Leftwing & Kody chat to Dubzy about their record label ‘Lost’ and playing for Viva Warriors at Sankeys, Ibiza
This is Dubzy every week day at Unity Radio. We speak to the leading artists on the dancehall scene today for the sound of the city feature. I am joined by the boys Left wing and Cody.
Dubzy: How are you Doing Guys?
Left Wing and Kody: How are you doing mate? We are all good; we are at a hot studio in London.
Dubzy: To start off with, could you tell us more about yourself for those who know your name but don’t know too much about you guys?
Left Wing and Kody: we are just a couple of normal guys who like music and always wanted to make music and stuff.
Dubzy: How did it all start out for you?
Left Wing and Kody: We both planned to have a studio making music as a second art at the time and then we just decided to jump into the studio to see what happens and it’s been a really long time.
Dubzy: Can you think of a particular point throughout your career when you though we can do this full time, this is what we want to do?
Left Wing and Kody: Yeah, there was a point when we discussed it and said look if it ever get to a point where we are just able to survive money wise as a DJ, let’s take a gamble and go for it. A lot less to lose, i was in a very great day jib, John took a massive pay cut from his day job so his was more of a financial gamble than mine was but it was a case of let’s do it lets give it a shot if we are in that position otherwise if we don’t try and we look back in five years’ time it will be like damn that was the opportunity and we didn’t take it then we probably wouldn’t be able to live with ourselves. So we haven’t worked now like in three years, we gave up our day jobs. i mean we still do day jobs what we were doing before the music was a full time job which is something we both kind of wanted. It’s been a dream. Take the jump and try and chase your dream or save them. Play them safe you know. We took the jump still going and it paid off.
Dubzy: Well done lads, for any of our listeners that will like to chase their dream as well, you got any advice you will like to throw out there to get started on their path?
Left Wing and Kody: in the beginning it’s literally like hours and hours spent in recording the sound so I’d say put the time in it.
Dubzy: when you started making your music, how did you know it was ready to show people?
Left Wing and Kody: you kind of never know even now we make tunes and we think they are absolute rubbish, finish it and you have to be brave and send it out to labels and that kind of stuff. if you are lucky enough to be playing out if not just test them out to hear is they are working or not but really or truly it’s when you get an email back from the person you send it to saying that they like the track and want to release them you obviously know you’ve done something right.
Dubzy: Talking about labels, you started one yourselves lost records which has been quite successful do you want to tell me a bit more about that?
Left Wing and kody: when we started the project we have always discusses having our own record label not only as a vehicle to put our own stuff but also people that were kind of coming through or supporting us and really putting us on our path and it really helped us out so that was the idea behind lost and yeah we are shocked by how quickly it’s taken off. Don’t get me wrong it’s a lot of handwork involved are kind of completely in control of the label. A lot of labels are kind of said to be owned by artists but they just completely hand it over to the management team to look after their label but everything is still completely controlled by us from the design to the release date and i think that’s why it’s really paid off. It’s been a great journey.
Dubzy: Do you have a favourite release from the label?
Left Wing and kody: we’ve always avoided this question. it’s like choosing a favourite child, i don’t think we could. We test the tracks out and they get a lot of play from but we like to think that we look after each release equally.
Dubzy: Great stuff, is there a vision where you want the label to go in five years or you are just happy to go with the flow?
Left Wing and Kody: we just want it to continue to put out really good music. that has always been the ethos behind it you know. As long as it keeps releasing some fantastic underground music i think we’ll be happy.
Dubzy: Let’s talk about Ibiza now; you guys have been doing a lot out there this season in Sankeys Ibiza as well Abode, old Magna Carta, and viva. Can you tell us about those nights, how have you found it so far?
Left Wing and Kody: Sankeys is always great. It’s our second season at Sankeys as well so there’s something slightly different about Sankeys compared to other clubs in Ibiza. It’s almost like a super club but it’s not it’s still got that underground feel to it. it’s a really well respected name also having the clubs in manchester really talks to and it’s a club we’ve always wanted to play at for so many years so when we first got booked at manchester party and it was great then we got a show for Sankeys ibiza last year. It’s really great to be back there and the parties have all been really great they’ve all been fantastic. last year we played the basement eight times and this year we are playing the lab just a different experience at Sankeys this year the bigger ceilings terrace feel so definitely good.
Dubzy: Are there any particular highlights that you can remember so far?
Left Wing and Kody: the last time we played for played for ibiza we really kind of spread our wings and went in different directions and it went really well so it’s a great platform to try and be able to experiment with stuff and when it works you get the payoff with the crowd really appreciating what you’ve done so that was cool.
Dubzy: yeah i have been to Sankeys Ibiza quite a few times as well and one thing you can say is that the crowd are quite open there as well to new things.
Left Wing and Kody: yeah, 100% and sometimes we really go hard techno and it’s good to see that it works.
Dubzy: Amazing one night i also want to talk you about as well is Solly groove at Vista clubs, I’ve heard a lot about the event this season, you’ve played there right?
Left Wing and Kody: yes, we did a last showcase with the guys are Solly groove at Vista, the first one was back in June and we have another one coming up a week today infact, i have never really been to vista before heard a lot of good things through the guys that have been attending do not sleep last year that it was a really cool space. The first one was a really good experience and we know the Solly groove’s guys really well Michael and Pozarr so it’s almost like a family feel when we are there.
Dubzy: I never knew it was Pozzar’s night
Left Wing and Cody: yes so he and Michael are involved in the label as well so yeah it’s like a big family thing when we play there so looking forward to next week catch up with them again and then we’ve got Christophe and Benny playing there as well that’s sounds like it’s going to be a resident.
Dubzy: That sounds sick, so what else do you have lined up for the rest of the season at Ibiza?
Left Wing and Kody: Next week Wednesday we will be playing at Loston Ibiza and then we have a lush showcase with Houstonian and then we got a couple more visit dates to finish, one in August and one in September. We’ve got about four or five more dates to go it should be good.
Dubzy: for those heading over to Ibiza for the first time, where are your favourite places to chill when you are not on the desk?
Left Wing and Kody: at Ibiza there are a lot of popular places to go but there are also lots of smaller islands. I went to colours and molly recently which is cool. There are lots of places to go just look at the map and go somewhere. There are also picturesque places to go and chill out at the northern parts of the island.
Dubzy: moving on, can we catch you guys in Manchester soon?
Left Wing and Kody: we are in Manchester at the end of the month with Callukeys we are doing a clique showcase with Solardo, Jercamis, Pirate Copy and Pit. looking forward to that haven’t been in manchester for ages i think the last one that we did was at Sankeys in April so looking forward to getting back up to manchester again because it’s always a good time out there.
Dubzy: have you played at gorilla before?
Left Wing and Kody: yes, our first gig outside of London was gorilla four years ago so really looking forward to it
Dubzy: finally can you tell the listeners where the best place to keep up with everything that is going on is?
Left Wing and Cody: we are on Facebook, sound cloud and Instagram.
