Few collectives embody the evolution of Paris’ underground quite like Automatic Writing. What began as a group of friends throwing parties has evolved into a fully formed artistic project. A label and events series, led by a trio whose back-to-back-to-back sets have become their signature. Known for their extended sessions, they joined Riyadh music collective Aadi on the Friday night of XP Music Futures, where we spoke about the origins of the platform.
Although their reach extends worldwide, Automatic Writing’s strongest foundations remain in Paris. “The scene in Paris is boiling,” they say without hesitation. “There are amazing artists, new initiatives and promoters with strong artistic direction. They’re driving a new era of club culture.” Beyond venues, it’s the wider ecosystem that feels alive: independent promoters, forward-thinking bookers and a generation unafraid to blend genres. “Production-wise, this is one of the most interesting periods. When we started, minimal in Paris was heavily influenced by Perlon and driven by Romanian sounds. Then it evolved into electro and many people went into that. But it wasn’t really our style, we never followed that hype. Now it feels like people are past that and they’re taking influences from different scenes instead.”
Perhaps the biggest shift is the audience itself. “Ten years ago, you went to house or you went to techno. It was two different worlds. Now all the people are mixed together, and that makes things really exciting.”
The origins of Automatic Writing go back to their youth. Darween and Jacan met at school, already organising small parties and finding their place in Paris nightlife. “Darween had been DJing for some time and I had just started”, Jacan tells us. “We also knew Guillermo because he was already playing with a lot of other crews.” They eventually invited him to play at one of their events. “That party didn’t go well at all,” they laugh. “We couldn’t even pay him.” Instead of walking away, Guillermo proposed another solution: “If you can’t pay me, at least take me into your crew and have me play more often.” The suggestion felt natural. “We had the same understanding of music and the same understanding of what we wanted on the dance floor.”
As their events grew, practical limitations shaped their identity. “We didn’t have enough hours on the lineup for everyone to play solo, so we had to regroup. It made sense for the three of us to play together.” Often they would close – four, five, sometimes twelve-hour sessions, stretching deep into the morning. The extended format was the catalyst to something that couldn’t have been planned. “We were doing it more and more, and it created something super coherent in what we were playing.” A former booker eventually encouraged them to formalise the concept. Automatic Writing was born shortly after launching the label and they very quickly found the balance.
What still surprises them is how natural it feels. “Separately, we wouldn’t play the same tracks. As a trio, we each know our role and it becomes very interesting.” There is no preparation – no track discussions beforehand, no shared playlist. “We’re always improvising, surprising each other with new records and sharing that with the audience. This is how we do it, we keep the spontaneity.”
Their revered sessions have led to invitations to some of the most renowned dance floors. “Hide & Seek Festival near Manchester was an amazing crowd. The vibe just clicked, the whole dance floor completely blew up. Sunwaves as well was a huge milestone, a real achievement. And one of our favourite events was actually one of our parties at Caberet Sauvage. We played all night long and everything was just so perfect.”
When we ask them about formative influences, one name that stands out is Lowris. Early on, his residency at Concrete had become essential viewing. “He had this particular identity in his selection. Nowadays, we collaborate a lot with him. He’s doing mixing and mastering for us, and he’s also playing our events, so it’s funny to think back to then.” That early inspiration has evolved into friendship and collaboration, a full-circle moment that still carries something special. Another key influence is Margaret Dygas. “For her production, but also her mixing skills. Telling stories, going from one genre to another, always keeping the element of surprise.” Her narrative approach to DJing has left a permanent mark. Then, there is Zip. One particular set at Weather Festival changed everything. “I remember him playing Pepe Bradock’s ‘Path of Most Resistance’ in the morning. I was almost crying.” That moment revealed something profound: stripped-back house music could be deeply emotional. It wasn’t just about rhythm, it could touch something internal. “It gave me the will to go deeper into digging music and also to start Automatic Writing.”
The project continues to expand, celebrating ten years of the label with a rather large VA, a three-record box set featuring close friends and long-time collaborators. Beyond the release, they’re preparing something equally significant, operating a new venue in Paris. “It will take time but we’re working for it! We’ll control everything; the sound system, light, scenography; we’ll have full artistic direction.” A return to warehouse energy, but this time entirely on their terms.
In a city that’s boiling from the bottom up, Automatic Writing aren’t just participants in the evolution. They’re helping to shape it. And it sounds like there’s plenty more to come.
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