Oblack founders Los Pastores join Davide Zetaโs Decay Records this July with three original cuts with Leftroom founder Matt Tolfrey providing a remix for the EP.
Matt Tolfrey. Thank you got joining us. Your career stems back to when you were a young age. At what point did you being DJing and producing music?
I got 1210โs for my 18th birthday and it all went from there really. ย I got a regular gig at a bar in Worcester on a Sunday which ended upย being really good as quite a lot of people popped in still up from the night before!!! ย I was a lateย starter toย producing as it doesnโt come natural to me as well. I find it weird nowadays that you are expected to be able to play records and make music, when the two are completely different. A lot of DJโsย canโt produce and a lot more producers canโt DJ.
How and where did your career start?
Iย think it felt like my career really started when Leftroom was born in 2005. ย It all felt a lot more serious then, and I was fully addicted toย music by then.
Youโre a busy man being the label manager for Cuttinโ Headz, Play To Win, Asylum Confidential and your own Leftroom as well as the DJ schedule you stick to, do you have any pastimes away from it all?
I have a 3-year-old daughter called Beau that is a breath of fresh air,ย time really disappears when I am with her. ย I also considerย myself to be quite a chef, I know it is going to be good if I cook it!!!
Seth Troxler himself said โMatt Tolfrey, the last great British DJ.โ What are your thoughts on the current UK electronic scene?
I donโt think Seth had met Ben UFO when he said that!!! ย Iย think the scene is healthy again at the moment. ย Iโve actually justย signed an EP from London based Casey Spillman who is only 21 and itย is amazingโฆ Scenes always go around in circles, itโs actually quite exciting when it gets a bit stale because you know something special isย just around the corner.
Youโve recently released on Hot creations with โAmericas.โ This is your first release on Lee Foss and Jamie Jonesโ imprint, how did you get involved with them? Can you tell use the inspiration behind the release?
Iโve known Jamie for 13 or 14 years, heย actually has released onย Leftroom under the aliasย โJ-Mode.’ ย Iโve also know Lee for a long time and was fortunate enough to play at one of his old loft parties he used to throw in Chicago. ย The EP isย dedicated to myย residency at Bar Americas inย Guadalajaraย where I play Friday and Saturday ofย the same weekend 3/4 times a year. ย Iย absolutely love playing there as there are no boundaries or expectations.
Weโve been listening to Los Pastores upcoming โReminderโ EP with a remix from yourself. How did you get involved with that? What was the thought process behind the remix?
Again Iโve known label boss Davide Zeta since I moved to London so when heย asked me if Iโd be interested in a remix for the label I didnโtย hesitate. ย The remix cameย together very quickly; I can often tellย immediately fromย listening to theย originals of a release if I can remixย something.
This year alone youโve played in the UK, Ecuador, Mexico and the US. How do they all compare? Do you have a favourite?
My three favourite places to play in the world areย fabric forย obviousย reasons, Bar Americas that Iย mentioned before and Lost Beach in Montanita, Ecuador. ย The sound system there is out of control and you can end up DJing for days in the soundproofed cave!!!
What can we expect from you and Leftroom towards for the rest of 2018?
Iโve just signed an EP to Snatch! with Lee Curtiss thatโs proper dancefloor material. ย Then I have quite a few remixes coming as well asย the Rework and Los Pastores alreadyย mentioned. ย There is Coco Da Silva – Saudade on Kismet (one of my all-timeย favourite tracks),ย Tiger Stripes – Jack My Yun onย Hot Creations,ย Daniel Sanchez – Cabagroove onย Cachai,ย Shaun J Wright and Alinka – Falling For You on Twirl and Javi Bora – Cannibal Show on MOAN. Leftroom wise we have the re-release of Reworkโsย โYouโre So Just Justโ with remixes from Johnny AUX, Christian Burkhardt and myself. ย After that is the Casey Spillman EP. ย An Adam Curtain EP with remixes from Luca C andย Rob Paine. ย And Iโve just signed a No Regularย Play EP coming with a Doc Martin Sublevel Remix and Dub.
Los Pastores โReminderโ EP (incl. Matt Tolfrey Remix) is out on Decay Records on 27th July 2018.


