Tony H, the Seattle-based DJ and producer, has been making waves not only as a talented artist but also as a successful label manager. Currently managing Space Yacht and being the founder of his own label, Late Night Munchies, Tony has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
While Tony’s accomplishments in the label management sphere are impressive, it is his musical talent that is truly underrated He has released songs on renowned labels such as Music Is 4 Lovers, Space Yacht, and Uniting Souls Music. Furthermore, Tony’s upcoming releases on esteemed labels like Country Club Disco, Desert Hearts, and Flashmob Records have fans eagerly anticipating what is to come for this solo talent.
In addition to his studio work, Tony’s live performances have gained widespread recognition. Having played at events like Unlearn:Records and Deep Tech showcases, as well as sharing the stage with top-tier artists at Coachella and Miami Music Week, Tony’s energetic sets have left audiences craving for more.
Tony H took the time out to chat about BLANK, check out the full interview below.
Exclusive Interview
How has performing at Coachella and Miami Music Week impacted your career as a DJ and producer?
It felt so surreal to even be a part of those 2 events. I never would have imagined attending mostly because of how expensive it is for flights and festival and event tickets, let alone be on the lineup for them. Definitely a highlight of the year for both, and it definitely has gotten my name out there even more and my labels, so I’m so happy about that. Especially on the label side because there are so many dope artists (in my biased opinion) that are crushing it, and it made people curious enough about Late Night Munchies that we saw some people adding tracks to their Spotify playlists from many artists on the record label.
What inspired the unique elements, like hospital sounds and samples, in the title track of your upcoming EP ‘Pulse It’? How do these elements contribute to the overall vibe of the track?
The creation of “Pulse It” is insane because that one was made during a very long production stream that I did on my Twitch channel. We went through a couple of different ideas on the stream, and I ended up trashing pretty much all of them. Then we got this idea to search for hospital sounds and samples and built a whole track around it. Big shoutout to Wild_Berry79, Karz80, MzTzA, and DJMattG for hanging out and giving plenty of suggestions while creating this one.
How did your collaboration with AMP on the track “Body Drop” come about? Can you explain the creative process behind merging G house and tech house in this song?
The “Body Drop” track was originally a remix that I did that ended up not being released, so I took all the remix parts out and was a bit stuck. AMP came over to the house, and we ended up collaborating on it. Once we found that “Body Drop” sample, we knew we had something special, and it’s been getting a lot of love in our sets when we play it out.
How has streaming on Twitch influenced your music production and connection with the community?
Honestly streaming on Twitch was such a blessing. Besides the fact that it helped me and others when everything was shut down, it also gave me a platform to test new music out and get everyone’s opinions. Too often people ask for feedback on music but then don’t take constructive criticism well. In my case, I loved it and would literally go back and re-work tracks when the viewers maybe didn’t like a section or felt like I should try something else. Some of my biggest records that got signed came directly from testing them on the stream and getting feedback from everyone. The connection to the community was amazing! That was the other fun part of streaming, was being candid with everyone and laughing and joking and telling stories that otherwise a lot of people wouldn’t even know about me.
How does it feel to receive support from notable DJs and labels with your recent releases?
It is truly very wild to me. When I first started producing and releasing music, I always had a hard time playing my music out because I was worried people wouldn’t like it or that it might kill the dancefloor. So when I saw bigger DJs supporting my music like Claptone, Gettoblaster, Steve Lawler, Doc Martin, Elif, and many others, it gave me the confidence to play my music out every time I had a set. It literally puts an even BIGGER smile on my face when I see artists from my labels getting supported and recognized because the label was and has always been a platform for artists to express themselves the way that they want, and to see other DJs playing their music is awesome.
Can you share your journey in working towards joining Gene Farris’s Farris Wheel Recordings and what it means to be part of such a renowned label?
You know, it’s just one of those things where you just keep sending a demo until one hits, and in this case, I got two to hit for an EP, and one of those tracks was with a homie, haha. I do love me some Chicago, and to be on a label that is beloved in that area is really something special.
You’re also the label manager for Space Yacht and the CEO of your very own Label Late Night Munchies. Who are some artists you’ve signed that you’re excited about? What are qualities in a track that you look for when signing new music?
Oh boy this is a tough one because there are so many. For my labels I’m super excited for basically every release haha. It’s too hard to choose, and there are some incredible releases coming this year, including a remix release for one of my favorite Sam Hipp tracks that we released. My good friend Spiro Catalano has a sick EP coming, AMP has his debut solo EP on the label, Versace James has some heat coming, as well as Ollie Red. But really the rest of the year is STACKED. On Space Yacht, we recently released one from Nate Katz featuring LondonBridge that will forever be in my sets called “Terrified,” and I’m always excited about our Tech My House and Critical Mass compilations.
The reality is, if it’s something I would play in my sets, then I’m signing it because at the end of the day, if I’m not supporting the music that I’m signing to the label, why should I expect someone else to? So if we vibin, we signin (might have to put that on a t-shirt lol).
Anything else you’d like to share?
Sooo much, but be on the lookout for new music soon on Aliens on Mushrooms, Country Club Disco, Desert Hearts, Bump N Grind, Flashmob Records, Bread-N-Butter, and many others. Andddd I am in the works of my 2nd album that I plan on dropping in early 2024. On top of that, you can catch me playing around Seattle, as well as the Sundown Solstice Festival in Alaska, Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge, Day Trip Festival, and Fourth at the Mural in Seattle.
Connect with Tony H
https://www.instagram.com/djtonyh507/
https://twitter.com/djtonyh507
https://soundcloud.com/dj-tonyh
https://www.twitch.tv/officialtonyh
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