The Rise of Pre-Recorded Sets: A Look Through James Hype's Perspective

More recently, an increasing number of DJs have transitioned to relying on pre-recorded sets at major festivals. The reasons are varied, but according to James Hype, social media bears much of the blame. "Fans want epic videos for their social media, so they're drawn to big visual shows," he says. "In order to perfectly synchronize those visuals, many of those artists create their mix in the studio well in advance." Besides the pressure towards perfect performance, another reason lies in an accelerating demand from their fans for spectacular sets that have been driving the move to the pre-recorded format.

Yet, for Hype, the concept of using a pre-recorded set is simply one of those non-negotiable elements. He practically is an artist committed to live DJing, and speaks his mind on the importance of spontaneity and connection during performances. "If I'm not DJing, I'm just dancing, and why would anyone pay money to see me dance?" he says with humor, but with a serious underlying truth behind it—liveness in DJing is an art form that creates one-off unique moments shared with the audience. "We're creating these moments that will never exist again, and the crowd can feel that energy."

Live performances will always carry an element of unpredictability, and those are things James Hype grew to live with. One notable incident was at Printworks in 2019 when this simple technical misstep resulted in that unlovable, gnawing silence within these massive venues. "I loaded my next track onto the deck that was already playing—there was no coming back," Hype recalls. Despite such setbacks, it's these moments of unpredictability that fuel his passion for live sets. "AI can mix two songs together, but that's not what art is about."

"I want to leave my heart on the decks, even if it's not perfect."

This commitment to live performances has won him the admiration of many fans, the majority of whom have rallied behind him in defense of true DJing. "I urge people not to force their opinions on others, but I actually do think James Hype fans like the realness of my sets," he says.

He has never felt direct pressure from festival organisers to pre-record, though some artists—most notably deadmau5—have been candid about how normal such encouragement is.

"I've stood my ground and refused pre-records, even when asked for broadcast events."

Beautiful live DJing is all about finding the balance between being chiseled and prepared, but also spontaneous.

Although he always plans the start of his sets to ensure he hits the right tone, there is always room for spontaneity. "After the first three or four records, I'm ready to take the set on an adventure," he says. With playlists and acapellas organised, he allows the energy of the moment to take over in guiding his performance.

"I like that it could go anywhere at any time." Embracing the imperfections that come with live sets is the keystone to Hype's philosophy. He acknowledges that today's technology means it's quite easy to attain perfection with a set, and that's just not what he's going for. "It's not going to be perfect, ever. That's what makes it human and authentic."

Hype gives practical advice to up-and-coming DJs. While he understands that pre-recorded sets may serve some DJs best, he insists that aspiring DJs should be practicing and embracing the challenge of performing live. "You don't have to be perfect—just build your confidence and skill set by practicing and taking risks," he says. One of the most unforgettable moments of Hype's festivals was when, during his 2024 performance at Creamfields, the crowd and he connected electrically. "I took the tempo from 130bpm to 137bpm and dropped into Camisra's 'Let Me Show You.' It was the best surprise for the crowd, and that spontaneity was the highlight of my set."

A growing narrative's that big-stage DJs aren't actually performing live, and falling victim to it is James Hype. He says the 'art' of DJing is rather misconstrued in a world where most fans experience the performance through short social media clips. "A DJ is supposed to select music, and sometimes the best DJs are doing absolutely nothing in those 20-second clips—but that doesn't mean they're playing a pre-recorded set."

But for the future, Hype is most excited by the prospect of more and more live artists populating the dance music landscape. He enjoys those hybrid shows, like Carl Cox's, in which an artist intersperses live performance with DJing. "Forget the perfect visuals—that's not what this is about," he says.

As for the future, Hype is looking forward to some time off to work on new music and explore fresh creative avenues. He's even tempted to introduce more live elements into his sets, such as sequencers and drum machines. "One day, that might happen!" he teases.

As relevant as ever to the ever-changing landscape of core DJ culture, James Hype comes across like a hero who believes in the power of live, free performance to inspire a new wave of DJs to adopt the mistakes and risks that make live DJing an art in itself.