Ahead of a potentially career-defining year in 2025, we sat down with fast-rising artist James Poole to talk about keeping up with the evolution of house music, weird DJ requests and alien invasions.
With some already huge releases on labels such as Hot Creations, South of Saturn and Hottrax, including a number 1 Beatport hit with “Miss Tony”, it’s no surprise James Poole has played his music in multiple corners of the world. This year he aims to push himself further into the limelight and take the next steps in his ever-growing career.
Hey James, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us! Let’s start with your music production. What inspired you to start producing and did you have any musical idols that influenced your style?
It was definitely my first year of University in Leeds that opened my eyes to the house music world. In 2018, the city boasted so many amazing venues, which were bringing in global acts weekly. This access to the culture was partnered with a fresher’s desire to party, I was out most nights a week watching DJs hone their craft and hearing the latest records in the club. I realised how creative artists could be when it came their productions & sets, and ever since I’ve been hooked.
When it comes to musical influences, it all started from that time period aforementioned. It would be extremely hard to pinpoint an artist, or sound, it just felt like a moment in time which was impossible to feel uninspired by.
You’ve released on some bucket list labels including Hot Creations, South Of Saturn and Hottrax. Are there any other dream labels you’d love to release on in the future?
It was a dream to release on all of those labels and there’s definitely still plenty of labels I’d love to work with – I’m sure they all know this by the sheer number of demos I send out. I am trying to be less label-focused now generally as an artist, just so I can focus on making the best music possible. Whenever I try to cater for an imprint in particular, I never seem to write my best work.
Create without any boundaries first, and then hopefully find a home with one of those labels second!
With the house music scene constantly evolving, how do you approach staying relevant and current as an artist? Are there any steps you take to stand out?
I think this is a really understated part of being a producer and it’s finding that balance between being inspired by what’s working on dancefloors at the moment and staying true to yourself as an artist. I’ll have been producing for seven years this August, and over that time I’ve seen so many sounds fluctuate in and out of what is considered ‘popular’. I love taking inspiration from the new sounds that arise, it’s important to do so as electronic music is always evolving. However, I do try to ensure I always put my stamp on things, in a way which is aligned with my identity as an artist. I want to draw ideas from the external into my craft, rather than have the external dictate what my craft is.
At the end of day, breaking through with music that isn’t authentic to you is only going to lead to bookings where you’re expected to play music you don’t really like, to people who don’t necessarily like what you like! Staying true to yourself may mean the come up takes longer, but it’s essential for longevity in this game I believe.
If you could collaborate with any producer on a track, who would it be?
I would probably say Armand van Helden. His discography is obviously one of the best in the game, and I think everyone knows an Armand record. I’ve always been in awe of how brilliantly he samples and it’d be great to watch him work an old school disco snippet into a modern house classic. Maybe one day!
You’ve played across the globe in countries such as Ecuador, Croatia, Ibiza as well as touring up and down the UK. How do you find the crowds differ when you play in other countries?
Playing internationally is a real privilege – it’s something I dreamt of at the start. Crowds definitely differ, even from city-to-city. When I played Ecuador is what great to bring out some of the latin ID’s I’ve always loved – the people there love a rolling percussive groove and you can see how lost they get in the music, it’s class. When I played in Italy recently there were people going crazy for some of the deeper cuts on my USB, and in the UK we obviously love our speed garage. It’s always just about going in with an open mind and assessing the dance floor in front of you – then it’s about making the right selections and making it a memorable party!
Have you ever had any weird requests whilst DJ’ing, if so can you tell us what they were?
Thankfully I haven’t encountered anything too weird yet. I’ll report back if anything happens soon. The only requests I’ve had is when you’ve got someone asking you to mix Sabrina Carpenter’s latest single in next amidst your tech house set. Sorry Sabrina if you’re reading this (I doubt you are).
Stepping away from your career for this one, if aliens invaded Earth and asked you to play one track that epitomises house music, which would you choose?
Think I’d have to introduce them to Hardsoul & Ron Carroll’s ‘Back Together’ – a timeless house music. The aliens might take some getting used to, but least we can them kickstarted with great music taste. That track is an all-time favourite of mine and gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. I’m going to close a special set with it one day for sure.
After playing across the globe and having a plethora of releases in your arsenal, it’s safe to say you’ve gained a fair amount of experience so far. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt on your music journey?
Honestly I would say never underestimate the importance of just ‘turning up’. You never know which day in the studio is going to be the day you’re going to write your next successful single, or a record which may change your life. Everyone’s favourite song started out as just another day in the studio for somebody. Even on the days you don’t make something great, you’re crushing up options and crossing out ideas from the whiteboard, which takes you one step closer to the music you want to write.
Just turn up, because you never know when it’s going to be your day, and don’t be afraid to send music you’re proud of to people. Don’t let great beats sit on a hard-drive.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, what’s coming up for James Poole? Are there any exciting projects or plans in the pipeline you can tell us about?
I’m incredibly excited for the music I have coming up this year. A load of new sounds, new labels, new collaborations. I’ve seen a lot of the records get played by some of my favourite DJ’s, which is always a great sign pre-release, so I can’t wait to share them with everyone. I’m in the studio producing every day, I love creating so when I give myself the freedom to do that, I find myself at my happiest.
On the performance front, as well as the upcoming shows in the calendar, I’ve been working closely with my team to start looking into touring new areas which is incredibly exciting. Time to see where the music takes us in 2025!
Finally, what’s your favourite track by another artist that you wish you’d made?
Robin S – Show Me Love. A track that encapsulates everything brilliant about house music. I don’t think this record will ever age, it will never not bring a dancefloor to life. Classic.
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