Theo Parrish – Southport 47 Preview

In the Croatian heat at our first SuncéBeat event, one DJ was trailed by crates of records as he made his was across the festival site to the Beach Bar where a packed terrace of Southport family old and new waited for a set that was for many the highlight of the weekend. Theo loves vinyl. ‘Yeah records are clumsy, they’re fragile, they take up space. Yeah you can damage ‘em. Yeah you gotta clean ‘em and yeah – guess what? – after a time they will wear out and you won’t be able to use ‘em again. But that’s how it is. That’s what it’s about.’

Theo built the bulk of his record collection in Kansas City. He received a scholarship to the Kansas City Art Institute where in 1994 he was awarded a degree with a concentration in sound sculpture, the discipline of orchestrating live and looped sounds from organic and electronic devices. This study also lent its name to Theo’s consistently brilliant and highly collectable record label.

Sound Signature recently put out a limted double-pack release from the relatively unknown Leron Carson. This sparked rumours about the identity of this mystery producer until Theo revealed that Carson is a lifelong friend from Chicago who he co-produced some early material with at the age of just fifteen. He had some of Carson’s solo work from this period on a cassette and decided to shed light on a talent who he believes has been sorely overlooked.

Presenting these older records alongside the finest new releases that are still bought from independent record shops as he travels the world, his wide ranging sets seem to stand outside time, genre and tempo. ‘Music is nothing to me but a language. It’s the method in which you command that language that makes you distinct, in any given form.’ Theo’s command of this language, this medium, and this dance floor make him one of the most sought after selectors in the scene. Musically, we don’t know what to expect this weekend. But our trust is in the music. We’re in safe hands!