A.Skillz On Getting The Queen Seal Of Approval

Brit party breaks DJ A.Skillz (aka Adam Mills), with Krafty Kuts, masterminded that rare thing, a cult dance album back in 2003, the nu-funk TrickaTechnology. People still talk about it, which a chuffed Mills deems “bizarre”. “I guess it kinda gave me my kick-start in becoming a professional DJ/producer,” Mills suggests from blissfully domestic surrounds in London, his wife juicing in the kitchen and son eating breakfast. “We did get in at a good time with that album – 'cause a year or two after that was when the illegal downloading started taking over. At the time there was no one else really doing that kind of sound. It was something we both really wanted to do, and our hearts were in the music and everything, and we just did it… So I think it just worked for us.”

The pair, who'd stage their TrickaTechnology sound system at Glastonbury the next year, remain tight, touring Australia together in 2012. Mills returns solo, briefly staying in Melbourne with pal Nick Thayer, co-producer of his recent single, Drop The Funk, before heading Villa's Major Bass bash alongside Featurecast. “I'm just gonna have a bunch of stuff up my sleeve – it's been 18 months since I've been to Australia, so there's so much stuff that I've got that I haven't been able to play, and lots of new stuff. But I just can't wait to get in there and smash it!”

Mills originally played drums but, digging hip hop, switched to turntablism. He'd be loosely identified with nu-skool breaks, that late '90s collision of breaks and heavy progressive house, despite his divergent pedigree. Happily, when nu-skool breaks inevitably “took a bit of a dip,” the DJ was unaffected. He was already spinning 'anything goes' party sets, his style defined more by its funky quality than genre. Besides, Mills' audience is broad. “Whatever happens, people always enjoy that party music and that 'good vibes' kind of funk.” These days Mills, a Breakspoll 'Best DJ', mixes up everything from drum'n'bass to dubstep to trap, effectively reinventing breaks culture. “There's always something to grab and mess around with.” Mills creates audacious remixes – he tweaked Queen's Another One Bites The Dust. “We did a bootleg, just like mucking around with the original, and then off the back of that they got in touch and said, 'Oh, do you wanna do a proper, official remix?'” He can't believe Brian May listened to, and approved, it.

After Mills' longtime home Finger Lickin' Records became a management company exclusively, he launched Jam City, intriguingly describing it as “electro soul”. “We thought that suited the kind of sound that I was making at the time.” A restive Mills currently favours releasing singles (or EPs) over albums – he considers it “drip-feeding” his music. “I think the reason that tends to work better for me at the moment is that, once something's done and it's ready, it can just be instantly released while it feels right to me – okay, this still feels like I'm really happy with this record, if I put it out right now I'm happy that it's out there!”