James Hurr discusses his recent remix of ‘El Camino’ and much more: Interview

El Camino is a star-studded collaboration on Toolroom Trax that sees original Latin flavours and big club beats collide, as STBAN and James Hurr get in the studio together for the very first time.

Latin/Afro House producer and label head of FLAMENCA Records, STBAN made his debut on Toolroom Trax with a collaboration that feels fresh and authentic. Known for championing house music laced with flamenco influences, STBAN has been carving out a lane that fuses tradition with the underground that stays true to his roots and sound, something he shared with us a while ago right here on We Rave You.

On this new record, El Camino, STBAN once again teams up with legendary Spanish guitarist Josemi Carmona. His ability to layer inspired instrumentation across STBAN’s electronic production is securing the duo a reputation for flipping the script on traditional flamenco music. To elevate the record further, they invited one of Spain’s most celebrated vocalists, Soleá Morente, who delivers stunning original lyrics. Soleá’s career has spanned everything from indie flamenco to high-profile collaborations, which brings an expertise in organic flamenco edge.

And because this is a Toolroom Trax release, the production is finished off with some serious club muscle in the form of none other than Mr James Hurr. A firm label favourite with a string of Beatport chart-toppers and collaborations with Mark Knight and Roland Clark, James adds his expertise in chunky club beats, ensuring ‘El Camino’ has the right amount of punch to dominate those global dancefloors. Increasingly regarded in the field as a “super producer” with a Midas touch, Hurr’s name opens doors to dance floors the world over. Pairing up with STBAN and the FLAMENCA studio family, is this the start of a beautiful electronic relationship? We caught up with James in his London studio to ask that, and much more…

Hi James, welcome to We Rave You. First things first – your latest Toolroom release, a remix of FLAMENCA Records boss STBAN’s ‘El Camino’. How did the original single hit you, and what did you do to make the track your own?

I’d been working with STBAN on a range of flamenco-inspired tracks, and El Camino really stood out. The melody, riff, and vocals had a darker, more club-oriented edge that immediately grabbed me. It was a lot of fun taking those elements and shaping them into my own Toolroom-style sound.

STBAN and the FLAMENCA family are part of the growing Flamenco House genre – what are your thoughts on the sound and is it something you’re drawn to as a producer and music fan?

I am absolutely drawn to these organic sounds. Anything that’s Latino or Spanish or anything that’s got interesting rhythms in it. So flamenca or the flamenco rhythms, that Esteban was using, are really, really interesting. They were rhythmic loops of 11, whereas in house music, you normally use loops of 4 or eight. So already there was something really, really exciting and quirky about it that made it stand out from regular house records. I’m usually drawn to interesting rhythms, and live organic sounds that make tracks stand out.

STBAN’s brought some of Spain’s biggest flamenco artists into his studios, including Solea Morente and Josemi Carmona who perform on El Camino. How it is working with such unique instrumentals and vocals and did it throw up any challenges?

This was definitely a very different experience to the usual tracks I make, partly because in flamenco music there’s musical modes that we’re not used to hearing in a lot of dance, club and pop records. I think a lot of the flamenco stuff was in Phrygian mode, so I’m told, I also noticed that the rhythmic loops of the drums were often in blocks of 11, rather than the 4 or 8 that were traditionally used to in a typical house record that you would hear in a club or hear on the radio.

There were some real big differences there in the initial approach. First of all, I had to break down the fundamentals of what the chords were in the music, so where the root note of the bass should be sitting and how that should move as the music progresses, closely followed by trying to work out the kind of rhythms that would work best with the different timing of the loops and flamenco rhythms.

There were a lot of challenges  that you wouldn’t normally expect to get with a remix, because we’re so used to a standard format in what we hear, certainly what we hear in the UK anyway.

But it was an incredible experience and a lot of fun to be able to work with something so complex and detailed with such a high level of musicianship. Definitely one that I really, really enjoyed doing and really put my skills to the test.

Turning the spotlight back on you – your production portfolio is borderline ridiculous now. Over 100 releases on Toolroom alone, tracks on Spinnin’, Armada, Defected, Anjunabeats – do you think it’s fair to call you a “super producer”?

Wow, that’s an incredible honour to be described that way. I’ve been producing for a long time, probably close to a thousand records now, all of which have been released—so I guess you could say I’m prolific. Whether “super producer” fits, I’m not sure. I’ve always felt like I’m still looking up to the giants of the music world who inspire me. At the end of the day, I just truly love what I do, and I’m incredibly grateful to have built a career around creating music. It feels like a real gift and an honour.

You run Aux Studios and 9M Studios in London – was having your own studio a dream? What did it take to turn that into reality?

I’ve had my own studio for a very long time, in many different forms—from small bedroom setups to the much larger space I have today. Now I’m lucky enough to occupy an entire floor of the new Toolroom building, which is an incredible honor and a hugely inspiring environment to create in, surrounded by such a legendary label.

The real turning point for me was moving to London years ago, when I set up my first proper studio outside the bedroom. I shared the space with the Sharp Boys, who were among the biggest remixers in the UK at the time. I began engineering tracks for them, for the Hoxton Whores, and for a number of DJs across London, all while DJing myself. Coming from the small town of Aldershot, that leap—from producing in my bedroom to running sessions in a London recording studio I could call my own—was a truly pivotal moment in my career.

You’ve got two separate artist projects – Hrrtz with Paul Harris, and HVRR for your harder releases. Why did you want to split the music up like that, and do you feel having separate personas gives you some kind of freedom in the studio?

Absolutely. Having different personas for different styles gives me a real sense of freedom in the studio. It allows me to dive deep into each genre with focus and direction. Before I created separate aliases, I often struggled to know which path to take creatively. Now, when I sit down to make a harder record, for example, I already have the parameters defined for that alias and that sound. That framework actually makes the process more fun—it lets me fully embrace the boundaries of the genre while also experimenting within them. Paradoxically, having these defined artist identities gives me more creative freedom and room to explore.

You’re very obviously a trusted producer and sound engineer in the electronic industry. What advice would you give to someone just starting out? How important is it to network? What’s the best way to get your name out there? How do you go about getting a break with a label like Toolroom?

What advice would I give to someone just starting out? Without question—networking. That’s how I built my career, and it’s still essential today. You also need persistence, because rejection is part of the journey. But just as important is the willingness to improve. I’ve always aimed to make each record better than the last. Of course, I made plenty of mistakes along the way—that’s inevitable when you’re putting in your 10,000 hours. You win some, you lose some, but the key is to keep writing, keep creating, and keep pushing your skills forward.

When I first started, I could barely play a chord on a keyboard. Now, I find myself replaying soul, jazz, and funk samples for other artists. That shows what’s possible if you stay consistent and keep learning.

As for getting your name out there or breaking through with a label like Toolroom, it’s about combining persistence with visibility. When I started, that meant going to bars and clubs, meeting DJs, and connecting with people face to face. And I think that’s still relevant—being present in clubs, festivals, and networking events really matters. But today, it’s also about using digital platforms. SoundCloud and TikTok, for example, have launched artists into the spotlight with massive hits. So, alongside the in-person connections, those platforms are crucial for building recognition and momentum

You co-produced Mark Knight’s artist album – how different was it working with someone on a long-term project rather than a one-off single or EP?

Yeah, it was actually a very different process because we spent a lot more time together, really experimenting with ideas. Instead of going in with a clear focus on finishing a track, we often started without knowing exactly where it would lead. That made the whole experience exciting and pushed us to work in new ways compared to the traditional approach.

We even spent time driving around South London, listening to all the tracks back-to-back in the car—something you’d never normally do when working on just a single track. It gave us a fresh perspective on how the music flowed as a whole. We also had a lot of fun experimenting with choirs, collaborating with a range of different artists, and exploring different styles. It was a really memorable experience, and definitely something I look back on fondly.

What artist haven’t you worked with right now that you’d love to get into the studio, and why?

I’m constantly discovering new artists on TikTok, Instagram, or SoundCloud and thinking, wow, I’d love to work with them. One that really stood out recently is Iniko. They have a track called Jericho, and I first heard them perform it a cappella on TikTok—their voice is absolutely stunning, and the writing is incredible. I love when a vocalist sparks your imagination with original lyrics and rhythms, and they completely blew me away. That’s definitely a voice I’d love to collaborate with.

On the producer side, I’d love to get in the studio with Deadmau5. He’s such a creative force, and I think we’d have an amazing time geeking out over plug-ins and equipment while pushing boundaries to make something really unusual and exciting.

If you could remix one song, which would it be and why?

I’m always remixing my favorite songs for my DJ sets. When I play out, I make sure that 80–90% of the set is made up of my own productions. But if I could choose one track to be officially commissioned to remix, it would have to be something indie from my teenage years—probably “Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.