Terminal V Podcast 079 || LB aka LABAT

LB aka LABAT DJs with real flare. The Frenchman is happy to his own personality shine through in the way he plays, as well as with what he plays. His high-energy, extroverted sound is a blend of inspirations from the UK, Australia and his homeland and it collides a wide array of techno, bass, breaks and more. His Rinse FM show finds him showcasing an ever-wide range of sounds while his own productions are pure club dynamite and come on labels like Steel City Dance Discs and D.KO Records.
LB aka LABAT has also innovated with his own label, Poumpet Records, where he drops one new single a month in order to keep fans as up-to-date as possible with the exact tunes he was making at that time. Read on for more about that as well as his love of, and approach to, playing longer sets, where his inspirations come from and much more.
You often like to play all night long – how differently do you approach a longer set? What are the challenges of playing that way, what are the joys?
Of course for a 1H set i plan a bit more the tunes and try to fit in as much music as i can and try to give a glimpse of my musical ranges. When it comes to all night longs i can just do that for longer and dive deeper in each sections. I was just used to play very long sets 15 years ago and kept doing it, i played long records for hours and hours so it never felt challenging. Nowadays even though I don’t play records anymore i play with the cdj’s a bit like turntables, and still have that feeling. I just love being with the crowd for a long time, the more the better !
You often like to play all night long – how differently do you approach a longer set? What are the challenges of playing that way, what are the joys?
I’ve always played like this. I just love being behind the decks and play tunes for the crowd, i’ve never lost that feeling. I’m always very into the music i play and try to have fun behind the booth, since the crowd is very much turned to the dj and there is nothing very fancy to watch ( as per a solo playing live on a guitar ) i try to show people i’m enjoying the moment and usually they give it back. I think there are a lot of dj’s that are extravagant behind the booth lately and i love it, i also like when the dj is playing bangers and don’t move , it’s kinda badass. So for me both work 🙂
How much is your sound a product of the French scene and music you grew up around vs music you have heard from the UK and Aus? Where does your musical heart lay?
Growing up with Daft punk , Motorbass and ED Banger i was always into the heavy sampling side of the production, my first gear was a MPC 2000 XL and when i copped the gear, i instantly knew where the sound was coming from 🙂 But also, i was living at the german border when i was a teenage , and had the techno records very early so it opened up a wide world in front of me. I must say that i was very and still very fan of the Australian artists and sound that they brought here in Europe , speaking of Mall Grab , Haai , partiboi69 skin on skin just to name a few. It’s just crazy how many talented artists come from there ! This sound had a big impact on my productions.
My heart lays in good music 🙂
You never seem afraid to be seen to having fun when you play, which is not always the case with serious techno DJs. Is it important for you to keep it real like that?
Sooo important to have fun! I’m in a very lucky position as a DJ/producer/artist. I know I have total freedom to be myself. Why not enjoy it? I’m pretty self-serving when I DJ. I play songs that make me happy, whether they’re strange and experimental or cheesy and poppy. Because I grew up playing to very basic crowds, I get so excited playing the music I want to play. So ya, how could I not be having a good time?
What’s the goal with Poumpet Records? Why do one single a month? How have you found the challenge? Are you not worried that makes the music throwaway?
It was a concept label that only had a 12 month purpose. And it was mostly club music so i don’t think that it was throwaway, you had one more track to play from me every month if you liked, that was nice 🙂
At that time I was releasing more records and the production delays and the whole thing took ages to see it release, sometimes music that was maybe 1 or 2 year old was getting released.
I wanted to change that , and have people hearing the fresh music i was doing at the very moment. It was challenging due to the schedule, but also very intense to see so many tunes being released.
Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, and what you wanted it to say.
I recorded this set at Rinse studio in Paris.
I tried to fit in as many vibes and moods as I could. Playing tunes from friends , promos from sick producers and some unreleased music from myself. It’s very club oriented
What gear did you use, is that important to you in any way whether in the booth or studio?
I used 2 CDJ’s 3000 and a DJM 900 mixer. I’m kinda new to the whole CDJ world and I must use 5 % of its capabilities , so for me if it reads my tracks I’m good ! Mixer wise , I like the V10 pioneer mixer because of the Master rotary filters , I love cutting in them.
In the studio, one of the most important things for me is how the room feels. I like design furnitures and big speakers. the rest is in your head.
What are you working on for the rest of the year?
I’m working on staying healthy the best I can. See my friends and family the best i can, and right now i’m working on my forthcoming album.
Thank you for hosting my set and the questions 😉 peace !
Interview by Kristan Caryl