Get to know Francis Inferno Orchestra, the house maestro turned ambient explorer

Sitting in a greasy spoon in Bethnal Green, Francis Inferno Orchestra is telling Mixmag that – gigantic English breakfasts aside – London is bringing him down. “It can get so fuckin’ intense,” he says.

One of Australia’s most interesting and innovative house exports is no stranger to the capital. Griffin James moved five years ago after ditching an industrial design degree and taking up music full-time following the explosion of a Melbourne scene that spawned peers Tornado Wallace, Andy Hart and many more. Since the move he’s put out music on Let’s Play House and Voyeurhythm, while also focusing on his own label Superconscious Records, which he started with old Melbourne mate Fantastic Man. With its punky art aesthetic and back catalogue of off-beat, unique house music, it’s become a go-to for dance music connoisseurs.

He’s a constant fixture on the touring circuit as well. A packed summer in 2016 saw him play Glastonbury, Love International and Farr Festival, Mixmag making him one of our breakthrough DJs of 2016. This year he’s turned out sets at venues like Concrete in Paris, Culture Box in Denmark and Claire in Amsterdam.