SR: What do you think makes Circus Records different from other record labels?

Doctor P: We have always tried to focus on quality over quantity. We have a kind of checklist of things we believe makes a track really great, and we try not to release music that doesn’t check all the boxes. Also, an organisation is only as good as the people who run it, and we’re lucky to have a good team running everything behind the scenes.

SR: How long does a track take you on average to produce from start to finish?

Doctor P: It varies massively from track to track. I’ve made an entire track in a couple of hours before, but I’ve also spent months on a track. Usually it’s the ones that come together quickly that end up being the most successful. I think it’s because when I’m really inspired I work quickly.

SR: What was the inspiration behind your new track “Bubblehead?”

Doctor P: I’ve been really inspired by producers like Diplo and DJ Snake making dancefloor music without using really hard sounds. I wanted to do something similar with ‘Bubblehead’. I think it’s one of the first tracks I’ve released that doesn’t have a really dominant synth bass. ‘Bubblehead’ was never really intended for release, but everybody I played it to seemed to like it, so we’ve ended up doing it as a single release.

SR: Did you produce a lot of it on the road or back in the studio?

Doctor P: I started the track in my hotel room in LA when me and Cookie Monsta had a couple of days off, and I finished the track back at home in my studio. Most of my tracks seem to start life in hotel rooms or on planes.

SR: For fans that haven’t heard it, or what want your perspective, what can fans expect from this track?

Doctor P: I feel like the track has the classic Doctor P vibe with none of the classic Doctor P sounds. I’m hoping it’s still recognisable as one of my tracks!

SR: Describe your creative process when producing Bubblehead.

Doctor P: The life of the track started with the horns and vocal sample on the intro. I went through lots of different ideas for the drop, and I eventually decided to simplify it as much as possible, so I made a the drop by stretching and pitching the vocal sample. I was unsure whether it might be a bit cliche to use the horn samples, as there are so many tracks around at the moment that are using the exact same sounds. In the end I just thought screw it and decided to keep them in there.

SR: Where/when did you first play this track live?

Doctor P: I can’t remember exactly where I first played it, but I do remember the first time I saw somebody else play it, which is really when I get a proper feel for how a track goes down. Flux played it at Emmaboda Festival in Sweden while I was standing down by the side of the crowd. It was the first time I got a real idea of how the track sounded on a big system, which is always a good moment.

SR: Did you make a lot of changes to the track after feeling it out in shows?

Doctor P: I will often go back to my hotel room after shows and make small changes to tracks. I am usually tweaking a track right up until the moment it’s scheduled for release. My tracks are never really finished; eventually I just have to accept how they sound and move onto the next track.

SR: How do you think your music has evolved overtime?

Doctor P: I think over the last few years my music has become a bit more complex, and I think a bit more polished. I do try to keep the same vibe with all my tracks, as I think it’s the vibe, rather than the sounds, that people respond to. It can be hard to keep up with the advance of the scene, but I try to do my own thing and stay slightly separated from the rest. It can be risky, but I think it’s good to be slightly different from the crowd.
Don’t forget to support Doctor P and purchase Bubblehead here.