Impact: Endgame

You've been working with vocalists like Rules and Organ Tapes. Tell me more about that.

Working with vocalists is a really beautiful form of collaboration. I’m interested in vocalists that have their own voice, which can move my music in unexpected directions. Both Rules and Organ Tapes are endlessly inspiring to me as a songwriter.

You've just signed to Hyperdub. How did that get linked up?

Kode9 reached after hearing ’Savage’. I linked up with him and played him the demos I had. It’s crazy to me because I’ve grown up with that label and it's influenced me a lot, with producers like Burial and Ikonika. I feel very blessed to be a part of that.

You told me before that Kode9 'got' your sound straight away. Can you explain a bit more about that instant connection?

Yeah man, it was really refreshing. He just understood the music without me having to justify or explain it.

The Bala Club compilation just dropped too. Tell me why it's important to be part of a squad?

The comp is a super pure and honest representation of what we are into and what we value in music. Squad is massively important, it’s a family, we are there for one another and look out for each other. It’s solidarity too; we were all outsiders that wanted a space that we could express ourselves.

Bala Club has thrown a bunch of parties since launching on New Year's Day. Can you describe them for someone who hasn't been?

A room full of angels.

There's been enough talk about London's club crisis, but that doesn't seem to have stopped you guys? You've done raves in a bunch of different venues.

I don’t think we are too worried about clubs dying. As long as we have a space and a system, we'll put on a function.

You've been doing your Precious Metals show on NTS for a while now and you're always pioneering new artists. How do you curate the show?

It's always just been my personal taste, no agenda. It’s a free space, where I can play anything, without any restriction, which is super important for me. I also want to rep people that are low key or overlooked.

Tell me about your DJ style. You seem to cross tempo with ease and have an ability to make people dance to this crazy mixture of noise and turn up music.

I want to DJ in a way that is a pure release and free from any constraints and inhibitions. I like there to be a tension, like anything could happen. I also feel like just playing just one genre and tempo is dead and pretty irrelevant now.

You play some quite out-there music in the club but you don't seem to care what anyone thinks, which is braver than it sounds. Do you ever get nervous about that?

The special moments in the club come when you're confronted by something challenging or unexpected and its executed with conviction. It's important to take risks and allow yourself to be vulnerable. I feel like that's the only way to really express yourself in an honest way, and if that clears the floor that’s fine. If I drop ‘Got The Life’ and only one person gets it, that’s OK with me.

From what I've experienced, it seems like audiences are ready to be challenged by people like yourself, Rabit, Chino Amobi etc. They're up for dancing with weirdness.

There is definitely an openness now and people are starting to embrace outsiders in dance music more. I feel like Total Freedom can take a lot of credit for that.

Do you feel like you're part of growing movement of artists, labels and crews who are pushing out-there club music?

It’s a really exciting time. I think club music has been liberated in a way. People are sick of genre, conformity and homogeneity, and ready for something new.

Seb Wheeler is Mixmag's Digital Editor. Follow him on Twitter

Endgame's 'Flesh' EP drops on Hyperdub on July 22. The next Bala Club party is in London on July 15