much with us being on the road a lot now and living in completely different cities. Waffles I speak to loads though, if it's to do with music or if it's to discuss Easter Sunday mortgage approval! He’s my little brother. There are too many crazy stories to tell and they're best left unpublished anyway!

Can you tell us three tracks that sum up what you're likely to play at Egg?

My sets change every day, but obviously I carry through tracks each set. I guess you should be hearing these.