Bangers With A Twist

The Swedes may be dominating dance music with their pumpin' electro house, but the now UK-based Peo de Pitte (aka Peo Häggström) is building his own thing. He specialises in breakbeat for house parties in the dubstep era. And 2 Many DJs are members of the Peo de Pitte fanclub. The eccentric DJ/producer is returning to Australia, remembering his past two tours as “totally awesome”. “I was very happily surprised by your love for clubbing and the way you Aussies are getting down – you just lose it in a very good way!” Häggström enthuses, already “craving” sushi and beer.

Häggström's background is murky, but he apparently began spinning underground house and techno on Stockholm's airwaves. Before long, he was experimenting with a sampler, circulating original music from the early 2000s. “I realised quite early that trying to imitate others or to strictly follow genres doesn't do you any favours. Carving your own sound is essential for long-term success. I still can't really pinpoint what kind of genre I am – and I see that only as a good thing.” Häggström relocated to London four years ago. “I was at a point in my life where I thought things didn't really move on for me. I felt that I had to do something drastic. I was musically lost. Stockholm didn't have much going on for me at the time with the music I was doing. As soon as I got over to London, I finally got some recognition for the music I was doing – and that really inspired me a lot.” He misses friends, family and the food at home – and endeavours to visit regularly. “Nothing beats the Swedish summer – and a glance at the hot Swedish girls!”

The FlatOut Records boss, who describes his music style as “slightly foolish”, is best known for tracks like Dis Shire and remixes such as his one of Sidney Samson's Riverside). “Lately I have tried to strip my productions back a bit and to be more on point – although I still want all my tracks to be a bit of a laugh, really. I've always aimed for proper dancefloor bangers, but with a quirky twist.” He has no plans for an album, “as people's attention spans are so short at the moment.” Yet fresh music is in the pipeline. “I got lost in remixing last year, so now I'm trying to focus on four to five really strong singles from myself instead.” Currently, Häggström has a single Who Do You Love?, which recent DJ tourist Fatboy Slim has supported. He's also releasing a single with NAPT on Melbourne's Vicious Bitch.

EDM is forever changing, but of late radio-friendly electro house has “saturated” the market. Häggström predicts the “downfall of the R&B-sung Euro electro house phenomenon” and a guitar music revival – with dance slipping back underground, “which isn't really a bad thing.” “I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more groove get back into the drums in dance music.” He himself admires A-Trak, who's given him “great feedback”. “I was completely chuffed when he put one of my tracks on his latest Fool's Gold mixtape.”

Strangely, Häggström's bio touts him as “one of the most exciting new producers to emerge [from Sweden] since IKEA,” its author oblivious to Aussie jokes about IKEA furniture instantaneously falling apart. “I do remember when I was a little kid my Dad swearing and sweating every time he was assembling something from IKEA,” a sympathetic Häggström laughs. “Then, when his T-shirt was off and he was red in the face, I knew it was time to leave the room before things started to fly. There was always one screw or a bolt missing in the end and he had to return to IKEA, screaming at them. Saying that, I'm actually sitting on an IKEA sofa now and I managed to get it all together quite easily – maybe because the instructions were in Swedish?” Häggström promises to get 'floors Down Under bumpin', not bustin', with new tunes. “It will be groovy, sweaty and bouncy beats and me smiling behind the decks... I'll bring my best practical Swedish jokes!”