Deep house DJ and producer LEGATO swung by to chat about his recent releases, working with LabelWorx, and how he’s recovered from ear surgery!
The United Kingdom is home to many artists who are making moves in the scene, and LEGATO has made some giant strides forward since launching the project in 2019. LEGATO’s early releases on Eton Messy and All Day I Dream paved the way for more that found a home on Nightcolours and Anjunadeep. More recently, he’s started walking down a new path defined by self-releasing via LabelWorx.
Two fresh singles have defined LEGATO’s new chapter. “Either Way” landed in May, drawing attention from fans and tastemakers alike, and his newest tune, “Stay,” just dropped this past Friday with its classic piano house grooves in tow. Both tracks are part of Midnight Rendezvous EP that’s due out soon.
Before releasing his upcoming EP, we chatted with LEGATO about his recent ear surgery, how he approaches production, and so much more. Listen to his exclusive guest mix filled with his original tunes, and read on for the full conversation!
Stream EDMID Guest Mix 428 || LEGATO on SoundCloud:
Hello LEGATO, thanks so much for taking the time to chat. First things first, you underwent ear surgery earlier this year. How’s the recovery coming along?
Hey guys, thanks for having me! My recovery is going really well. I’m about three months post-op now and getting back to normal. I had a rare condition called a cholesteatoma in my left middle ear that needed surgery before it became more serious. Initially, I was pretty down about it all, but as my brain has adjusted, I’ve rediscovered a stereo field and can make music again! I’ll be getting a hearing aid soon, with plans for reconstructive surgery next year.
Being temporarily deaf in one ear must’ve been difficult to manage as a DJ. How has this impacted you in recent months? Did it take a lot of time to overcome this hurdle?
I always used to use my left ear for monitoring, so it still feels strange using my right, but I’m getting used to it! I’m also much more sensitive to loud sounds now, so I keep everything turned down. I’ve played a few sets since my surgery, and the hearing loss hasn’t impacted me as much as I thought it would.
You dropped the “Either Way” in May, marking a new chapter for your career. Can you speak to the sonic evolution you’ve experienced and how it has culminated in this track and others on the horizon?
Lately, I’ve been revisiting a lot of UKG and “future garage” from the 2010s, listening to tunes by artists like Burial, Four Tet, Koreless, Floating Points, Joy Orbison, and more. ‘Either Way’ is an homage to that era while blending in elements from other inspirations. It’s also the first track I’ve released since switching from Reason to Ableton!
Up until about a year ago, I was creating music exclusively in Reason. Moving to Ableton has opened up a whole new world of sound possibilities and sparked my creativity. Though Reason still holds a special place in my heart as it’s where I learned most of my production skills, Ableton has given me a fresh perspective, and I’m super excited to move forward with it.
“Stay” is the latest tune you’ve released off the Midnight Rendezvous EP. Let’s dig into the production process on this one. What was your approach to the production process?
My sound is naturally evolving into something more raw and expressive yet still connected to what I’ve put out before. I built the track around these catchy classic deep house piano chords, and everything unfolded from there. There are a lot of textural elements I created using my Novation Peak synth. I experimented with a few different vocal lines, but they distracted too much from the instrumental, so the simple “Stay” vocal sample ended up working the best. The drums came last and glued the whole track together!
Looking at the forthcoming EP, can you open up about what else is to come on this release and what it means to you artistically?
Looking ahead to the ‘Midnight Rendezvous’ EP, you can expect a diverse mix of sounds, including real instruments like violin, mandolin, and marimba. I’ve loved experimenting with both real instrument sounds and samples, along with synths. Plus, I’ve enjoyed playing and recording my guitar and piano on some of the tracks. This EP marks the beginning of a new chapter for me, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. While it stays true to the LEGATO sound I’ve been developing over the years, it definitely ventures into new territories.
You’re also dashing a traditional label for this EP after partnering with LabelWorx. What led to this decision, and do you plan to keep releasing music this way in the future?
Moving away from the traditional record label setup just felt like the right move for me at this point in my career. I now have the freedom to create exactly the music I want without feeling the need to conform to any particular style, and that’s a major benefit of going down the distribution route. My manager, Tom, and I have had total creative freedom in every aspect, from putting together the new team to collaborating with artists on art direction.
I’m not saying I won’t release with other labels in the future, but for where I’m at in my life right now, having this newfound freedom has really helped with my creativity. Partnering up with LabelWorx now enables me to release music more frequently and expand my catalog at my own pace.
Finally, as an artist on the rise, what are some things you wish you’d known stepping into the industry that you can pass along to the next generation?
Always make the music you want to make, you will find your lane. Community is important too; connect with other artists and people in the scene doing it for the live, not just labels and industry. Go to as many gigs as you can and get inspired!
LEGATO, thanks again for your time. We’re looking forward to following closely!
