Chloe MooreChloe Moore sat down with one of Dublin’s most reputable house diggers, calling him just a DJ’s DJ doesn’t quite cut it. He’s simply one of the best in the city, primed to make any dancefloor move.
Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Eric Brown has been making waves in the electronic music scene since his debut in late 2015. Known for his dynamic range – from deep, dubbed-out minimal grooves to high-energy peak-time rollers – Eric has established himself as one of Ireland’s most versatile and in-demand DJs.
Following his first gig, Eric Brown quickly became a fixture in Dublin’s nightlife, performing weekly across the city at iconic venues such as Hangar, Button Factory, and District 8, as well as gracing festival stages at Boxed Off, Forbidden Fruit, and BD.
His career soon expanded beyond Ireland. In 2017, Eric took up a summer residency in Ibiza, performing at Eden, the island’s only superclub in San Antonio. He also played for PURE Carl Cox at Privilege, Space Ibiza’s legendary Space in the Park at Benimussa Park, and launched his own branded SYSTM parties in San Antonio.
Returning to Ibiza for a second consecutive summer, Eric’s reputation continued to grow. Ibiza Club News named him one of their Top Up-and-Coming DJs to Watch, even calling him the face of Irish talent on the island. That summer saw Eric perform at Pacha for the One Night Stand series alongside Carl Cox, as well as shows at Sankeys, Pikes Ibiza, Café del Mar, and regular sets at Eden.
Beyond Ibiza, Eric has brought his sound to renowned clubs such as Ministry of Sound in London, Mantra Warehouse in Manchester, and various venues across Wales – continuing to expand his reach and reputation as a top-tier DJ representing Ireland on the global stage.
Hey Eric, thanks for chatting with us! I know you’ve been quite busy lately- you’ve played everywhere from Bloc Dublin to Index, right through to Omni Open Air. How have those different settings shaped your sound or approach to performing?
Hey – thanks for having me! The summer has been absolutely mental, I couldn’t have asked for more, really. I find the prep for club shows a lot harder than festivals, to be fair. I do most of my digging for club shows, especially the opening slots. Digging a bit deeper and playing some tracks off the beaten track, a bit more stripped back, always works better for the club shows. When it comes to festivals, it tends to just be a playlist of all the harder hitters I’ve found the past couple of months, but for clubs, I tend to spend a bit more time making them stand out a little more.
When did you start djing, and what was your relationship with music like growing up?
I actually did my first ever gig this month, 10 years ago, thanks to Jonathan Kiely & Sam Greenwood in Hangar. They really looked after back at the start of my career and helped me build a strong foundation. Musically, my house is quite diverse; my sisters love R&B and Hip-Hop, and then my brother was also a DJ – he’s been playing for over 30 years and is one of the best DJs I’ve ever watched. He played a lot of disco, boogie & deep house, so from growing up, I always had quite a diverse taste in music, which still stands, but I tend to only play more on the house side in my gigs.
Can you tell us a bit about your set at Rave in the Woods at Electric Picnic? What was the energy like up there in front of 10k+ people?
I think I speak for all DJs on the local circuit when I say that’s the number 1 show to get asked to do in the country. I was taken aback when the offer came in. I never thought I’d get the opportunity to play that stage, so to get to close it out for 3 hours b2b with Jake Fitz was something I’ll never forget. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
What other DJs/ producers inspire you?
I get inspired mostly by my peers. Two of the main people who inspire me in Dublin right now are Jake Fitz & Ernestas. The two lads’ passion for music and their work ethic is something I think everyone who loves music would be inspired by. They are destined for greatness, and it’s going to be a joy to watch them for the coming years evolve and progress.
You’ve had a busy summer and are only getting busier- how do you stay motivated and stay creative when things get hectic?
I still have my 9-5, so I find music motivates me to get through that more so than the other way. Having a good gig to look forward to always gets me through the week; it’s something I still use to blow off some steam and forget about everything else for a couple of hours each weekend. I thankfully haven’t struggled yet to find motivation with music.
How would you describe your signature style in the booth, and how has it evolved over time?
I have quite a choppy mixing style, but it depends on my set time. If I am on early, I’ll opt for more long-winded blends with fewer effects and chops. If I am on later in the night or at a festival, I think that’s more the time for flare within your mixing. I think there’s a time and a place for everything, but for me, there is nothing worse than coming into a club at 10 pm and getting bombarded with effects every drop.
Do you think we’re in a good place in the Irish electronic music scene right now?
Yes – I think we have an unbelievable amount of young, talented producers and DJs who are eager to break through, especially seeing the likes of Tommy Holohan & KETTAMA on the global stage from this little island is great motivation for them that it can be achieved. We have huge shows every weekend across the country, week in week out, and have promoters like Marc & the team at Index constantly breaking down boundaries and doing things we haven’t seen for a very long time here. Minus the lack of clubs, I still think we are in a very exciting time for electronic music in Ireland.
Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming gig in Flemingo Nightclub in Arklow on November 15th for the Scenik launch? How did that come about?
I am buzzing for this one – I know the lads Cameron & Quentin since before Covid, when they’d travel to Dublin to attend an event I helped run called Resound. They were big supporters of what we did, so I can’t wait to get to Arklow to play for their launch party.
Do you think the Irish government or councils understand the value of nightlife and club culture, or is it still underappreciated?
I think it is definitely something that is still underappreciated, but with the work being done by Give Us The Night, I would hope it won’t stay that long for much longer.
Finally, what’s next for you- any upcoming shows, releases, or projects you’re excited about?
Have a busy weekend coming up this weekend with Gaskin in index on Thursday, a party at a secret location Friday & then Arklow on Saturday – so it will be a restful week trying to gear up for those!
