Label History / Biography
Launched to compliment the growth in classy, grown-up bar culture across the planet, Bargrooves has been a stalwart on the compilation scene for more than ten years. Now under the Defected records umbrella and guided by the direction of Andy Daniell. We caught up with Andy Daniell to find out more….
What have you been up to?
I’ve just come back from a quick of Brazil, so I got back from that yesterday and I’m starting to put together the next compilation at the moment; beginning to work out the licensing for that. I’ve been all over this year, Australia, the Far East, Europe, keeping busy anyway!
Is it hard to balance all the things that you do?
It all fits together, I mean I work as A&R for Defected Records and also head of A&R for Bargrooves, which is owned by Defected now. I DJ for myself and for Bargrooves too. So I DJ for Defected, I DJ for myself and for Bargrooves too. Anything to do with the remixes, the compilations, that sort of thing, with Bargrooves, is my responsibility pretty much.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Pretty much everywhere to be honest. I’ve got a massive catalogue of about 10,000 vinyls. I’ve got about 700GB of music on my music server. So I just go through that and my old CD wallets – I never chuck any old CDs out – remind myself of records. It’s old fashioned crate digging really, and Youtube’s quite useful for finding new music. I mix it all together and see what comes out.
Tell us about the different compilation themes.
The themes are just a basic guide. I mean ‘Bar Anthems’ are pretty self-explanatory, with ‘Summer Sessions’ I tried to imagine sitting on the beach at Bora Bora and what is the perfect soundtrack would be. The second CD is what you might hear at Pasha and the third what you’d want to hear at the after party. I tried to imagine it along those lines. The latest one, ‘Disco Heat’ is obviously disco themed with a mash up of old and new. The one im working on at the moment is called ‘Over Ice’ which is a broader title so I’m looking for different stuff, the deeper, the more techy side of house – Loco Dice and Butterich, that kind of sound, right to chillout.
How does the compilation series appeal to the ‘download generation’?
We try to do nice artwork, a nice bit of packaging, a cocktail recipe, little things like that to give something back rather than just a standard jewel case.
Finally, whats your favourite bar in the UK?
I’m gonna go with the one that’s actually in my hometown, Bournemouth, a bar called 1812, it’s not much a music bar or anything like that but it basically does the best cocktails I’ve ever had. It’s not much of a musical choice but it certainly appeals to my drinking!!
