Bontan: I Try Not To Think About Expectations

We caught up with rising deep house power Bontan ahead of his arrival at Sankeys for Covert on October 18th.

Mike Warburton

Last updated: 8th Oct 2014

Photo: Bontan

Whilst underground, soulful deep house continues to rise as the genre of choice for countless dancefloors across the UK, it's producers like Liverpool born Bontan that are determinedly setting about keeping things fresh and innovative, in a scene that is becoming increasingly competitive.

With a well received run of releases on labels like Toolroom Knights, Cajual, and Armada, not to mention his work with friend and colleague Josh Butler, Bontan has made a name for himself through an outstanding ear for groove, melody and vocal hooks, that have seen both his productions and DJ sets increasingly in demand.

We caught up with Bontan ahead of his headline slot for Covert at Sankeys on October 18th to find out more. 

Hello! Thanks for chatting to us. We’ve seen you appearing on more and more line ups across the country this summer, what have been some highlights for you?

I think Creamfields was definitely the highlight for me this summer. Playing just before Pete Tong on his stage was a mind blowing experience. 

You’re playing for Covert at Sankeys in a few weeks time, are you looking forward to it, and can you let us in on what have you got in store for that? 

Yes I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard great things about the event! I'm currently in the studio so I will have plenty of new music to test out. 

And how is it to not only play at, but head a line up at a club as renowned as Sankeys? 

You can't imagine how excited I am! I've been going to Sankeys for years as a punter but to be finally behind the decks in the main room is a dream come true. One to tick off the bucket list! 

You grew up right in the middle of Liverpool’s legendary dance culture, how do you think that has that shaped and influenced your music? Were there any big nights you went to or DJs you saw that made you want to pursue dance music full time?

Liverpool has a really healthy club scene with the likes of Circus and Chibuku being nationally popular but there is a lot of smaller events doing well breaking through local talent. It's an exciting place to be! 

The Southport Weekender definitely influenced me to take this path. I was pretty lucky to see the likes of Kerri Chandler, Masters At Work, Derrick Carter and Dennis Ferrer when I was younger on a regular basis.

Liverpool club culture is going through another immense period at the moment, where do you see that heading? What is it about the city that nurtures so much talent?

It's only going to get stronger. I think a lot of nights are too quick to book big acts straight off. Building up your night and breaking through the local talent is essential for me and I think the events in Liverpool do just that. 

You absolutely nailed it with your remix of Josh Butler’s ‘Got A Feeling', now that you've set such a high precedent for yourself at a young age, how do you aim to conquer the expectations that brings?

I try not to think too much about the expectations because I will stress too much in the studio and never get anything finished! I just try to do something different every time and keep pushing the boundaries of my sound. 

Your latest release, where you've directly collaborated with Josh Butler is set to be another mega hit, how did you two come together, and have you got any more productions in the pipeline?  

Me and Josh have been friends for years now. We met through a mutual friend and instantly hit it off as we where both into music production so we helped each other out along the way. We've got something pretty special in the pipeline for our next record together. 

At such an early stage of your career, do you have a certain stage/goal in your mind that you’d like to reach? What’s next for Bontan?

Just to keep making good music and to keep making people happy. 

Finally, hypothetical question. You’re entrusted to throw the ultimate rave. You can have on the bill any DJs from past or present, alive or dead. Where would you have the it and who would play alongside you?

Probably in my back garden! Kerri Chandler, Masters at Work, me and Josh Butler all going back to back! That would be special!

Grab your tickets to see Bontan when he heads to Sankeys for Covert on October 18th.

Tickets are no longer available for this event