Showcase: MikeSpike

House parties, festivals, nightclubs, your journey has spanned a huge variety of settings and eras. Through all of it you describe yourself first as a “keen supporter of EDM music” rather than just a DJ. In a space where artists are increasingly brand-focused, what is the one thing that has genuinely kept you behind the decks?

The music. The love for it foremost, and then the thought behind turning a set of tracks into a concept that will complement the artists who have made the tracks, into something that gives the same feel to the listener as it gives me when I hear them for myself.

You draw equally from classic radio sounds and newer discoveries online. What is on rotation for you right now that is genuinely exciting you?

Discovering new DJs who are showcasing their own sets uploaded onto various listening platforms, or being a part of a community that promotes and pushes artists’ creations. I love the direction that initiatives like Beatlab and Mutha FM are going, as these will unlock talent and provide more inspiration not just for people like myself, but anyone who has a genuine interest in this form.

You prefer opening with deep, melodic and arresting tracks before introducing contrast, all in pursuit of what you describe as “intelligent, evocative, sensual and compelling soundscape adventures.” How do you balance structure with spontaneity, and how do you know when you have truly pulled that vision off?

For me it is all about the feel of the vibe. I like to hear a point of difference in DJ sets. In terms of structure, within the first two or three tracks, I like a variance that either has a subtle vocal sample or structure, to perhaps a more direct and driving groove-heavy sample. Sound samples, melodies or specific instrumentals that are not typical, but give tracks depth, are what I try to achieve in the first phase of a set, and then build onto the feel that I have established.

The spontaneity forms from my ideas, and those ideas and concepts vary. From my imagination of places, people, memories and other contemporary DJ sets, they are also what attract my need to make my own mixes, either to give the same inspiration to others, or just to provide a soundtrack to any moment that the mix will be most appropriate for.

You have been around long enough to have seen how the industry treats DJs who grind independently. What did it mean to go through Beatlab’s submission process and come out selected in the very first round?

An amazing honour and a privilege. I know how competitive and passionate the people in this industry are, and I am just really pleased that a concept like Beatlab has come about to discover, showcase and guide up-and-coming talent, and to help re-establish and inspire those of us who still have the passion but not the ideas of how to push our sounds and stories out into the world today.

Your mix is now out there on Mutha FM, heard by an audience beyond your usual reach. For someone in the community who is still debating whether to submit, what would your honest advice be?

Go for it. We as people all see and hear things differently, and the contribution can be an inspiration to others, or even just entertain an audience, which can only bring hope and joy in these trying times. It also provides invaluable learning experiences, as I have just had the pleasure of discovering through my participation with Beatlab and Mutha FM. The satisfaction of knowing your creativity appeals to others is encouraging, and I will continue to do this to promote the EDM ideals and pay it back to the community.

Responses may have minor edits for clarity.

MikeSpike is proof that longevity in this industry is not about chasing trends. It is about staying true to the music and the feeling it creates. Beatlab exists to give DJs like him a platform to share that with a wider world, and the next round of submissions is open now.

If you have a mix that deserves to be heard, join the Beatlab community and submit. Your sound could be next.