Untidy’s latest relese is one hell of a disco infused tripple platter, delicious and dancefloor dominating, it come sto us courtesy of Miami House Party… Fact #1… they aren’t from Miami…
Welcome to the family! How did you both meet?
Aaron: We met when we were 13/14 years old. My grandparents and Robbie’s parents had caravans next to each other and I was instantly attracted to the small, beautiful man that was Robbie. We got on like a house on fire from day one, fell out of contact for a number of years as didn’t live near each other growing up then met up again to discuss music when we were 20/21. The rest is history and haven’t been able to get rid of him since.
Rob: Aaron stalked me because of my good looks and charm…
You are both from Northern Ireland… where does the Miami connection come in?
Aaron: I spent a lot of time in America over the years. It’s where I really cut my teeth DJing and learning my craft. I decided to take a few days off in Miami where I was chatting to a guy in the hotel. After a while he asked if I would be interested in playing for his 21st birthday, (which I came to learn is a big deal in USA). It turned out to be the maddest house I have ever seen in my life and the flyers for the party just read, Miami’s Biggest House Party and it just stuck with me. Robbie loved the story, and we went with it.
You have been producing for a while now and have appeared on labels such as Spinnin’, Nervous, Armada and now Untidy. How did this amazing journey begin and how did you get to where you are today?
Aaron: As I said, we fell out of contact for a few years, just with living far away from each other and growing up. Robbie had been doing amazing in the DJ scene winning awards from 18, but I had gone down the production route myself. I was getting great signings and Robbie hit me up to catch up. That conversation that day started what became Miami House Party. We went into our state-of-the-art studio, (my mums’ spare bedroom), and made our first EP which was on one of the first labels in Germany to release music by Tim Bergling, (Avicii), so was a huge buzz for us. The EP did really well and ever since that we have just really homed in and worked on perfecting our craft over the years.
Rob: As Aaron stated, just that rekindle of friendship to looking forward and working tremendously hard has now made us look back and go “wow”. My love for music and collecting vinyl, (a lot of Tidy Trax records), and learning the art of house music/dance was something I give credit to my brother who, himself, was an advocate in DJing. I got great opportunities playing across the globe and playing along some great names in my hometown and abroad and picking up my first DJ award here also at the age of 18 as well as features back then in DJ Mag and I-DJ Mag. Fast forward from then its been an absolute rollercoaster of laughs cries me winding Aaron up constantly to building our own studio to picking up a music award and countless top 10’s and remix opportunities. Oh… and a pug called Dave. (Sam Townend will love this alone! – JD)
How did the Untidy release happen?
Aaron: For Robbie especially, Tidy Trax and Untidy are iconic labels he grew up on. In fact, it was a 15-year-old Robbie who introduced me to hard house, Bonkers, happy hardcore etc. We had one of the three tracks done and didn’t know where to go with them and Robbie had emailed to Sam, who wanted another two for a three track EP. We were, and still are, absolutely buzzing to be working with, and on a label like this, with the history around it. We are really excited for the relationship with Untidy and being involved more with the label in months/years to come.
Rob: Thats right, I keep lovely hair Aaron correct with the music… All jokes aside I was a massive fan and collector of the Tidy Trax/Untidy music even dating back to my secondary school days getting barred from IT for constantly playing Tidy music from their website lol! Also I just loved the way, especially Untidy, were able to push boundaries and create that harder side of disco infused house and “tough” house sound. I was ,and still am, a big fan of the Sharp Boys music also and that cut between tribal, tougher side of house music with that disco side really does excite me!
Apart from the Untidy release, what has been the highlight of your career?
Aaron: Getting a Number 1 on the US dance chart was amazing, not just because of the number, but the feeling of the people who were on that list with like Rudimental, (knocking them off the top spot!), Armin Van Buuren, Robyn etc. It was an incredible feeling.
Rob: Persuading Aaron to get a haircut. Been a few great moments from award recognise, music for adverts, writing work to remixing for Ed Sheeran’s cousin believe it or not, teaching youth and giving back changing lives and to inspire them to just getting opportunity to tour together and take in so much over the years both from a music perspective and friendship.
Describe in your own words what you make?
Aaron: Go for it Robbie…
Rob: A juicy, delectable range of solid house grooves which compliments either tribal elements or simply just a banging disco filtered house groove. Aaron is about that bass sound. Truthfully it Depends really what mood we are in but more so now we have been producing some lovely piano house sounds and re introducing some club classics! Side note, Aaron makes a lovely halloumi starter.
How would you go about putting a track together… where do you start?
Aaron: Robbie makes a full track and I give it the thumbs up. Lol. Normally we would be in the studio together, but over the past 18 months with all that went on, we had to change the way we worked. So, a lot of back and forward with ideas and tracks went on, but we found a way to make it work. Now we have that blessing back to be able to get into the studio together. We never force it, if we don’t get any inspiration or ideas that day, we leave it and come back the next. Then other days we go hell for leather and just on a roll.
Rob: The best thing is make a track, leave it a few days then go back to it with a fresh set of ears. I tend to start with a cut sample from vinyl if I wish to recreate/re-edit something special and base the groov,e (kick , clap, top loops), around that or a melody and the same format. If we ain’t feeling it after a handful of times, then it isn’t going out to a label! In the studio it just flows, one day we could have four tracks done other times one to two.. It’s tricky in fairness doing this remotely online most days but we make it happen in the end.
What inspires the music you make?
Aaron: Life, other music, passion. Honestly, so much inspires what we make. I can have an idea in my head at 3am and go straight into the studio to get down, because I have this fear if I go back to sleep, in the morning I won’t remember. We have always said the day we stop enjoying and loving what we do, then we call it a day, because for us if you can’t get excited and passionate about making music then there isn’t any point really. This career demands a lot from you and has done for us. We have had some incredibly dark, difficult days in our journey, but the feeling of what we do, doing it as a team, makes it all worthwhile. And genuinely for me, I couldn’t have done it without anyone other than Robbie beside me.
Rob: From the childhood days with my brother definitely introducing me to vinyl has to be one of the major things that inspired me to pursue this as a career. Being creative and constantly wanting to learn is another. Totally agree with Aaron though with ups and downs but the passion is still there. In a roundabout way during the pandemic it was so tough for many people with so many losing their businesses, livelihoods etc. For myself and Aaron things happened on both personal levels before and during this time. Foot was off the pedal so to speak previously but with sheer grit and determination taking a positive out of bad situations was to really bite down re innovate and retrain and in turn has brought nothing but great music and the opportunities again as well as really enjoying the craft again and re igniting that fire inside. Sometimes stepping back to see how far you have come is needed. Did you know Aaron makes a great dance partner?
Do you confine yourselves to the studio or can we see you playing out?
Rob: Mmmm… Bit of both. We did tour before especially before lockdown. We also previously had a teaching business at the same time, we enjoyed it but does become taxing on the body with the very long hours to then having to do full days in the studio to just constantly working. Health has been a priority this while back for both so maybe have that wise balance of gigging and loving it to set days in the studio for recording and mixing for other clients as well time dedicated to our own productions and remixes. With myself embracing sobriety more so, it could be a great way to enjoy both and not as painful in a cushion nook, nursing a hangover, no sleep, cradling a handful of options, taking days to recover and eating a sausage roll.
What can we expect from Miami House Party in the future?
Aaron: World domination and our own food brand that I feel should be called Miami House Pate. Just to consistently gig, bring what we do across the world and keep making music that makes people dance, or at least nod their heads.
Rob: More of Aaron’s crap jokes!
Finally, what is your favourite ice cream?
Aaron: I feel like a fraud, I’m lactose intolerant.
Rob: I’m more a milkshake type of guy, shaken not beaten…
Download & Stream this release here: https://untidy.fanlink.to/LaserBeamsI…
