Rowan Harrington is better known by his stage name Second City, is an American-born British DJ and producer.

His hit – the song "I Wanna Feel", peaked to number 1 on the UK Singles Chart.

Reporter: Where in the world are you right now?

Rowan: I’m currently sat in my studio in London.

Reporter: It’s fabulous to see house music celebrating it’s biggest resurgence in two decades and it’s great to see young artists like yourself blossoming with it. We all sat up and took notice of ‘The Story’ EP and your ‘I Enter’ cut on the dirtybird comp plus numerous remixes, but ‘I Wanna Feel’ is next level. Talk us through the history of the track, it took a wee while to get snapped up…was that planned?

Rowan: No not at all, never planned on any of it really, just was meant to be the underground record just for my sets and a couple of other friend DJs that I know too. I had the record done like last August and I sent it over to Skream and he started to play it on his show and it just grew and grew from there really, so too see where it ended up is just crazy.

Reporter: Absolutely loved the video, where was it filmed and who was the dude driving around?

Rowan: I believe it was filmed in LA somewhere, not actually too sure, who the guy was as sadly didn't get out there to see it filmed.

A recent quote from you…“It’s interesting hearing peoples’ take on my work. Especially when the remixers have been around for much longer than me.” What were your thoughts on a)the two artists who were asked to rework your baby and b)their finished article…?

Rowan: It’s really exciting to see what other people do with your work so its always nice to hear the final product when it comes in. All the mixes sounded great in the end, my fave being the Cristoph Remix who I asked to do it kind of late notice - but knew that he would smash it and he really did, something that I will play in my sets over and over again.

Reporter: Okay let’s rewind for a moment. Introduced to house music by a very cool mum playing her Strictly Rhythm tunes which injected your love of percussion into you, your 13th Birthday saw you presented with a set of turntables no less. I guess from that moment you knew music was going to be your path forever…?

Rowan: Yeah was really cool growing up with a mum who literally played house, funk, tribal and African beats all the time. It really wore off on me and started a real passion of wanting to make that kind of music. I definitely have always wanted to do music as a career, just for me I love making music and seeing the reaction you get when other people hear it, it’s the best feeling out there.

Reporter: You moved from Chicago at the age of 12, what’s the story there?

Rowan: Yeah I lived there from an early age and moved back to the UK after that, was so great growing up there.

Reporter: Okay hand on heart pal, can you remember just how friggin’ cold those Chicago winters were???

Rowan: It was next level cold - hats and gloves to go to sleep in! I remember having one winter there where it was so windy as well that we could not even close the window so as you can imagine that didn’t help at all with how cold it was.

Reporter: What was your first break into the music industry?

Rowan: Probably my ‘Story’ EP on Huxley’s label I think. That’s what gave me my first good break into the music world.

Reporter: We were down at Defected’s party at Boom! last week in Ibiza where Simon Dunmore was telling us you’ll be appearing at some of the Defected parties there this summer…will this be your first time spinning on the white isle?

Rowan: Yes can’t wait. I did the Opening Party with them and it was amazing, have about three or four more dates out there this summer for Defected and I think each one will be better than the last. Also Simon makes the best steak you can imagine, a massive highlight of my last trip out there!

Reporter: Who are some of the producers from around the world who are doing it for you right now?

Rowan: Wow so many to mention…but the likes of Dale Howard, Cristoph, Wehbba, Oxia, Ambivalent and Emanuel Satie to name a few.

Reporter: Tell us about your studio set up…

Rowan: A really simple set up actually - monitors, midi keyboard and soundcard and that’s it at the moment. I really wanna get a Roland TR 909 though soon.

Reporter: What is the current top 10 you are spinning…

Rowan:

Route 94 - give me some more

Cristoph - on the inside

Dale howard - drone 

Cristoph - smudge

Technasia - heart of soul

Ante Perry, Shimmer (NL) - Express Yourself (Jaceo Dub Mix)

Christian Burkhardt, Chris Tietjen - Chamber Nights 

Mendo, Danny Serrano - Truesoul 

Ben Grunnell - Velex 

Route 94 - misunderstood

Is there any form of music that you simply cannot stand?

Rowan: EDM lol.

Reporter: You are booked at a host of festivals this summer…which one are you particularly looking forward to?

Rowan: The Mint festival, Social festival, Creamfields, SW4, Pukkelpop…basically all of them!

Reporter: Everyone has one, what is your guilty record, a tune you love but really shouldn’t?

Rowan: Feeded – ‘Seven Days In The Sun’ - have no idea why haha.

Reporter: And finally, what is coming out next from you studio wise…?

Rowan: I have my EP for DFTD coming out on Monday, I also have an EP for Saved Records to follow in July. I also have an EP with Dale Howard, which we have just finished, but not sure just yet when that one is coming, so yeah, really looking forward to the coming months.

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https://twitter.com/SecondCity_uk

 

 

Interview materials from: http://www.dmcworld.net/