Matt Tolfrey, DJ, producer & Leftroom Records founder dies age 44

The dance music community awoke to shocking news on October 13: Matt Tolfrey, a DJ, producer, and founder of Leftroom Records, has passed away at the age of 44. His longtime collaborator Damian Lazarus confirmed the news, stating Tolfrey died over the weekend but offering no details on the cause of death.

Lazarus paid tribute: “This weekend we lost a key member of the extended Crosstown Rebels family … Matt played a major role in our music scene and will be very sorely missed.” The sentiment echoed across social media, as artists, labels, and fans flooded tribute posts with memories and messages of support.

Born in the UK and raised in Bahrain, Tolfrey returned to Britain during his teens and began DJing in Worcester. While studying, he joined Nottingham Trent University’s Fly FM as a root into his DJ career. Over time, he built a reputation not only as an artist but also as a curator and mentor.

In 2005, Tolfrey launched Leftroom Records, where he signed and supported acts such as Lee Burridge, DJ Bone, and Kate Simko. Parallel to that, he contributed key remixes and singles to Crosstown Rebels, championed artists like Alinka, AJ Christou, Guti, and shaped the sound of modern deep- and tech-house.

Tributes poured in. Classic Music Company wrote: “We are devastated … Matt was longtime supporter and friend.” Maher Daniel shared a personal note: “You weren’t just my manager — you were my friend … my brother. We’ve seen so much together.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Damian Lazarus (@damian_lazarus)