After packing his bags and relocating downunders earlier in the decade, the newly christened big man of Australian dance music Klaus Hill has undergone a bit of a personal reinvention over that past few years. Encapsulated in the wobbly basslines and 4/4 beats of last year’s runaway hit Bombaclart, he’s gradually moved away from his the breakbeat sounds of his Klaus ‘Heavyweight’ Hill persona and embraced the possibilities of nasty underground house. But the flip side of this repositioning is that he’s found himself getting a little fidgety every now and then. Fidget house, that is.

While generally he remains committed to releasing his work on the mighty Hussle, his new Dirt Driver EP has been snatched up by US imprint Potty Mouth, which is also now home to fidget house sensation The Crookers! That’s a vote of confidence in the new sound and direction of Klaus Hill if ever there was one. ITM finds out more.

You recently got back from a joint tour of China with Goodwill. What’s the music scene like there compared to Australia? Any funny stories from your trip that you would like to share?

China is crazy. You can head into a club on a Monday night and there will be a thousand people in somewhere like Babyface or Richie, it makes Australia seem so tame! Musically they are open to most styles. It’s still really new and fresh for them and they just want to soak it all up. It’s not about being into the latest cool act, wearing the right clothes or being seen in the right place, which Australia is very guilty of. We will see what it’s like in 5 years, if anything changes, but I honestly can’t see that happening. At the moment China is a clubbing Mecca, right up there with the best of them.

As for funny stories, I was with Goodwill, one of the funniest men I’ve ever had the pleasure of touring with. Every day was like a comedy movie. We will be posting some video footage up soon so you can see what we got up

I understand this wasn’t your first trip to China, how often do you play there?

I’ve been out to China so many times now. Anders who runs Babyface, the club I play at, is a very good friend of mine and Will. I actually go out to hang out with him as much as playing in his clubs. Both him and his brother are top geezers and I love them. I’ve spent so much time with Anders he is like family now.

Just recently you signed the Dirt Driver EP to the US label Potty Mouth, which recently also signed the Crookers! How did that all happen?

I wrote Dirt Diver in Meat Katie and Dylan Rhymes’ studio while I was in Europe on tour at the start of the year and they loved it. It was originally just something for my own DJ sets, to keep things fresh, but the HeavyFeet guys heard it and suggested sending it over to James at Potty Mouth and he got back to me straight away wanting to sign it.

Potty Mouth is known for having the best of the best artists in the wobble/fidget scene on board. Does this mean you have switched up your style?

I’ve been developing a new sound and direction over the past 2 years. I’ve said this before on ITM, but Australia has had a big influence on me as a DJ and a producer. I’ve been writing dance music for 10 years, mainly breakbeats, but with the odd house and techno record chucked in for good measure. I just needed a fresh start. I moved to the other side of the world, started a whole new life here in Oz, so you can say the same for my music. It’s taken a while to find a sound and style I’m happy with, but that’s half the battle with producing – creating that unique sound all of your own.

Tell us about the tracks on the E.P. – is there one main track from the E.P. that you would especially like to see doing well?

The EP is a 3 tracker. We got a HeavyFeet remix of Dirt Diver, which is hot. I’m really into them at the moment. Those guys are a perfect example of an act developing a unique sound. Then there is Microphone Check, which features the vocal talents of Sydney’s MC Losty. I’ve worked with Losty for years and was always on about getting him to come in the studio and lay down some vocals. This was a perfect opportunity; his voice was made for this track. This is the one I’d like to see do really well, give Losty some well-deserved international recognition.

You’ve been getting massive support from some big name DJs out there, any feedback you were particularly stoked with?

It’s always nice getting good reactions back from big name DJ’s, strokes your ego! I’ve had support from Jesse Rose, Switch, Trevor Loveys, all those types of DJs. But best ones are always the ones from DJ’s you would not expect to ever play one of your records. For me this past 12 months that’s been Sister Bliss from Faithless and Tom Stephan.

When we can people get there hands on your EP, and will it be available in stores or online?

It’s a digital release only, available on Beatport from 7th July.

Your single Bombaclart really put you on the map in 2007, were you surprised with its success?

I was surprised with the reaction it got here in Australia. It was written with a UK crowd in mind, but Goodwill kept telling me that when he played it out it was the biggest tune in his sets. Same with Ben Morris. I remember getting a phone call from Will during one of his Big Day Out sets and he was playing it and I could hear the crowd singing along. You can’t get better then that!

You have a huge reputation for belting out thumping remixes, are there any your currently working on that you’d like to tell us about?

I’ve been pretty busy recently with remixes. I’ve just finished one for Micky Slim’s new label Bomb Squad. It’s for a HeavyFeet track he’s signed Rude Bwoi, so I was well happy to be doing that one. I’ve also just finished a remix for Dylan Rhymes. It’s a track from his new album, called I Am Sweet and I’m really happy with it, very driving! In the pipeline I’m just about to start a remix for Potty Mouth. It’s a track called Pianoman by a couple of UK producers called Scott Cooper and Andy George. I’m really excited about this one because the original is such a wicked track and I’ve got so many good parts to work with. Still trying to make up my mind what I’m going to do with it because the original is just so good!

You have a new single coming out soon with a ‘Ragga House’ sound to it, care to elaborate?

I might be releasing this EP on Potty Mouth, but Hussle is my home. Tim, Andrew and Aden over at the label have been so supportive of the new project and have let me take it where I want. After Boombaclart I wanted to see where I could take the whole ragga sound. I brought Spikey Tee back in (he did the vocal on Boombaclart) and we set about writing something that was like nothing else out there. We messed about with the beats, deciding not to go with a straight 4/4 and Spikey brings that proper ragga vibe with his vocal. I can’t really explain the sound of track, you will just have to wait to hear it in the coming months. Initial vibes from the few people that have heard are really, really good and we have a Toddla T remix being done as well.

You seem to be taking your music in all sorts of directions, do you think some artists limit themselves to just one unique sound within all of their productions?

It’s good to have a recognisable sound to your productions. By that I mean the production techniques and quality. But limiting yourself to just one style is such a narrow-minded view. For dance music styles to progress and move on you need fresh ideas, so messing around with other styles can help push you in the right direction. It’s all about listening, absorbing, taking ideas, developing them and making them your own, and you can’t do that being a purist.

If you could describe the new Klaus Hill sound to us in ten words of less what would you say?

Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bom, Bombaclart!

You seem to be quiet busy with touring, producing and remixing what does Klaus Hill like to do when you get time to yourself?

I’m an avid PC gamer. At the moment most of gaming time is spent playing Age of Conan. But I also love Team Fortress 2 and the ever faithful Battlefield 2. When I’m not so busy with studio work and dj’in I even play in competitive leagues for Team Fortress. I also enjoy a bit of freshwater fishing. I’ve spent many hours out on the Nepean river fishing for big carp.

Klaus Hill’s Dirt Driver EP is available now on Beatport, catch him at the following upcoming gigs…

11th July – Sublime, Home, Sydney
12th July – Wham, World Bar, Sydney
25th July – Sublime, Home, Sydney
26th July – Hussle @ Family Brisbane