Kevin McKay

Scottish DJ, producer and label owner Kevin McKay has a discography that spans the last 30 years. He has produced everything from world-renowned dance tracks to cult underground productions and has been playlisted by a wide range of DJs, from the late Andy Weatherall to David Guetta.

Most recently, he revitalised the Pupa Nas-T and Denise Belfon song “Work”. His 2022 version has been a massive hit, topping the Beatport charts and getting played by countless A-list DJs. A UK club chart #1, the single was playlisted in radio stations worldwide and hit the Shazam charts on multiple continents.

Most famously, he produced and mixed every track on Mylo’s platinum album “Destroy Rock & Roll”-including the 4 top 40 singles “Drop The Pressure”, “Destroy Rock & Roll”, “In My Arms”, “Muscle Car” and the UK Number 3 hit “Doctor Pressure”. In addition, he was behind the Linus Loves album “Stage Invader” with its singles “The Terrace” and “Night Music” and the UK top 40 hit “Stand Back”.

In the 90s, as one half of Muzique Tropique, he remixed Jori Hulkonnen, Larry Heard, Two Lone Swordsmen and Cassio. In addition, under his name, he remixed Romanthony, Mateo Matos, and Vince Watson. Through those productions, he appeared on Radio 1 Essential Selection mixes
by Roger Sanchez and the late Andy Weatherall. Other DJs who playlisted McKay’s productions included Kiki, Matthias Tanzmann and Laurent Garnier.

Kevin started his journey into production DJing in Glasgow in the 90s. Hanging out at the Sub Club, he listened to local DJs Harri and Slam and their Nugroove, Italo House and Balearic Beats soundtrack. He began collecting 12″ s from local stores 23rd Precinct and Raw Records and spent his nights making mixtapes to pass around the local bars and shops. He soon picked up a residency at The Tunnel, playing alongside guests such as Sasha, Masters At Work and Roger Sanchez. It was at one of his residencies he met Andy Carrick. Carrick was making dance music and asked for Kevin’s help in making his music more DJ-friendly. They put together a 4 track EP and failing to get a record deal, Kevin decided to apply to the Prince’s Trust for the funding to self-release. His first label, Muzique Tropique launched in December 1994. Its debut release-the McKay/Carrick penned “Prelude To The Storm”- sold 2000 copies, and the label was off and running.

By the end of 1996, Muzique Tropique had built heavyweight DJ support with international players like Danny Tenaglia and Deep Dish counting themselves fans. Demand was growing from distributors for more material than McKay & Carrick could produce, so Kevin set up Glasgow Underground to release music from themselves and fellow Glaswegians DJ Q and Harri and music from Mateo & Matos and Romanthony-friends he’d met working for Muzik magazine.

Over the next seven years, Glasgow Underground released 38 albums and over 100 singles and firmly established itself as one of the era’s critical British house music labels.

In early 2002 a demo appeared at Glasgow Underground from a young producer called Myles MacInnes. It had one stand-out track-“Destroy Rock & Roll”. Over the next two years, MacInnes became Mylo and delivered 120 demos, from which Kevin selected the best 14. Finally, MacInnes handed over the ProTools sessions. Kevin got to work producing and mixing, replacing samples with original performances and creating the 500,000-selling album named after the stand-out track from the first demo.

As well as overseeing the music, Kevin set up the label to house the new project organising everything from the first 7″ to the international network of major labels and independent partners that made Mylo a big name worldwide.

In 2007 Kevin met another young Scottish producer called Grum. In him, he saw the same qualities he saw in Mylo and set up the Heartbeats label to release his productions. Grum went on to become an internationally renowned DJ and producer. His debut album, “Heartbeats”, was one of the US iTunes electronic albums of the year, the BBC gave 100s of plays to his singles, and he re mixed everyone from Lady Gaga to Dirty Vegas. In 2019, Grum signed with Anjunabeats.

In 2011, Kevin returned to his first love, the house sound of Glasgow Underground. Of the relaunch, DJ Magazine stated–as they made new Glasgow Underground signing Small Pyramids’ “I Want Blood”, one of their singles of the year–”It sure feels good to have them back. Kevin McKay revived his ‘s Glasgow Underground label in 2011, and luckily, his impeccable taste and A&R skills remain intact.”

Since then, the label has released productions by a who’s who of House and Techno music talent; Claptone, Camelphat, Metodi Hristov, Romanthony, Dixon, Gerd, Oliver $, PBR Streetgang, Ejeca and Andres have all featured. Their releases regularly feature on BBC Radio 1 and top the sales charts at Beatport and Traxsource.

As a producer, Kevin continues to release music that tops the sales charts and features in A-list DJ playlists worldwide.

In 2022, Kevin started the Superfeel club night in London to showcase the label’s local talent.

 

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