Whyt Noyz

In the space of just four years, English techno act WHYT NOYZ has risen from an unknown name to a staple of some of the world’s biggest electronic music labels. Now a solo project of David Sidley, WHYT NOYZ was formed in 2010 by two best friends to formulate their take on sleek, hard-grooving techno – having been raised on a shared diet of electronic and black music. Hip-hop, funk and soul all played formative roles before he discovered house music thanks to the likes of Joey Negro and Masters At Work and began playing in local clubs. His passion for techno soon followed. “As I got more into the electronics of sound and this symbiotic relationship between man and machine, I began to dig deeper” he recalls. The powerful rhythmic components of the WHYT NOYZ sound also give a nod to his background as a drummer – something he has been doing since the age of 6. He began producing in 2007. Fusing the groove of post-minimal techno with live percussive elements, deft rap samples and high-impact effects, WHYT NOYZ’s is a resolutely contemporary sound – but one that still gives subtle nods to his past. “As my creative mind has developed, so has the sound” he says of his blend of digital and analog. “It has evolved into something more considered and memorable. A sound that has a stronghold in something peak-time and driving but with melodic elements to help captivate the mind.” Catching Richie Hawtin’s ear with early production Volcano made for the perfect start to WHYT NOYZ’s career, with the track signed to his MINUS12 imprint and featured on the label boss’ Mixmag ‘New Horizons’ compilation. This huge seal of approval set Sidley on a fast track into the upper echelons of the techno scene, with Dubfire signing the Homewerk EP to his SCI+TEC Digital imprint after they met in Ibiza. The release landed in Beatport’s Top 40 Techno Chart, and led to a follow-up (They EP). Releases and remixes for Sian’s Octopus Black Label, Kaiserdisco’s KD Music and Monika Kruse’s Terminal M all followed, plus an appearance on Pan-Pot’s Sonne Mond Sterne compilation, cementing his reputation and vindicating Hawtin’s early belief in the WHYT NOYZ sound. Impressed by the success of Volcano, he signed the act up for a full release: Back To The Future EP. The Minus boss gave all four tracks heavy rotation during the 2013 season of his Space Ibiza night ENTER. He continues to play digital bonus track Meh Meh to this day. The EP hit Beatport’s Techno Chart Top 5, and received support from Pete Tong on Radio 1 - notably during his Glastonbury Essential Mix. The ongoing success of the partnership with Minus led to another five-track EP in 2014 (It Grows, supported by the likes of Adam Beyer) and a string of tour dates supporting Hawtin across the world. WHYT NOYZ played alongside him at the hallowed Ten Days Off in Belgium, between him and Disclosure at Kappa FuturFestival in Italy and in front of a home crowd at the legendary fabric in London. His sets continue to garner rave reviews, with bookings at Berlin’s Suicide Circus, Paris’ Le Tunnel (“1200 people going totally nuts, sweat dripping off the roof”) and in Glasgow, Toulouse, Montpellier, Amsterdam and Bonn to name a few. With a debut album Shapes in the works, it looks very much like WHYT NOYZ’s rapid ascent will continue and place him amongst the big leagues of electronic music. “My goal is simply to continue producing and play music” he says. “As my sound constantly develops, I feel energised to keep pushing to see where it goes. It is a drug for sure.”