by Lindsay Castro - Wednesday November 27th, 2024
As Definitive grows, it’s vital for us to stay deeply connected to the artists and the scene evolving alongside us. The Underground Archives is our new series dedicated to fostering those connections by sitting down one-on-one with artists, diving into their journeys, and uncovering the stories that shape their lives in dance music. Through candid conversations, we aim to celebrate their creativity, explore their influences, and shine a light on the passion that drives the underground house music culture we all love.
For our first feature, we’re excited to introduce Méssous, a rising talent in the minimal, deep tech house scene. We had the pleasure to sit down with Sami to discuss his journey — from relocating from London to Miami, to the upcoming release of his highly anticipated EP, Secret Weapon, dropping this Friday, November 29th, on Pink Bag Records. It was inspiring to hear his stories, and I'm excited to share them with you. Enjoy getting to know Méssous :)
Who is Méssous?
From across the pond, DJ and producer Méssous, has been making an appearance in the Miami underground house scene for the past few months. Moving from London to Miami earlier this year, Méssous found himself connecting with the culture and community we have built over here in the states.
Meeting the founders of Pink Bag Records allowed him to have two releases on their music label this summer. Playing their first label showcase at ZeyZey in Miami and opening Gio Lucca's Miami debut, going b2b with Dan Molinari. Since being in Miami he talks highly about other producers and individuals within the scene. The community built around PBR are some of his close friends since moving.
"When they say they're going to do something — they actually do it. I felt like I'd been waiting so long to meet people within the music scene, who actually go out and do it."
Musical Influences and Inspirations
Sami, known as Méssous, grew up in Manchester, UK, and spent the past seven years in London. His upbringing was shaped by his Algerian heritage, with music always being present in his life, particularly a heavy influence in R&B and hip-hop. When he was young, he gravitated towards rap but admired Daft Punk for the way they pushed boundaries within electronic music.
Sami's exposure to dance music began in university, but he never felt tied to one specific artist or label. He simply enjoyed the music and the energy of the scene. However, it wasn’t until 2014 that he first discovered Hot Creations, the UK-based house music label founded by Jamie Jones and Lee Foss.
"This was the first label I fell in love with — Jamie Jones, Patrick Topping, Richy Ahmed, Waff — those were the first artists I latched on to and really, really liked — all being from the UK as well is just another reason to be inspired by them” he says.
Another major influence for Sami was Amine Edge & DANCE, the French duo who pioneered G-House, a fusion of gangster rap and house music. Their label, CUFF, became a significant force in the bass-heavy house scene. Along with Daft Punk and Michael Bibi, these artists played a central role in shaping Méssous' approach to music production.
Discovering the Solid Grooves Sound
For years, Sami was fully immersed in the dance music scene, constantly attending shows and finding new artists and music. Once he start going to more underground events he found the sound that scratched the right part of his brain.
“I was at some small club in London back in 2013. A Solid Grooves after party was going on — from what I remember it wasn’t that big, maybe 50 to100 people — but when I left, I remember thinking, ‘What was that music?!’ It was the first time I really had that feeling."
Also recalling a pivotal moment during a work trip to Brazil in 2022. Driving from São Paulo to Rio, he listened to the famous B3B set from Pawsa, Dennis Cruz, and Michael Bibi recorded at Club Space for Solid Grooves. The set completely sparked his creativity.
"I listened to that whole set during the drive, and it inspired me to start producing music. It also made me want to go to Miami for music week.”
Sami would say his journey into producing took a bit longer than most. “I’ve owned a set of decks that I’ve played around with for like 9 years,” he laughs. But two years ago, while living in London and working a “crazy, long-hour, stressful consulting job” — he finally decided to seriously pursue music production.
Learning, Creating, & Evolving
In 2022, Sami decided to fully commit to producing, realizing the best way to improve was through learning from others and getting feedback. He joined Josh Baker’s platform, SYNTHO, where he had access to resources, tools, and the opportunity to work directly with Josh and others in the community. In October 2023, Méssous released "And The Beat Goes On (Edit)" in a compilation EP on SYNTHO Records.
Over the past two years, feedback has played a major role in his growth. He worked closely with Brendan James, founder of Serotonin Records and Serotonin Studio, an education studio where Sami worked one-on-one mastering his music production skills.
“Back in school, I used to bring my drafts to teachers to get feedback, knowing it was the only way I’d improve. It's the same with music production,” Sami reflects.
"In the beginning I’d be terrible but then I’d learn from what they told me. I think people sometimes worry the first time you get feedback for something — obviously you won’t be successful to start with. All the producers I look up to, they were all in my position at one point.”
When it comes to producing his own music, exploring different genres and artists is a way for Sami to expand his horizons. He says even sometimes he needs a break when he finds himself getting too comfortable.
"I got in a position where the only music I would listen to was my own, and obviously you're not going to evolve if you do that."
Building a Community
Living in London for a month this past summer I found it extremely hard to find a community, even within the underground scene. To hear that Sami lived there for 7 years and had a similar experience speaks volume for the lifestyle and culture in the UK. We spoke about many of the differences between the music scenes noting how individualistic London is. Unfortunately this can create an isolating and competitive environment with bigger brands dominating events.
In Miami, however, he discovered a more collaborative and supportive community. After attending Miami Music Week in 2023, he realized it was a place where he could grow. He spoke about the British perception of Americans — "enthusiastic and overly excited about everything" but says it's true and he prefers it. It's nice to have those connections with groups of people around you, sharing passions with one another. He feels lucky to have found a place that challenges and resonates with him. Sami didn't move for the music, he was truly looking to start a new chapter, but how cool to have all these doors open within a few months.
“I needed a fresh environment, new people, new opportunities, what I’m doing now in Miami I probably could have done in London, but I wasn’t in the right head space — I didn’t think I was coming to Miami to progress my music career, but it just so happened that way which I’m honestly super grateful for”
Sami said it was hard to build a core community when living in the UK, but felt in the states “people were more willing to help you succeed”. The scene is smaller in America than in Europe, which I believe allows for more collaborations with smaller companies and collectives to thrive. It's clear to see Méssous has built that community within Miami, and will continue to do so in the house music scene.
Getting to know Sami and hearing about his journey was nothing short of inspiring. His path shows how passion, perseverance, and the right environment can completely change the game. He’s found a way to channel his influences and experiences into something truly unique. It’s clear Sami is building more than just tracks — he’s building a movement, and I can’t wait to see where it takes him next. Méssous is definitely one to watch, and I feel lucky to have been part of sharing his evolution.