Winston Giles aka Sir Winston has had a prolific career – with many acclaimed releases under different monikers, and in September 2023 dropped a new Sir Winston EP ‘Démons à Combattre’. Written in Paris and Recorded in Brooklyn, New York, the EP presents a throwback to the Bloghaus era, with catchy indie dance/electroclash tracks such as ‘Perfectly Numb’ and ‘Sex in Paris’
To accompany the EP he’s also released four killer Tech House remixes, the latest being Fashion Is A Drug (Remix).
This unholy concoction of electroclash and tech house is a savage, mind-bending trip that’ll have you questioning the very fabric of reality. As the relentless basslines and frenetic synths swirl around you, you’ll find yourself immersed in a hedonistic, dystopian soundscape. It’s a sinister and hallucinatory experience and a wild ride – surrender to the madness!
Hi Winston, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today! How has the year been treating you?
It’s been an amazing year – I released a lot of music and DJ’d all over the world.
Where do you think the impulse to create music comes from for you?
It’s something that I’m drawn to do – almost like I don’t have a choice. Music pumps my blood and creating music is a lifelong vocation.
You’ve lived in various different places – is there one in particular where the music scene really stands out, or made a real impact on your own musical direction?
I have a soft spot for my hometown Melbourne, Australia. After many years living and touring hard rock and punk bands in the USA I returned to Melbourne in the early 2000’s and dived into the Melbourne club scene and started working with local DJ’s and producers. I released a lot of electronic music in different genres – house, downtempo, chill out and techno. Melbourne has an amazing club scene and it’s a huge part of the fabric of the city. People are very committed to their clubbing there and really support the scene. But musically I have a huge love for underground New York music. Bloghaus artists. LCD Soundsystem for example.
Is it fair to say you only recently discovered the delight of tech house, and DJing? What was it that drew you in?
When I started DJ’ing I realized it was a total rush. I love bringing people together with music and there’s not really any rules, so the punk attitudes that are deep in my DNA I can push through with my DJ sets. I like to create moments of mayhem and chaos. With Tech House there’s also a subtle level of sophistication and precision to it that I enjoy, whilst the boundaries are still really broad. I listen to more tech house music these days than anything else.
Your latest single is your own remix of Fashion Is A Drug. How does remixing your own music take shape in the studio?
The tracks on my latest EP don’t work in my DJ sets. The EP was a throwback to Bloghaus – a concept record. With the remixes I wanted to make sure that they would work when I play out. I actually love remixing my own tracks. The pressure is off in a way, and we know the direction and mission, so we have a lot of fun doing it. I have reference tracks and we listen to a lot of music whilst in the studio, and we experiment a lot.
It’s a high-energy track – is that something that’s important for you, to make your audience sit up and pay attention?
Absolutely. I like to make music that I love and would go – yasssss!!! – if I ever heard it out. I like big festival vibes. I like music that makes you go crazy. There is a wild element to what I’m doing.
Tell us about your current studio set up – any particular bits of go-to kit you find yourself returning to?
I work out of a studio in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York called Transmitter Studios. I’ve been working there for years with my long-time collaborator Abe Seiferth. I love it – it’s full of amazing vintage synths and loads of gear. It has a perfect vocal booth. Abe is a real gearhead so there is always something new that we can mess with. We use a synth made by Alessandro Cortini from Nine Inch Nails called the Make Noise Strega a lot, it makes very spooky cool sounds. We also use The Moog Matriarch for more big bass sounds.
Which artists are currently exciting or inspiring you?
There are some Australian DJ’s releasing great stuff – Torren Foot, Airwolf Paradise and Dom Dolla. I’m also playing out ESSEL, Adrian Hour and Sidepiece. I get inspired by artists who take big risks and push boundaries. I respect an artist who puts on a great show and understands that it’s entertainment – showbusiness!
I also still listen to a lot of heavy and intense music too. I’m constantly playing TOOL at the gym, and Nine inch Nails. I went and saw LCD Soundsystem in New York last week – they always blow me away.
What should we expect from you for the rest of 2023 and into next year?
I’m back in Australia and getting ready to play a lot here over summer and a new release we just finished will be coming out the start of February 2024.