Ministry of Sound venture Underground

You've just compiled a disc for Ministry of Sound's Underground mix. Can you take us through the process? When and how did you put the mix together? I actually put the mix together while on the We Love Sounds tour through Australia a few weeks ago. I mixed it on my laptop using Ableton Live. I had only a small window of down time between gigs during the week, so I pretty much worked around the clock for a few days straight. When it comes to putting together mixes, I am a bit of a freak. I treat the mix as though it is one big track, and pretty much chop up and build the tracks together from beginning to end. You've included quite a variety of artists, ranging from well-established producers, right down through to the lesser-known names. Is this the way you've always approached you mixes, or do you compile on the basis on what tracks you're feeling at that point in time? Well, for mixes I always try and find some tracks that have some depth to them so you don't get sick of listening to them after the first few times - and, it's always going to be music that I'm feeling. A good track is a good track, regardless of how well known the producer may be, or what genre the track may fit into. Interestingly, you've included Fake Blood's Mars; a track that, amongst the others, stands out. Tell us about it. I really just like the bassline on this track and it kills on the dance floor every time... I really struggled with whether or not to include this track on the mix, because it is a bit heavy. However, I really wanted this particular mix to be a true representation of what I'm playing at the moment in my DJ sets; I did my own little re-edit of it, because there are parts of the original that I, personally, can live without. You were recently in Australia, playing a few festival and club shows-how did they go? Awesome! Sydney was my favorite this time around, but I always have fun in Australia! What's been happening in Dirtybird land, lately? Is there anything on the horizon that you'd like to tell us about? I am finishing a track with Claude VonStroke at the moment, and I have a whole bunch of singles that just need a little more studio time to complete. It's been difficult getting into the studio this year because of my gig schedule, but I am really looking forward to taking august off, locking myself in the studio, and finishing all the fun projects I have started here and there over the last six months. But keep your eye on the label because there is a lot of really exciting music coming out in the next few months! Also, we have to ask; back in 2007 you told us that the US dance music scene was lacking. Have times changed? Actually, I think that things have changed a little for the better. I just had three amazing US gigs this last week in Denver, Miami and New York. I have always felt that the scene in San Francisco was strong, but it was so refreshing to feel the same positive vibes and energized dance floors in other US cities as well.