The Roots of Patrick Topping

From underground tech house hero to chart-topping powerhouse, Patrick Topping has firmly carved out his place in dance music over the last decade. He earned his stripes through tireless hard graft, spirited innovation and an ear for the music that makes dancefloors erupt in rapture.

His path was mapped out for him many moons ago when he bought his first piece of music in the early ‘90s. It was a cassette of 2 Unlimited’s 1993 Eurodance classic “No Limit” and as a child he quickly became obsessed. Patrick didn’t know it at the time, but this purchase would set him off on a journey of nightclub residencies, hit singles, prestigious awards, adventures in foreign lands, unforgettable nights and dreams come true.

Growing up in North Shields in the North East of England, Patrick frequented the neighbouring city of Newcastle as a young clubber and budding DJ in the early ‘00s. The city has a vibrant club scene which attracts people from all over the north, a buzzing student community and it's nationally accepted that Newcastle is the definition of a “good night out”. Being guided by his love of dance music, a young Patrick went to see Sven Väth and Luciano when they played in Leeds in 2008, and later that year made his first trip to Ibiza.

In 2009 he made his DJ debut, which was at a working men’s club in Newcastle complete with strippers beside the booth. Forged in this furnace, he went on to DJ locally and promote events in the area, embedding himself in the clubbing scene in Tyneside. In 2013 his first music release came in the form of the Walk On EP, which came out on Hottrax, followed by the Any Amounts EP on Hot Creations. Both showcased a laser-focused tech house prowess, and a refreshing boldness.

Over the next ten years Patrick started his own label, Trick, collaborated with scene legends such as Kevin Saunderson and Green Velvet, played at the likes of Glastonbury and Tomorrowland, and now has a residency at the number one club in the world, Hï Ibiza. He’s gone through evolutions in his sound, exploring different styles and genres, and building an eclectic repertoire of house, techno and everything in between. Now the British master is on a path back to the tech house sound that he's known for.

You can catch Patrick with Dom Dolla at Hï Ibiza every Wednesday in the Club Room until September 2nd.

But first let’s find out how he became the artist he is today. Let’s dive into The Roots of Patrick Topping.

Jamie Jones and Lee Foss started the Hot Creations label in 2010 and it soon became synonymous with the deep house and tech house sounds that were taking hold of clubs at the beginning of the decade.

Deep house, broadly speaking, is house music with soul and smooth jazz influences. It can be melodic, warm, dreamy, and minimal, with DJs such as Larry Heard (AKA Mr Fingers) and Marshall Jefferson pioneering the laid-back sound in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Fast forward a couple of decades and Hot Creations were releasing both underground and mainstream deep house hits from the likes of Darius Syrossian and The Martinez Brothers, as well as label bosses Jamie and Lee themselves. "Hot Creations started out of a mutual love of house, techno, disco, soul and funk and a desire to start our own thing,” Lee Foss told Mixmag in 2017. From there it’s grown into an industry staple and much-loved imprint. It even has its own supergroup, Hot Natured, made up of Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Luca C and Ali Love.

“Hot Creations is genuinely my favourite label,” Patrick said speaking to Clash in 2019. “Jamie Jones has an unbelievable ear for music and unearthing new artists, he’s helped launch the career of so many artists, inducing myself. Not many labels have had as many hits within underground house music either.” He’s also shouted out Hot Creations signee wAFF as one of his all-time favourite producers, saying that there’s something “beautiful and unique” about wAFF’s song “Eclipse.

What started more as an approach to DJing and club nights, more so than a genre of music, has gone on to dominate superclubs and charts the world over. It’s a genre that combines the hard punch of techno and the buoyant groove of house; a marriage that has only grown stronger over time. The aforementioned Hot Creations is a label that championed the sound in the ‘10s but the story of the music starts much earlier.

The name tech house, and the early rumblings of the scene, can be traced back to Terry Francis, Nathan Coles and Evil Eddie Richards and their mid-90s London club night, Wiggle. The first wave of tech house that followed from then until the late ‘00s had a devoted underground following, and was being released by the likes of Booka Shade and Mr C.

This sound seeped into Patrick Topping’s psyche and inspired the music that he would go on to make. One of Patrick’s collaborators and inspirations, Green Velvet (AKA Cajmere) is also associated with the genre, and on tracks like “Dream States” from 1992 it’s easy to see why.

Patrick Topping found himself part of the next wave of artists building on the sound in the 2010s and taking it to previously unimaginable heights. He’s even topped the Beatport tech house charts over the years. The global adoration for tech house and the fresh crop of DJs that have emerged in the last decade have cemented it as one of the most popular electronic dance genres.

“Mákina is what I grew up on and it’s what a lot of the North East are still listening to”, Patrick said in an interview with DJ Mag in 2022. “I think that’s why in my set I quite like dropping in hard house stuff, Tidy Trax, older Dutch stuff, rave things or maybe even a trance track.” Mákina is a Spanish techno subgenre from the early ‘90s known for its breakneck tempo, bouncy basslines, and synthy euphoria. The sound traveled to the North East of England later in the ‘90s and took on a new life, drawing on influences from happy hardcore and trance, and with local MCs spitting rapid bars over it.

Patrick’s dad gave him his first mákina tape when he was 11, which was recorded at the New Monkey club in Sunderland. The club was a staple for 16 years, and hugely shaped the music taste of clubbers and the nightlife in that part of the world. Patrick Topping cites the music and that club as a big influence, and even plays mákina sets himself from time to time.

Catch Patrick Topping at Hï Ibiza’s Club Room every Wednesday until 3rd Sept. The in-demand Australian talent Dom Dolla is in the Theatre, making for the ultimate midweek party. Tickets and VIP tables are available now via the button below.