5 Facts / 5 Tracks: GAWP

Step into the rhythm of the night with ‘Sun Comes Up’ the vibrant Tech House sensation from British producer/DJ GAWP and dynamic duo, The Melody Men.

Showcasing irresistible summer vocals that urge the listener to dance until dawn, this track sets the scene for endless nights of carefree celebration. Combining catchy melodies with succinct driving rhythms, ‘Sun Comes Up‘ captures the engaging spirit of summer, actively inviting audiences to lose themselves in the music until the break of day.

GAWP is no stranger to the revered Heldeep imprint. His previous releases include ‘Every Weekend’, ‘Moon’ and ‘Lost and Found‘. Outside of Heldeep Records, GAWP has released songs with leading imprints including 7Wallace (Aphrodisiac together with Gene Farris), Wh0 Worx, Toolroom and Sink or Swim. He has also performed across international main stages, headlining on multiple tours throughout the USA and UK as well as supporting Oliver Heldens (Heldeep Records label boss) on his USA tour back in 2019.

We caught up with GAWP to find out 5 lesser-known facts and 5 tracks that he couldn’t live without…

5 Facts

In 1998, four 15/16 school friends headed to Ibiza for a two-week holiday that ended up shaping my future. This was back when the rules were so, so different. At the time, the currency was pesetas, and people used to illegally physically flyer in the streets. It was back before everyone had mobiles, so basically chaos! All we had were passports with letters from our parents stating we were going on a pool holiday and giving us permission to do so. But if they only knew we were going to Manumission and Clockwork Orange after watching VHS tapes of Ibiza Uncovered ’98. Any flying about on scooters with no driving license and laser pointers from the guys on the beach! I think the path I took might have been so different.

Before fully diving into DJing and music, I spent six years as a hairdresser during the day, all while pursuing my passion for music by DJing at night. Those early days behind the salon chair helped me save up for my first set of turntables. Or should I say one? Then my parents loaned me enough for the second Technics 1210 MK2, which I paid off over the summer holidays working as an apprentice.

Another fun fact: I once paid a parking ticket in pennies at a local council because I was so fed up with getting tickets from the club car park the next morning. Back then, the machines only accepted money from 9 am, and I was getting in at 4 am. It’s actually on YouTube somewhere, as I filmed it. Also, the law states you can reject anything over 20p if you want, yet did the lady know this? I’ve grown up since.

My parents have been so supportive. The next fact is that their living room is still a studio! It has double windows, doors, a concrete floating floor, and everything. It took 8 years to do it, as my dad started to create a listening room for music since the houses were so thin and badly built that the neighbours would complain. Once finished, only after one year, I moved to Leeds to pursue a career in radio production and opened my own studio in a business centre.

The next fact is random: I was in a duo called The Squatters, and we were huge in South Korea. We released an album there, and we once played at Guernsey Festival. Macy Gray wanted to get off the small plane we all flew on. I didn’t know if it was the tiny seats on it, but I know it took an hour to find her luggage and take off again! Not forgetting the time I told the Guernsey Times newspaper that Patrick Moore from Games Master was my grandad in an interview when he clearly wasn’t.

5 Tracks

Daft Punk – Around the World.

First record I ever bought was Daft Punk – Around the World, I just loved the artwork and the guy in the record shop asked if I wanted to listen to it and I pretended to know what it was out of fear from the old blokes in the shop and wanted to get out. Luckily it was a timeless classic, great video and with the teachers on the b side.

Tin Tin Out – Strings For Yasmin (Original 12″ Mix)

Second choice would have to be Tin tin out – Yasmin for strings, such as euphoric tune that I used to hear on Ibiza Uncovered 98 prob first heard it at a club at Clockwork orange Es Paradise age 16. What a great year.. what a great soundtrack.

Underworld – Bornslippy

Hitting the third selection with a absolute banger from Underworld, this was played from radio, clubs, films, festivals and so much more… I would class it as on the edge of techno with the big kick. Try name many other tracks that have had the broad plays like that with a style as such.

Kid Cudi vs. Crookers – Day ‘n’ Night

Lets take it up a few years, now Bot from The Crookers is great friend of mine and this was his old project, the guys were a huge influence on The Squatters project I was a part of with Alex Powell.. not knowing many years later we would be so close. Fun fact is Bot told me when they played the track out the dance floor didnt react well and they said they wouldnt put it out.. but too late their manager had already pitched it and here I am placing it with 204 Million Streams on this.

Jocelyn Brown – Somebody Else’s Guy

As a music lover its always so hard to narrow down to 5 but here’s one of my fav classics… thanks for reading / listening.

GAWP & The Melody Men Join Forces With Brand New Single ‘Sun Comes Up’ On Heldeep is available 26th April on Heldeep Records: https://orcd.co/hdabb083

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Grahame Farmer

Grahame Farmer’s love affair with electronic music goes back to the mid-90s when he first began to venture into the UK’s beloved rave culture, finding himself interlaced with some of the country’s most seminal club spaces. A trip to dance music’s anointed holy ground of Ibiza in 1997 then cemented his sense of purpose and laid the foundations for what was to come over the next few decades of his marriage to the music industry.