Adam Collins on the Roots of Tech House, Euphoria Records and His First ADE
After decades helping shape the American underground, Adam Collins is finally making his Amsterdam Dance Event debut. Not because he has suddenly discovered the importance of the gathering, but because he decided there was no reason to wait any longer.
“My music’s been played there a lot over the years, but I’ve never actually been. This year we just decided to make our own plans and show up. You can’t sit around waiting for an invitation, even if people are already playing your records.”
The New York-rooted, Miami-based producer will join Grant Dell, Boris Werner and Herra for a SWAG Records showcase at Amsterdam record shop Killacutz, bringing together artists connected by the deeper, vinyl-driven traditions of house and tech house.
For Collins, the setting is particularly appropriate. Record shops have been central to his musical journey, from formative experiences in Chicago and London to his work with Omni A.M. and Euphoria Records.
“A record store is still the first real point of contact before the music hits the people or the club. It just makes sense.”
His relationship with Killacutz stretches back years, making the appearance feel less like a formal industry engagement and more like a gathering of familiar musical connections.
That sense of community has remained constant throughout a career that helped establish the foundations of American tech house.
Alongside Marky Star, Collins formed Omni A.M., developing a sound that challenged the boundaries between house and techno through unconventional rhythms, unusual textures and an instinctive approach to production.
Despite the duo’s enduring reputation, Collins insists they were never particularly concerned with establishing a movement.
“We were trying to have fun. And we were.”
“We weren’t thinking about shaping any lasting identity. If that happened, it was a coincidence.”
Their experimentation helped create records that continue to circulate among DJs and collectors, even as the meaning of tech house has changed considerably.
Collins is characteristically sharp when discussing that evolution.
“You mean tech horse?”
His criticism centres on the genre’s transition into digital distribution. By the time tech house became an established download category, many of its original producers were absent from those platforms, leaving the terminology open to a different musical identity.
“It got flooded with a different sound because it was easy to chart and hit number one — that’s the whole reason it got diluted.”
Nevertheless, he sees renewed interest in the genre’s earlier foundations.
“Everything moves in cycles. Authentic music always stands out — and now the spotlight is returning to the source.”
That commitment to enduring music also defines Euphoria Records, the imprint Collins established around a straightforward philosophy: make records with people whose company and creativity you genuinely value.
“Just make good, timeless records with friends. That’s it. Stick to what will still work years from now and don’t chase anything.”
Although vinyl remains fundamental to the label’s identity, Collins has made its catalogue available digitally, recognising that listeners around the world want access to music that can otherwise be difficult to obtain.
His interest now extends beyond the specialist DJs who originally supported those records.
“I’m interested in connecting with the music lovers, not just the DJs. We already did that part.”
For Collins, longevity has little to do with marketing cycles or immediate visibility. The records that endure are those created with genuine intention, returning to dancefloors long after their original release.
“Good music outlasts the hype.”
That perspective informs his work with emerging artists through production workshops and his Artistic Roadmap programme.
Rather than focusing exclusively on technical proficiency, Collins encourages musicians to understand their creative motivations, develop their identities and learn how to complete their ideas.
He also recognises that underground electronic music lacks many of the established educational structures available in older artistic disciplines.
“There’s no place you can go and ask how to release a hand-stamped 10-inch. You just figure it out.”
His teaching emphasises practical knowledge, including arrangement, editing and the importance of separating creative exploration from critical decision-making.
Above all, he wants younger artists to remain connected to the reasons they started making music.
“This is a way of life. You do it because you have to. You do it because you need the outlet and it drives you.”
Collins applies similar principles to his own studio practice.
His current Miami workspace, formerly the III Points office, sits alongside a record shop operated by longtime friend Taimur. With musicians and friends regularly passing through, it recalls the communal atmosphere of the original Euphoria house.
“It’s a social environment, the way the original Euphoria house used to be, with friends and people moving through. I’m back at the source.”
While the environment has changed, one technical priority remains non-negotiable: music must translate beyond the room in which it was produced.
He is now developing a live set, another avenue for an artist who continues to approach music with the curiosity that defined his earliest productions.
His recent travels have taken him to Saudi Arabia and China, reinforcing his belief in underground music as a means of building relationships across cultures.
Despite his influence, Collins remains remarkably uninterested in defining his legacy.
“I don’t really care about leaving a mark. If it happens, great — that’s a relationship between the listener and the art. I’m not concerned with legacy.”
Instead, his attention remains on creating, connecting and contributing to a culture that continues to evolve.
“What excites me about the underground today is that it’s not going away. This music is here to stay.”
His first ADE appearance therefore represents something more meaningful than another date in a long career. It brings Collins back to the people, places and records that have sustained his creative life, while opening the door to new connections.
“If you want to be part of it, there’s space.”
Adam Collins appears at the SWAG Records showcase at Killacutz during Amsterdam Dance Event 2026, alongside Grant Dell, Boris Werner and Herra.
