A chat with Laidlaw ahead of MiNT Festival...

Established firmly within London's vibrant cityscape, Laidlaw has emerged as a pioneer, infusing his unique sound that sets dance floors ablaze with invigorating vitality every time he graces the DJ booth.

The progression of the music realm hinges on the unwavering efforts of select individuals who persistently explore and stretch the confines of sound into uncharted territories. These trailblazers seek novel perspectives within the existing and endeavor to construct new movements from the very foundation. Laidlaw unquestionably ranks among these innovative figures, catering to the fresh cohort of revelers.

In recent years, as a Co-Founder of Beeyou, he has orchestrated a movement, channeling his brand's ethos towards cultivating the quintessential ambiance for immersive sonic experiences. His streak of impactful events has left an indelible mark on the UK's social scene, ushering in a paradigm shift in the art of revelry.

His ventures at both FUSE and Infuse gatherings serve as a tangible manifestation of his avant-garde musical philosophy, constantly propelling ahead, venturing into unexplored realms and untrodden paths of the underground culture. We caught up with him ahead of Leeds’ MiNT Festival for a quick chat…

You’ve had a busy year so far with some incredible performances at UNUM, Gottwood, Glastonbury not to mention a number of wicked global club gigs - how have you been finding it all, have there been any standouts sets?

It’s been an amazing year so far, I’m starting to learn how to balance out work and play (still got a lot to learn though haha) but absolutely loving it… stand out gigs for me so far have been, FUSE @  Printworks in March, and then at Gottwood this year in the Walled Garden stage, everything just aligned and created the most magical experience! 

‍You have a forthcoming release on Gottwood Festival’s label Gottwax - how long have you been producing for and do you ever feel there comes a point where you feel you’ve mastered your craft?

Well my first intro to music production was actually back in 2011 - That was on FL studio trying to make rap/hip-hop beats at my local youth center. I’ve been diving in and out the realm of production ever since, gone from FL to Logic to now Ableton and now hardware….. But I’ve only started to take things more seriously since lockdown (2020) if I'm being honest. And in terms of mastering the craft, I think that will never happen as there's always room to grow and learn.

Do you have any other releases you can tell us about?

Nothing I can share with you right now but I currently have a playlist of 38 tracks that I want to release this year/next year which was narrowed down from 300+/. Keep your eyes and ears peeled. 

You also have your own label and events series Beeyou - why did you choose this name?

It all started in Ibiza. I was there in the winter with a friend Jamie (Just Jam) and we wanted to start a new music project, we didn't know what we wanted to do but we knew we wanted it to represent being original, and being yourself… Long story short, while on a walk we came across this majestic looking blue carpenter bee and then ended up helping it as it was in trouble. So we decided to dedicate the project to that bee and turned ‘be yourself’ into ‘Beeyou’.

How do you find juggling a label and running events while also DJing?

If it wasn't for the amazing team and friends I have around me, I don't think it would be possible, it’s a balance of getting the right people to take care of the right things at the right time. Which is not easy and has taken years of mistakes to get to the point we are at now.

You are also playing at this year’s MiNT Festival and have an affiliation with MiNT Warehouse in Leeds - have you played at the festival before?

Yes I'm really looking forward to MiNT festival, it’s always an amazing family vibe with the MiNT crew, I've never played the festival before so I’m really looking forward to ticking that one off the list….. I have been playing for mint for around 8 years now, the first time was when the MiNT club was still open and in full force.. So yeah big up the MiNT team, can’t wait <3.

Can you select a few acts from the MiNT Festival line up you’d recommend to our readers to go and see?

From the headliners I’d say, Chaos in the CBD, Enzo Siragusa, Kolter & Sweely would be my fav’s but there's also some great upcoming acts, especially the ‘Follow The Motive’ crew. Not forgetting the top selectors Annie Errez & Bobby O’Donnell.

What else do you have on for the rest of the year?

Can’t reveal too much just yet, but have some great shows in ADE planned and also another Aus & NL tour at the end of this year.

Buy tickets for MiNT Festival here

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