Martin Ikin has been a cornerstone of the house music scene for decades, with releases on iconic labels like Toolroom, Defected, Repopulate Mars, Ultra, BlackBook, and more. Recognized as one of the world’s top producers, he was Beatport’s best-selling tech house artist in 2021 and 2022 and remains in the all-time top 10. A trained studio engineer and jazz pianist, his versatility shines through both in his productions and acclaimed remixes for artists such as Mariah Carey, Jamiroquai, MK, and Chris Lake. In 2025, he launched his long-awaited label Know Where Records in collaboration with Toolroom, creating a fresh platform for new talent and sounds. We at LoudLife are excited to have had the chance to speak with him.
Interview With Martin Ikin:
Hi Martin, I’m Veronika from LoudLife. I saw you at Beats for Love festival and honestly, that was one of the best sets of the festival! How did you enjoy playing in such a big industry environment in Ostrava?
Hi Veronika, that’s very kind of you to say so. Actually that was one of my favourite gigs in recent times. The venue in the old steel works I think it is was insane. It looked like we were in an old Mad Max dystopian movie, definitely one of the best venues ever and it really suited the music vibe too.
I honestly really enjoy playing there because the crowd were just so responsive. I think the surroundings had set the mood perfectly.
This summer you’ve played everywhere from NYC rooftops to huge UK festivals. How does your approach differ between an intimate club set and a massive outdoor crowd?
I think the difference with those big outdoor festival type shows is, they like to hear a couple of things they know, so they can all join in a bit more. Whereas with the intimate shows you can be a bit more adventurous with the new stuff.
The Rush with Hayley May is such an energetic track, can you tell me the story behind it and how you worked with her vocals?
Yes, Rush came from a writing session I set up with myself and a handful of song writers and singers in London back in 2021, as I wanted to get some more songs done, rather than just club bangers all the time.
I’d written a load of piano chords so we could write to them, it’s easier than just having a baseline or drum beat, as the chords will dictate the vibe and style of the song. This really worked well for the writing. But the piano was also the reason it took me so long to work on the project. As I really didn’t want to put another piano track out because i’d had a couple out already.
So it actually got forgotten about for a few years, until I loaded it back up again, and with fresh ears and a fresh perspective I instantly knew what it needed – throw the piano away and make some new music haha. And now I’m really happy with it. I love this song so I wanted to make sure I did it justice and not just put any old music to it. Hopefully I have achieved that.
You’re a trained pianist and a qualified studio engineer, how much do those skills still shape your production style today?
Yeah it can definitely help when you’re writing music and chords etc to have a bit of music theory behind you. As for the engineering background, that has also helped, but, technology moves on so quickly, meaning your skill set also has to move with it or you get left behind. So I’m still learning everyday too. But that’s what I love about this. You can never know it all.
You’ve been releasing bangers on Toolroom, Black Book, and your own label Know Where — all with that unmistakable Martin Ikin groove. What’s your secret to keeping that signature sound alive while still keeping it fresh for 2025?
Haha the funny thing about that is, I always start my projects from scratch, I never use the same drums again or bass or anything like that. I always try and make the next song different from the last one, yet everyone says “I can tell that’s you” lol so Im not sure what it is I’m doing that makes it that way 😉
Who’s still on your bucket list to work with?
Chris Lake and I were supposed to work on something a while back, so would be nice to get something going again with him. And Chris Lorenzo, those two are the best imo.
You can invite three DJs to your dream house party, who are you inviting, and who’s on BBQ duty?
Fish can be on BBQ cos he’s an Aussie, Coxy cos he’s just a big ol’ legend and I dunno maybe one of my old school DJ mates like Phantasy as we never get a chance to catch up!
What’s coming next for Martin Ikin?
Moooooore music !!!!
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, and I’m looking forward to dancing to your set again somewhere soon!
Thanks for having me
M.x
