Yusuf Sebaiti is Brighton’s house music super-resident, warming up dancefloors at Gorgeous, Junkbox and his own Dutch Courage, as well as grabbing slots at Ministry of Sound and Savannah’s in Ibiza.
You’re known as being a resident DJ. Does that use different skills to being a headliner?
It’s about setting the club up. My goal is to get everybody onto the dancefloor, getting it ready for the headliner. The music I play has to be adapted to who’s playing afterwards. If we’ve got a funkier DJ on then what I play has to be housier. If it’s someone like Cassettejam – who we had at Gorgeous recently – it has to be much more techy, rockier, more organic.
Do you have to research who is playing to get your tunes right?
I’ve been playing for Gorgeous for about seven years now and I’ve been entrusted with a bit of an A&R role where I’ll have a say about who we have come and play, which helps massively.
You’ve played at some great clubs. What’s been your favourite?
I’d have to say Digital, really. The sound system is savage – any music loud in there is going to sound amazing. Brighton was dying for the Funktion 1 soundsystem. As soon as I heard that I was sold on it. And the visuals behind the decks are great too. Gorgeous is now at Coalition, as is Junkbox, and there’s a really good vibe in there. The strength of the nights in Coalition – with Floorplay as well – is really impressive.
What’s the difference in the club nights that you are involved in?
I don’t think that Gorgeous claims to be anything but a party. There’s no pretension there. If you look at the different headliners, we’ll have anyone from the Freemasons and Shapeshifters though to Kris Menace. It’s the whole spectrum. I think that’s why it’s lasted twenty years. Junkbox, which I’ve played at for four years, has been pushing the electro sound and become massive, leading the way in all that’s techno and electro. Dutch Courage is a new night I’ve set up with a couple of friends. The first one had Paul Woolford and the next one will have Audio Jack.
Who are your favourite DJs to play with?
Anyone who will dance behind the decks, have it, party with us. Cassettejam were outstanding – they were up for it, they were screaming. Style Of Eye, who I played with at Junkbox, just wanted to be part of the party, rather than turning up, playing his records and leaving. I’m looking forward to the next Gorgeous where we’ve got Reset Robot who toured with Deadmau5 and has just signed to Dubfire’s label.
It seems like house music has been revived in Brighton. Is the scene healthy at the moment?
The music is constantly evolving and I think it went a bit flat a while back. There was a certain generic sound that was coming out of the scene which I think was killing it. But there are producers coming out that are pushing things. I’m loving Nick Curly, D’Julz and Style Of Eye – too many to mention.
What are you future plans?
The way Prok & Fitch have exploded this year has really given me the impetus to get my act together and start producing. I also want to push the Dutch Courage nights that we’ve got on, plus I’m going to Bahrain with Gorgeous and playing at Eden in Ibiza. It’s looking good.
Brighton Residents – 5 Great Local Regulars
Fatboy Slim: Big Beat Boutique
Back when the BBB was in a knackered scout hut there were no DJs as exciting as seeing Norm at full pelt
Steve Chaos: Detournement
He might not be the best DJ in this list technically but he’s got the best tunes – broke the indie electro sound in the city
JFB: Battlejam
This UK DMC champion’s skills are one thing but it’s his relentless drive to move things forward technologically that astound
Sam Watts & Neal Lewis: Schtumm!
Their micro-warehouse parties might be over but this pair has done more for disco than anyone in Brighton in the last decade
Prok & Fitch: Floorplay
New big room house heroes who will come back from Ibiza this year as superstar DJs
