INTERVIEW - TOYBOY & ROBIN

Toyboy & Robin are one of the most exciting artists in house music. The London based duo, made up of Toyin Mustapha and Rob Drake, produce some of the freshest house music mixed in with hints from the UK’s bass scene. Seeing them DJ at Shadow City in Birmingham and for the Eton Messy Tour in Newcastle last month, left us intrigued. 2014 looks like a big year for these guys…

1) How did you meet?

We met back when we were in our first year of University in Manchester through some mutual friends…the rest, as they say, is history!

2) Did you ever pursue music as just Toyboy or just Robin before you got together or has it always been a collaborative effort?

T: I learnt how to play the guitar and piano when I was much younger, my brother was always really into producing and writing music so taught me growing up. Together me and him produced mainly RnB and Hip Hop, generally more slow tempo stuff then I opted to start making more dance-focused material. It’s only been in the last 18 months that Rob and I have been producing together as Toyboy & Robin

R: I had been DJing making the occasional edit, but it was only about a year or so ago that I actually started to produce properly. But we have been DJing together for about 3 years now but we didn't really have a name!

3) What made you decide to start producing/DJing and when did you start to look at it as a possible career path?

R: I only started DJing out of chance after my brother bought some CDJ's post-Ibiza 2007. I always enjoyed it but I suppose it only becomes a viable career path when the income is at least equal to that of a normal job!

T: Producing was always a hobby for me but it’s really only been in the last two years, seeing people really taking to our output - be it mine and my brother’s or mine and Rob’s - that I started to think I could actually make it a go at it.

4)House music is currently having a massive resurgence, so what is it about house music for you guys that you like so much?

R: I just love how different that 4/4 kick drum sounds…you know its SO original (I joke). But seriously, I think it's just the most danceable music, I couldn't really put my finger on what it is about it, but it's the one that feels the most natural to groove to for me personally.

5) If you could make any other genre of music, what would it be?

T: I think I’d probably go back to making more down-tempo music which I do from time to time. It’s hard to say though as quite a lot of music from different genres seems to catch my attention.

R: Drum & Bass intrigues me an awful lot, but I know some day I'll slow it right down and probably churn out a few R'n'B slow jams as it's what I grew up on.

6) From past experience, what have been your best and worst DJ moments?

R: Best…that would probably be when we were playing at Rescue Rooms in Nottingham for their Everywhere Festival at maybe 9pm. We thought it would be empty for our set, but it filled up to capacity within 10 minutes…was a really nice surprise.

Worst…my laptop crashed at an event we were playing. Quickly plugged Toy's in…that crashed. Music silent for about 20 seconds which felt like an eternity…so we resorted to CD's in the end. But the time in silence was killer!

T: Best: Probably the same as Rob’s.

Worst: Turning up to gig once with absolutely no one there, not even exaggerating there were like 5 people there. We were meant to be playing the closing set as well (think it was 3 -5am), we were knackered from a gig the night before, don’t think I’ve ever had 2 hours go more slowly in my life. Now I sound like “a dj complaining” haha.

7)Your label, Cool Kid Music, is going from strength to strength - what acts are you currently supporting and signing?

T&R: Well, there's full support there for all of the label. We'd like to think if any of them wanted any advice on anything besides the music, e.g. industry, management, girl troubles etc that we're there to help!

The next two acts on to be released from the label are Panda, who have previously released on Bondax's Just Us imprint, and one of those incredibly talented youngsters, salute, who's no doubt going to be huge in the next year!

8) What's coming up for Toyboy & Robin in the near future? Do you have release or tour plans coming up?

T: Hopefully we’ll finally be releasing a lot of the music we’ve had to sit on this year for whatever reason. We’re hoping people haven’t been thinking that we haven’t been working on anything else since Jaded but we really have. We’ll be putting out the Jaded VIP in the next couple of weeks, another single not very long after that then an EP shortly after that. No doubt you’ll have some more remixes from us in between those too. No tour plans as of yet but we hope to continue gigging as much as, if not more than we have been this year.

9)What's your ultimate hangover cure?

R: 1 pint of water before bed. Then wake up 2-3 hours before you're due to wake up fully. Another pint of water. Wake up. Another pint of water. Food.

10) And finally this ones for the ladiez... what is your current relationship status and what are your best chat up lines?

R: Haha what a question! Current status is single…and I don't really know many chat up lines…but the big NO NO is always…"Do you know who I am?!"

T: haha I’m a singleton too, - “get your coat I can tell you’re bored of me”. Joking! In all seriousness chat up lines just do not work!

Thanks a lot and best of luck guys!! <3

<3 R