Panooc (they/them) returns to Fortune Signal with the club-ready 'Remedy EP,' the producer/DJ's followup to last year's 'Make It Real EP,' also on Fortune Signal. Inspired by the Scottish artist's time spent living in New York City and building community with the XOXA collective they co-founded, this EP embodies Panooc at their clubby best: powerful DJ weapons enhanced by their signature sound design, atmospherics, and musicality. This collection features two high energy, tech-infused house originals accompanied by a remix from Fortune Signal co-founder D.D. Curry.
We had the pleasure of interviewing them and this was the result.
You’ve had an impressive journey from a small rural village in Scotland to performing at renowned venues across the globe. How did your early experiences in Boston and NYC shape your approach to music?
Panooc: My experiences in Boston and NYC (and even during my 10 years of living in NYC) were quite different, not only with the music I was creating but also the times of my life. Studying and performing in Boston for 6 years was an incredible experience for me, not only for the formative Jazz studies I was doing then but also being surrounded by the large and diverse community of people doing different kinds of music and being eager to learn and grow - I would say that aspect has always stayed with me, wanting to learn new things, dig into new ideas within myself and from others, and evolve not only as an artist but as a person. As for my time in NYC, I did shift quite considerably over a few years in what kind of music I wanted to pursue. I always loved electronic music, even within the jazz and classical side of things and got heavily into learning how to produce it when I first moved to NYC. I began to find more acceptance in my identity and passions in the wider dance music community too, whilst also coming to terms with the importance of maintaining some personal values along the way.Â
You started as a jazz saxophonist but are now known for your contributions to house and techno. How has jazz influenced your work in electronic music?
Panooc: It’s been a big influence in the theoretical sense - I feel very fortunate to have that musical background under me with topics such as arrangement, harmony and melody - but I would say that to really have things ingrained, you just have to constantly practice it. That being said, the most important thing for me has been keeping my ears trained - much of the time (at least for me) with writing this music and especially mixing it afterwards, you need to listen to things (such as production or elements of a track) over and over again, and I know people can pick up these skills without formative musical training and really create some amazing music with it. You just have to be prepared and accepting to put in the hours working on it, even if sometimes it can drive you a bit crazy and you have many moments feeling a bit stuck with a process. Often when I sit down to write music, the ideas will be quite spontaneous and without too much planning ahead, which is what I love about writing.
You’ve worked and played alongside some legendary artists like Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, and Todd Edwards. How have these collaborations influenced your sound and artistic development?
Panooc: I had the opportunity to work with Bootsy and Fred years ago in Boston, where we played their music and spent time gaining band-based skills - how to interplay with one another without being too tied down to a fixed structure with the music. I really learned a lot from that. Todd was much later in NYC and was notable for me as it was my first time opening for a famous DJ - I was quite star-struck as Todd is a favorite of mine and he was also a sweetheart. At that time in NYC, it was mostly House and Tech House floating around in the main clubs then so it was a breath of fresh air to put together some more UKG-influenced music in my set then and I would say that exploratory aspect has stayed with me since.
Your music has been played in iconic venues like Panorama Bar/Berghain and on platforms like BBC Radio. What does it feel like to have your tracks resonate in such influential spaces?
Panooc: It’s been a really great feeling over the last few years to see that, with my own personal musical growth (especially where writing is concerned), other people are supportive of it too! It makes me look back on the years I spent toiling away, the moments where I was just feeling I couldn’t break through with a solid idea I liked and fast-forward to now: feeling great to be in a place where I feel good and genuine about the music I’m making and some of the people, places and establishments I respect do too.Â
XOXA NYC is an important part of your journey. Can you tell us more about the collective and its mission within the NYC music scene?
Panooc: XOXA NYC was started by my partner, Kira Ibanez, over 7 years ago and it’s been a pretty big part of my life for the last 6. The long standing intention of XOXA is to provide space for marginalized artists and club-goers in the dance music community without excluding anyone or any style. There aren’t that many collectives in NYC that are women (or non-binary)-run, and I think a big part of it is because it’s really hard in many big, competitive, cities to keep them going and not lose motivation or steam. When I was invited into the collective years ago, I’ve always used the mindset that comes with practice (like in music) that you have to persevere and also remind yourself of why you’re doing this thing you’re passionate about. With XOXA, we’re there for a well-intentioned community, connecting people within it, and also to bring new music or nights to the scene that aren’t necessarily happening regularly. We’re really fortunate to have the spaces and people recognize the work that we’ve put in over the years, as it’s been something we’ve been working solidly and hard at.
You’ve released music on a variety of labels, including queer-centered ones like Others To The Front. How do your values influence the way you approach your music releases and collaborations?
Panooc: Within reason, I’m always pretty open to collaborating with artists I know well as it’s a good learning experience on method, ideas and personalities. As for releases and collaborations, if a label approaches me for music and I know of them, I’ll usually try to send music that might fit their label; when it comes to sending music to labels, I really tend to prefer working with more boutique labels because it’s just a more personal and often meaningful experience/relationship. There’s more of a mutual respect involved. I have come to find I love the more indie route to releasing and collaborating, and have seen similarly great outcomes to those that go the more mainstream label route. For example, the EP I’m releasing this month, ‘Remedy,' is on a great NYC-based label Fortune Signal, who I’ve worked with for my last solo EP and a collaborative EP with friend and producer/DJ, D.D. Curry - they’re some of my favorite people to work with because they take a lot of time, care and effort with each release and although they’re more boutique in nature, I love their values for artists so I always have them in mind for the music I write.
What role do you think electronic music plays in fostering inclusivity and self-expression on the dance floor?
Panooc: The roots of popular electronic music has always been rooted in creating an inclusive space for all, especially those who are marginalized, and although the mainstream electronic scene doesn’t always do the best job of centering marginalized artists and dancefloors, and some cities and countries have prohibitions on nightlife and clubs, there is still a good amount of spaces and places that strongly maintain those core values. I’ve found personally that electronic music and the community involved has been pretty welcoming to people from all backgrounds, and that’s a great thing to see and experience because not all music scenes are as diverse in that regard. Â
Having played in diverse venues like Sisyphos in Berlin, Dalston Superstore in London, and House of Yes in NYC, how do the different crowds and atmospheres in these cities influence your performances?
Panooc: When I first started DJing out in different countries, the most interesting takeaway was how the dancefloor cultures varied from place to place - often there’s an expectation that the dancers or vibe of a night is based upon very specific consequences (even if they’re random), but different countries and cities have quite different clubbing cultures. In cities such as Berlin and London, for example, the venues are more spread out and the dance floors are usually pretty committed to being there for the duration of the night, so I often come with a lot of energy, yet with room to explore as the dancers are usually excited for that journey. It’s been a while since I last DJ’ed in NYC, but the clubs are more concentrated in one place these days and the dancefloors often felt more transitory vibe-wise in comparison, so I would account for that energy with my sets in the past. Overall though, each place has had a pretty big impact on how and what I enjoy playing in my DJ sets, and I’m super thankful for that.
With the evolution of technology in music production and DJing, how do you balance your love for instrumentalism with the digital side of creating music?
Panooc: I must admit that recently I’ve been creating music more digitally than with purely live instrumentation because I’m often traveling or working with a minimal recording setup due to moving house, city or country (which has been a bit of a constant through most of my adult life). I do try to incorporate saxophone when appropriate to the track and use my piano skills with creating melodies and harmonies. Perhaps once I have more resources and time in my hectic life, I’ll get myself a bass guitar and try out some bass lines on productions at some point!
Looking ahead, are there any exciting projects or collaborations you’re currently working on that you can share with us?
Panooc: This month sees the release of my newest EP ‘Remedy,’ out on Fortune Signal, with a stellar remix by D.D. Curry! October & November I’ve taken some time out to work on new music, as the last 6 months were quite a whirlwind with international gigs and events but in December I’ll be back in Berlin and then in Vienna for my first time to play with a great House music collective Love-Fi. Then, in 2025 I’m looking forward to starting a bi-monthly residency with XOXA NYC at one of our favorite venues in Edinburgh (which will be announced in the coming months, so don’t quite know if I can announce yet!). Otherwise, I’m really looking forward to the future, and exploring the world and the music more!
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