Interview: In Conversation with Merseyside DJ/Producer Copasetic

Enter the realm of Copasetic, the Merseyside-born producer whose musical journey, influenced by dub reggae, hip hop, soul, funk, and house, showcases a lifelong dedication to sound artistry. Seamlessly blending minimal, deep tech, and tech house, Copasetic's gritty signature style, defined by subby basslines, rolling percussive grooves, and mind-bending vocal chops, has left an indelible mark on the electronic music scene. His impact is evident through releases on esteemed labels like La Pera, Libero, ViVA, Issues, SURA, Way Out, Nozzo, Distance, Lost, House Keeper Records, COCOA, Black Seven Music, and more. Supported by industry heavyweights including Jamie Jones, Marco Carola, The Martinez Brothers, Paco Osuna, and others, Copasetic's versatile discography reflects undeniable influence, setting the stage for his latest impressive release.

Copasetic's 'Situations' exudes compelling tenacity from the outset, with the title track introducing a crisp blend of tumbling snares, warbling bass, and a late-arriving soulful vocal sample. 'Helpless' maintains a jaunty pace with a relentless groove, splashing synths, and squelching reverb. 'Dutty Grooves' takes a calypso-like drumbeat on a tech-house journey with a fizzing mix of acid-led effects. '92 Soul' showcases vibrant energy with an oscillating groove, subby harmony, and a prominent vocal sample. Closing the EP, 'Zone' offers a slightly stripped-back endeavour, brimming with shaking claps, rattling snares, and torte drum patterns. Copasetic skillfully weaves varying shades of acid, electro, and funk throughout the 5-track debut Nature release, setting the stage for sun-kissed dancefloor moments as the UK summer festival season approaches. With early support from industry heavyweights like Jamie Jones, Marco Carola, The Martinez Brothers, Paco Osuna, Steve Lawler, and Stacey Pullen, Copasetic continues to make waves in his evolving career.

We recently premiered 'Helpless' from Copasetic's latest EP and caught up with him for an immersive exploration into the rising scouse star.

Thanks for joining us today. Where are you writing to us from, and what have you been up to over the last few weeks?

Hello, thanks for having me. I'm from Merseyside, but I've been living in Leeds since October, having moved here to start my PhD in Clinical Psychology. I've been super busy with my studies / work over the last few weeks, but I'm still finding time to do music when I can. I recently caught up with wAFF a few weeks ago at Joshua Brooks in Manchester, where he played all night long and blew the roof off. 

Tell us about your journey into music and what led you to this point.

Music has always been a big part of my life. Growing up, I was exposed to a wide range of music genres (soul, funk, jazz, blues, dub, reggae, hip hop), and I feel like a lot of my musical taste has been influenced by my parents.

I only really discovered house music during my final year at university in 2014, and since then, I've never looked back. At the time, I was living in Liverpool, and my flat was located behind a venue called the Arts Club, where the likes of circus and chibuku would regularly hold events. It was the first place I came across wAFF, who has been a big inspiration for me since, so it feels quite surreal to be releasing music on his label now. 

I've been producing and DJ'ing for the past five years, but the underground house music scene has been a big part of my identity for the last ten years or so. Even though I don't party as much as I used to, I feel producing and DJing have enabled me to remain connected with the scene but in a different way. I've been inspired by the likes of artists such as Marco Carola, Jamie Jones, Paco Osuna, The Martinez Brothers, Steve Lawler, wAFF and many others. It's quite motivating when I see these artists supporting my music, and it gives me the push to keep going. 

How do you effectively promote yourself as an artist?

To be honest, I probably find this to be one of the more difficult aspects of being an artist. There are so many class DJs and producers around at the moment, which understandably makes navigating the industry and self-promotion more difficult. This is an area I'm still learning about, but what I've discovered is that you really need to put yourself out there. It takes time, but it's important to find your own sound, be genuine, be unique and true to what you do. It helps to connect/collaborate with other artists and a range of audiences via social media, attending events/gigs run by different brands and making use of platforms such as Soundcloud, trackstack and online music communities. Luckily, the availability of platforms such as Trackstack makes sharing music with platforms and DJs a lot more accessible compared to what it used to be. It's always a boost when your music is supported by some of the heavyweights in the industry, and people definitely seem to take more notice when this happens. 

Tell us about your latest release.

My release with NATURE is probably my most exciting and significant to date for lots of different reasons. I remember when wAFF first announced he was launching the label just under two years ago, and I immediately sent him music. To my surprise, he liked the tracks I shared with him and then started playing some of the tracks out at his gigs around the globe, which was a real 'pinch me' moment. Since then, I've continued to send him music and over the last two years, I feel we've built quite a unique EP. 

The release consists of 5 tracks, all of which are different but still characterized by my own style, which has emerged over the last couple of years. I've never released a 5 track EP before, so the belief that wAFF and his team have shown in my music has been quite special. The A side of the EP is a track called 'Situations', and it's probably my most requested track to date. It feels good to be finally getting it out there. I'd say all of the tracks in the EP are a blend of minimal, rolling tech house and deep tech, which are the underground house genres that inspired me to begin making music.

What has the feedback been like from your latest release?

The feedback has been really positive so far. I've had a lot of people ask me about the tracks in the EP, so I'm buzzing to finally be able to share them. The EP has already received support from the likes of Marco Carola, Late Replies, Joseph Edmund, wAFF, Proudly People and many others. It's been crazy to see the tracks being played out across the globe.

How do you take care of your mental health?

Music definitely plays a big part in my own mental health care. It serves as a good escape from the struggles and stresses that life can bring, as well as gives me a chance to channel my creativity and emotions. It encompasses a range of things from production, DJ'ing, going to events/gigs and connecting with other people, all of which form a big part of my life at the moment. I've always been into fitness so that's quite important for me too. I don't mind my own company, but I feel it's important to balance this alongside spending time with my people, whether that be family or friends. I also like to travel when I can and get outdoors.

Talk us through your creative process.

I don't think I have a specific process, but I do feel my production is often dictated by mood. Sometimes, I can have an idea in my mind that guides the process, whereas other times, I approach production with more of an open mind and see where the process takes me. The creative process is often fluid and can look different depending on the day or style of track I want to make, but I do tend to start off by building a drum groove before moving onto bass, synths and vocals. This structure is never set in stone, though.  

What advice do you have for other artists?

As I mentioned earlier, it's important to put yourself out there. Emerging as an artist can definitely be a gruelling process, so my advice for other artists would be to look after yourself, be patient, be kind and stay true to yourself. It can be easy to lose sight of what drives us in the midst of everything, which I think for most artists and creators is their passion for music and the enjoyment and fulfilment it can bring - it's always important to keep this in mind. It's an ongoing journey of growth, development, and learning, so make the most of it, step out of your comfort zone and enjoy the ride. The industry is full of class and talented artists, so connect and collaborate with as many as you can. Be genuine, take the time to discover your own sound and become unique with what you do. Persevere, and things will eventually align.

What is your biggest goal this year, and how close are you to achieving it?

I think one of my biggest goals has been to release with NATURE, so it's mad to think it is now only a couple of weeks away, which is pretty cool. Last year, I spent a lot of time in the studio but didn't release much music. I've got a large catalogue of unreleased tracks, which I'm ready to find homes for. I'm also halfway through the first year of my PhD, which is another big goal of mine, so I'm trying to persevere through that as best I can. 

Lastly, what can we expect from you in the future?

I've got some exciting releases lined up this year on Mas Vida, Heatzone, Apparenza, Used Goods, Zest, Laguna and many others. I've also got gigs coming up, which I'm looking forward to announcing when the time comes. I've always wanted to develop an event brand, so I and a couple of close friends are currently in the process of doing this, which we hope to launch in the future.

Copasetic's 'Situations' EP is out on NATURE on 8th March 2023: https://www.beatport.com/release/situations/4466866.