Charlie Boon: From the Floorboards Up

“I remember getting back home late one evening with my dad. His nightclub, The Isobar, had a queue all the way down the street and the club was already full. I remember thinking, wow — something cool is happening here, and feeling the energy of all the ravers coming into the nightclub. It’s something that’s stayed with me throughout my life and career.”

That energy — the hum in the air, the heat of the crowd, the sense that something was about to erupt — lodged itself deep. It would shape everything that came next.

He was just a kid then, too young to be in the booth, but the soundtrack of his life was already playing out beneath his feet. Years later, he’d be closer to the action — working as a glass collector at his dad’s bar. “When we lived above the club I was super young, so memories are slightly vague. But I have a lot more memories of the bar my dad owns, where I learned to DJ when I was 18. I used to collect glasses when I was 14, and I remember huge parties going off around me. I’d just look at the DJ and think how much I needed to learn to DJ and control a room like that. It made me super excited and inspired to learn how to produce music and DJ.”

It wasn’t just about playing records. It was about commanding a room, holding people in your hands for hours at a time. That idea lodged itself in him early.

The Havoc Track

Flash forward to Snowboxx Festival this March. The air is cold but the tent is a furnace. Boon steps up after fish56octogan and fires the opening shot. “I remember playing it at Snowboxx Festival in March. I came on straight after fish56octogan, opened my set with it, and it really went off. From then I knew I had to get this one out into the world and to other DJs.”

That track — built with MPH and Tesfa Williams — wasn’t even meant to be the main event of the day. “We’d already got two ideas down that day and had 30 minutes to kill before Myles and Tesfa had to head off, so we thought we’d make something for the clubs quickly. I wanted to use those stabs in a track and it all just came together really quickly. We’d finished the first drop in the session, and then I went home that night and fleshed it out into something I could test in the clubs.”

The standout switch-up — a breakbeat detour that punches the air out of the room before slamming it back — came later. “It was intentional but wasn’t something we set out to do right at the start. I had these breakbeats from a pack and we just chucked them in for a breakdown. The way it worked ended up creating a crazy switch-up moment that really shakes up the dancefloor.”

Two Hours to Euphoria

Boon’s sets aren’t about dumping bangers one after another. They’re about patience, build, and release. “It’s changed a fair bit over time and it all depends on how long I’m playing for. I love to play for two hours, really, as that gives me enough time to start deeper and slower and then gradually build into pure euphoria. I just want to make sure people stay locked and can see the progression of the set, but also making sure there are those huge hands-in-the-air moments throughout.”

It’s a philosophy rooted in the UK’s underground, but with his own twists. “I’m inspired by such a range of music, but my first introduction to underground music in the UK was from labels such as Swamp 81 and Hessle Audio. The records from that time really shaped my sound and I’m constantly going back and referencing them. I want to delve deeper into new sounds and I’m constantly inspired by different waves of genres popping up and trying to interpret them within my own productions. There’s so much amazing new music every week — I find it easy to stay inspired.”

Living Between Genres

His versatility has earned him nods from every corner of the UK scene. “It means a lot to be supported across different corners of the scene, for sure. I think sometimes I switch things up too much and should focus more on dialling into a sound, but I find it hard because I like so many different genres within that 120–150 BPM pocket. I think I’m really starting to hone in on my own sound at the moment though, so maybe the BPMs will start to swing less dramatically.”

There’s a new wave of UK producers pushing things forward, and Boon feels right in step. “The UK has the best wave of new producers right now and I’m inspired in so many different directions around me. The whole minimal house scene is clearly leading the way, but I’m really enjoying this crossover between that sound and the more 4x4 bumping garage tracks — it seems to work well. There’s a really nice sweet spot between housey and garage, with labels like EC2A leading the way. I’m also loving the slightly faster, bouncy world of artists like Entasia, Kyle Starkey, Shuffa and many more.”

The Realm Moment

When it came to finding a label for his latest record, there was one name in his head from the start. “I’ve been a fan of the label and Gorgon for years! The release of Riordan’s Put The Needle On The Record was the point where I thought maybe a release on Realm could be perfect for my sound. When I made this, it was the label I thought of first, so I’m feeling super blessed that we’ve made it happen!”

That connection runs deeper than just business. “It’s such a pleasure to be part of the Realm family. It’s one of those labels where, when I see the artwork, I’m instantly listening to check if it’s a banger. I think being on Realm really is the perfect record for this track.”

Right Now

This chapter feels like a turning point. “I feel like this is a really exciting time for me right now. I have some sick releases on some of my favourite labels in the pipeline, so it feels like a great time to keep building momentum, play some amazing shows, and develop more as an artist.”

And the kid who once lived above the club? “I think he’d be super buzzing that I don’t have a normal job and I get to make and play music for my job. An absolute dream that I feel super grateful for. I’d tell little me to enjoy every point of the journey on the way up, for sure.”

From those first basslines through the floorboards to the moments when the crowd’s hands are in the air and he’s right there with them, Charlie Boon’s story is one of connection — to the music, the room, and the energy that’s been following him since day one.