Hagan on Finding Space Beyond the City
Your music pulls from a lot of places — Ghanaian influences, UK club culture, jazz and sounds from across Africa and the Caribbean. Are you consciously blending those worlds or is it instinctive now?
I'd say it's a bit of both. Being a product of the UK scene, I naturally grew up around UK funky, bass music and those low-end sounds the UK is known for. At the same time, my Ghanaian heritage has always been a huge part of who I am. When I first started DJing, all I was playing was Ghanaian music. As time went on, I started noticing similarities between those sounds and the music I was hearing from Southern Africa, the Caribbean and the UK. It's been an ongoing process of listening and learning about different sounds and figuring out where the middle ground is creatively.
Was there a sound from your childhood that still finds its way into your music today?
Jazz. My dad used to play it every time he picked me up from school. Years later, Elijah introduced me to a playlist of the contemporary UK jazz scene and it completely changed my perspective on how strong that scene was. When I started experimenting with live instrumentation, jazz became one of the ways I could bring a different texture into my music. As I've got older, my taste in music has changed and jazz has definitely become part of that evolution.
Your latest project feels connected to nature in a way that's quite different from the city environments people often associate with electronic music. What drew you there?
It came from conversations with Adiam, who shot the visuals. We just felt like we hadn't seen many Black electronic artists in nature in the UK. There are some really nice places here that we could potentially explore, and it felt important to show a different side of that story. We ended up shooting in North Devon, at Devon Analogue Studio, which is somewhere I'd worked from before. It felt like the perfect place to bring those ideas together.
Did being surrounded by nature change the way you heard your own music?
Yeah, definitely. At the studio there are huge windows looking out across fields, so while I'm listening back to the music I'm also looking at green landscapes around me. It does make you take the music in differently. If you're just in a room with four walls, that's one experience. If you're looking out into nature, it's another. One track that really stood out was Slow Motion with Zodi. When we were listening back to it at sunrise, it just made sense. The spaces in the arrangement, the tone of her voice — it all felt different in that environment.
When you need to reset, where do you go?
Usually parks. Wimbledon Park reminds me of school. Wandle Park reminds me of growing up in South London. Crystal Palace Park reminds me of my basketball days. Haydons Road Park reminds me of time spent with my dad and my sister when we were younger. Sometimes I'm not even thinking about music. I just like hearing birds, hearing people, hearing life around me.
What do those places give you?
It's probably nostalgia more than anything. My dad passed away, so some of those places help me reconnect with memories from that time. They're places where I can process my thoughts and slow down for a bit.
Is there a place in London that always feels like home creatively?
The Barbican. My school took me there to see the London Symphony Orchestra when I was younger and I've been going back ever since. I've seen orchestras there, showcases, artists and exhibitions. It's one of those places that's stayed with me throughout different stages of my life. Fabric is another one. I've played there countless times, saw some amazing artists there and played my first headline show there too. It feels like home when it comes to club spaces.
What did you reconnect with while making this project?
Definitely Ghana. On one of the tracks, Invisible Dance, I worked with two Ghanaian artists, M.anifest and A.R.C.Y. The sound was heavily inspired by highlife music, which is something I've been listening to since I was young. Being able to bring those artists into that world and contribute to keeping that sound alive felt really important to me.
We'd love you to take us on a tour of your favourite spots. First stop: where are we going for Ghanaian food?
If you're looking for some good Ghanaian food and a cool chill spot with friends, Waakye Joint.
Where do you go when you want to catch up with your people?
Tooting Market. There’s auite a few food options and a great place to catch up with your people.
What's your go-to spot when you're craving serious flavours?
Mulan Noodle in Brixton - Dangerous spot! Love the decor. Try the hand-pulled noodles with braised brisket. Serious flavours.
What's a South London gem more people should know about?
Merton Abbey Mills - just a nice hidden gem in South West London. You'll find vintage stores, food stalls and other shops that spark your interest.
Where can we find you when you're away from music?
Colliers Wood Recreation Ground Basketball Court. It's hard to find a good outdoor basketball court where the nets are actually in good condition, but this is where I've been playing recently.
Who are you spotlighting?
Charlie Dark DJ, poet and founder of Blacktronika. Charlie runs an event called Blacktronika where he takes you on a deep dive into the Black innovators of electronic music in the UK. Hearing him speak about the records he's collected over the years and the impact they had at functions when they were released is proper inspiring. If you want a better understanding of the foundations of Black electronic music in Britain, this is the event.