Gareth Cole is the ambitious Brit who has been carving a name for himself as a purveyor of fine house and techno both as a producer and DJ. This month he signs up to Steve Bug’s Sublease Music for three slick and impactful slices of deep, techy house.

Hi Gareth, thank you for speaking with us at Music is 4 Lovers. What have you been up to today?

Hi Music Is 4 Lovers, thanks for having me on! I’ve been on a stag do this weekend in Edinburgh so been travelling home today nursing a hangover!

How did you first become interested in electronic music and decide to pursue a career in it?

It was a long time ago when I was 13/14 I think, my brother came home from Creamfields during the early hours and was belting out a Global Underground CD. At the time I wasn’t really into music but I heard the tunes and was instantly hooked and so started my love for electronic music. Taking the step from a fan/clubber to an artist was about 10 years ago, I’d just come home from my travels in Australia and wanted to pursue my passion for house and techno music and move away from my banking career

Could you please cite some of your main inspirations and influences?

I was first into trance and progressive house. DJs/Artists like Sasha and Digweed, Guy J Hernan Cattaneo etc..really inspired me and I used to go clubbing all over the UK to see them. I was then drawn to the more minimal and techno sounds of Steve Bug, Sven Vath, Nick Curly Gorge, Dubfire, Ritchie Hawtin, Ben Klock. I now try to incorporate bits from those artists into my DJ sets and productions.

As a relatively young artist, do you feel it’s easier to get attention now that it was when electronic music had less of a profile? Or has that been replaced by more competition?

I’m in my 30s so not so young haha. I think it’s quite hard to break through as a lot more people are DJing and producing these days with it being popular and accessible, especially with social media being so fundamental to peoples lives, breaking through the noise is tough! It takes a lot of time and commitment and a good mindset to accept that they’ll be a lot of set backs on the way. But I feel if you’re doing it for the right reasons, put the hard graft in, your talent will eventually be noticed by the right people.

Your next EP lands on Steve Bug’s Sublease Music, how did that come about?

I’ve been a huge fan of Steve’s sound and label Poker Flat over the years and as a producer I felt my sound was gravitating towards that deep techy dubby sound he’s sometimes known for. He also did a brilliant podcast on a music production group I was part of so I thought I’d send him some of my unreleased music. He really liked them and subsequently they were signed to Sublease.

As a music fan, do you tend to follow labels? Or is it more about what individual artists are doing?

Both I’d say, I have trust in the labels I’ve been following over the years to provide me with quality music for when I play out. They also tend to put on quality nights with well programmed dj line ups. But there are some individuals I still follow especially the ones whose music and dj sets really take you on a journey like John Digweed, Guy J, Ben Klock, Ritchie Hawtin regardless of it being house or techno.

What day to day activities or hobbies do you pursue outside of music?

I’m a decent tennis player so I play a few times a week for my local club which is great to get outdoors! I’m also into the gym so I weight train quite a bit as well. I live quite a healthy lifestyle these days so walks in nature and good diet/cooking are things I enjoy as well. Love my movies as well especially sci fi.

Lastly, what can we expect next from you this year? Anything you’d like to share with us?

As well as my Sublease EP, I have a release coming out on OC and Verdes Label Ampersand this summer which is a collaboration with a good friend of mine Sean Crowther who is part of Kakura. There are some other big announcements coming but you’ll just have to wait and see on those. DJing wise I’ll be continuing my residencies at ‘the Ivy’ and ‘Tattu’ based in the UK so this summer is shaping out to be a good one!

Signal is out 24 June on Sublease Music – listen & buy