Best Of British 2010: Best Breakthrough Producer - Tim Green

Being crowned DJmag’s Best Breakthrough Producer of 2010 is only another notch in the bedpost of success for Tim Green, a man who has already secured healthy relationships with some of dance music’s sexiest imprints. Releases on such giants as Cocoon, Get Physical and Dirtybird cemented that this man knows what he’s doing on the dancefloor. He breathed new life into the well-loved and worn ‘99’ by Cassius and music monoliths Tiefschwarz and Claude Von Stroke let him loose on their tracks with filthy and infectious results. He is single-handedly flying the flag for UK techno, but all this is still only dawning upon him.
“I tend to just get lost within my own music and I never really expect people to be paying attention to my stuff, and then when they do, I'm just really happy and thankful.”

At the youthful age of 21, he sent a demo to Bristol’s Four:Twenty and since then he’s been on a steady ascent.
“It was last year that I noticed things were going well. Pete Tong has always been a great supporter of me. Then people who I really look up to, like Sven Väth, the M.A.N.D.Y guys, and Richie Hawtin all started to champion my sound. Now I get to play alongside them.”
Really it was as far back as 2008 when things took a pivotal turn. “That's when I released my EP on Dirtybird and ‘Mr Dry’ on Trapez. From these releases more opportunities came my way. Like the Steve Lawler remix — another stand-out moment!” It might be the highest recognition getting nods from his genre’s forefathers, but what really stopped him in his tracks were those sets when the audience hit the roof. “When I played Womb in Tokyo was one of those moments. Personally I felt like I played there long before I should have done. The crowd were really into music... they were really into my music.”

Modesty and international gigs aside, he still loves to return to British soil. “I share a long history with Fabric and playing there is electrifying. That’s where I first went clubbing – it’s like my mothership. I'd travel up on a Friday to go see Fabio & Grooverider and Hospital Records. The first time I played there, it was unreal. I was blown away.”
When he returns to play Bedlam, the night he set up in his hometown of Maidstone, Kent, he claims the excitement isn’t because there’s a hero’s welcome waiting for him. It’s more the satisfaction of bringing quality music home.
“To put on a night like that in the area I grew up in is fantastic. There’s not much going on there, so this is an opportunity to bring some great names into town. At the end of January we have Cassy, and also Leon from CécilleRecords.”
His Dirtybird track ‘Kitch In’ and the Get Physical release ‘Old Sunshine’ are fan-favourites. Both tracks are cheeky, awash with feel-good and teasing vocals. But Tim’s not so sure.
“My personal favourite, which I don't even play out any more, is the ‘Mr Dry’ track. It’s the track that gets the most comments. People still come up to me and tell me it's their favourite and it's the sort of track they listen to at home. It’s great feedback to know your music is listenable on and off the dancefloor.”

Despite being crowned Best Breakthrough Producer, success leaves little time for creativity. “It's been really hard getting the balance right. Over summer there are so many dates, Ibiza, America. I'm no good at writing music on the road. I need my studio around me; sitting on a laptop does not feel like I can be creative.”
He keeps his studio details close to his chest.
“I like to keep it secret, but one thing I will reveal is I do not use monitors. I just use headphones, which a lot of people think is strange. I've just done a remix of Argy's track, ‘Unreliable Virgin’. Cocoon are doing a box-set of remixes of old tracks, so that's on that. It’s been my favourite tune to play out recently.” 2011 will see him working on a highly-anticipated album. ”It’s a work in progress. As of yet there’s no planned label for this release.” With so many people singing his praises, we are in no doubt that he’ll be spoilt for choice.