Stephen Brown is a Scottish artist on fine form at present and is one who’s been a resident making a name for himself behind the scenes at the likes of Edinburgh’s Terminal V and the likes of NightVision. We speak with Stephen ahead of the long-awaited return of Terminal V and discuss what the feeling is like in Scotland for nightlife, his balance with marriage and DJ’ing, and how he views the role of a resident.

Terminal V is set to take palace 16th-17th April. Buy Tickets HERE

WWD: How are you, what has 2022 started like for you?

I’m good and 2022 has got off to a good start actually not just the dance floors opening but the creative juices are flowing. So, I can finish remixes and concentrate on future releases.

WWD: Congratulations on getting married! How hard is it to balance personal life with the late-night demands and weekends away that’s one with DJing?

Thank you. I’ve been engaged while Djing/ producing for 26 years so I’ve had enough practice to create the perfect balance. My wife has been very patient and I feel blessed to be married.

WWD: What is the scene in Scotland like right now, we know it has been very challenging for nightlife lately, but now looking on the up with lots of creative talents coming through and quality parties.

Scotland’s buzzing right now and some of the world’s best and up-and-coming artists play here frequently. We might not have sunny beaches but we know how to throw a party, especially Nightvision and Terminal V.

WWD: How different is the scene now, in general, compared to the 90s when you first emerged? what’s better and what’s worse, do you think?

What’s better is festivals allow people the chance to meet the acts and artists that they may only have heard on social media or seen on Boiler Room or HOR in Berlin. I don’t think anything has got worse although I do miss fortnightly clubs and the vibe and following they had.

WWD: Is there a certain sound or style that marks the Scottish techno scene out as unique and different in any way do you think?

Scotland has always been a great melting pot of Chicago & Detroit styles and even now you can hear that in most of the artists’ music.

WWD: ..and what is your signature sound as a DJ? Do you always have an underlying mission when you step up to play, to educate, amaze, edify, or anything?

I guess my sound lends itself to Detroit but when I play anything goes. I’ve been doing warm-up sets recently and it’s a challenge to keep it deep and build up gradually. That’s the most important part.

WWD: You play as a resident at Terminal V’s grand return soon. What can we expect from you at the festival?  It’s been a long time coming since the last event back in 2019.

From the live set perspective, I will be adding a few pieces of new equipment. My live set consists of mostly unreleased music of mine which goes back over 10 years. My DJ set will expect some old-school and new releases with the usual swinging drums.

WWD: What do you see as the role of resident, what’s the aim of playing early or late?

Playing early is the biggest challenge. You have to work the crowd and flow with them holding back until the right moment, increasing in tempo and volume gradually over time.

Playing late has its challenges too although you generally get away with more. For me, it’s important to have a good intro and last track that’s what people remember most. Elli Acula did exactly that recently at NightVision with an excellent vocal intro which had the crowd fully engaged and eager to start dancing.