Every so often, a DJ surfaces whose arc runs backwards through the modern playbook. No press push, no socials grind — just decades of quiet listening, and an audience that found him in its own time. Friends call him Truly. He’s been pulling records out of crates for nearly forty years, and the rest of us are only catching up now. This mix, recorded live at Distrikt Paris earlier this year, is a true testament to this.
His sensibility was forged in early-’90s London, when good records were cheap if you knew where to look. The hunt has shifted venues since; the obsession hasn’t moved an inch. House sits next to electro, sits next to garage, all of it weighty, none of it predictable. He’s also a workshop type — salvaging early-’90s tracks let down by a clumsy sample and pressing the rebuilds to dubplate. No laptop, no shortcuts.
That same instinct sits behind Mindhelmet, the label he runs as an outlet for his edits, reworks and the like-minded company they keep. It’s an extension of the listening rather than a business plan: a home for the records he wants to hear pressed properly.
He resists self-promotion almost on principle. His public bio runs to a single word. The bookings crept in anyway, the slow way, and a London residency is on the horizon.
It seems incredible that we have not welcomed Truly Madly to our podcast series until now, as Truly has demonstrated that great things do not come easily. Built up over many years digging, this recording beamed directly from decks at Distrikt Paris’ event this year circles the heady days of 90s house and garage and the unfound gems that make this point in music so enthralling. Ourgaeous basslines, rewind-worthy drops, and in general, an untouchable energy that few have been able to harness in the same way as Truly Madly. This is one for the heads and sunny days and sweaty nights spent on the dancefloor, however they might present themselves.
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