Sean La’Brooy is an Australian musician based in New York, perhaps best known for his work as part of the duo Albrecht La’Brooy—a collaboration with Alex Albrecht. Aiming to showcase “the gentle side of electronic music down under,” the pair have been putting out a bewitching hybrid of techno, house, ambient, experimental, and jazz for nearly a decade. Most of this has come through Analogue Attic, the label they share, but their two albums—Tidal River in 2018 and Healesville a year later—have come through Apollo, the ambient division of R&S Records. La’Brooy has been putting out music solo, including two albums: Out Moving Windows and There’s Always Next Year, which earned him a reputation in Australia’s electronic music community as one of the finest acts to emerge. On his most recent record, a debut on Francis Harris‘ Scissor and Thread label, La’Brooy has delivered a collection of deep and dreamy tracks but with a more driving groove than some of his other work—and the same could be said for his XLR8R podcast. Tune in for just over one hour of emotionally charged deep house.

01. What have you been up to recently?
I’ve had two records released in the last six months, one on Analogue Attic and another on Scissor and Thread. I’ve been making lots of music and DJing a bit, too. I also spent most of September in Europe and I’ve just returned from a trip to New Orleans.

02. What have you been listening to?
I’ve got two albums in-particular that have really stuck with me recently: Matthew Hayes Embrace on Best Effort, and Lena Douglas Friends of the Future on Lena Douglas. I highly recommend.

03. You’ve just signed to Scissor and Thread. How did the relationship with the label come about
I’ve known Francis Harris who runs Scissor and Thread for many years. He’s been a big supporter of my music for a long time. He and Anthony Collins would play our music out and reach out to Alex Albrecht and me to encourage and support, which felt like a big deal when we were starting out. I’ve seen him more since moving to New York and we’ve been talking about doing a record for some time. It’s great to finally have something out with one of my favorite labels!

04. When and where did you record this mix?
I recorded it at my friend Matty Ching’s place on a Friday night last weekend. The mix took a bit of a turn, but I cut it off to keep only the most lively bit!

05. How did you choose the tracks you’ve included?
These are a collection of more dancefloor-oriented tracks from artists and labels I’ve been enjoying recently. They all feel like they work together to maintain a consistent energy throughout.

06. Where do you imagine it being listened to?
It’s a crisp and clear-skied autumn evening around 8:50pm, and you’ve just finished dinner with some family members. You’ve had a few drinks and are heading out to see some friends. You’re wearing headphones—walking briskly, but not rushing. Solitude is nice for the moment. You’re looking forward to the promise of the night ahead, but you also have commitments you need to be up early for.

07. What’s next on your horizon?
I’m sitting on quite a lot of new music that I’m eager to get out in 2024, but with nothing quite locked in yet. Probably something on Analogue Attic at some point.

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. 2 Bit Crew “Dub” (SAFE Recordings)
02. James Dexter “Wire” (S.A.S.H.A)
03. Neil E “No Fred” (Neil E)
03. Arkady Antsyrev & Legit Trip “Saint” (Black Sea Side Music)
04. Sijay “Spontaneous” (Jump Recordings)
05. Tuccillo “City Lights” (Tuccillo)
06. Lost.Act “Dialog” (Lost.Act)
07. DJOKO “Overflow” (Original Mix) (Rawsome Deep)
08. Andrew Azara “Arp City” (Original Mix) (Heavy House Society)
09. Traumer “District” (Berg Audio)
10. Tommaso Pizzelli “Take Me To Utopia” (Mike Sharon Remix) (Ultra Knites)
11. Genius of Time “CS70 House” (Aniara Recordings)