Artist of the Month: Cloonee

Artists (especially producers) rarely reach global stardom without some sort of formal musical training. A few shining examples come to mind — for example, Rick Ruben famously revealed in a 60 Minutes interview that “I have no technical ability. I know nothing about music. But I know what I like, and what I don’t like.” 

This ethos is also what defines Cloonee’s — whose real name is David Bissett — tech house production and relentlessly catchy vocals layered across his catalog.

“A lot of my tunes rely heavily on the vocals to carry the track,” says Bissett. “Sampling is a huge part of my production style, especially as I’m not musically trained and can’t play any instrument. This has trained my ear to use samples and vocals as instruments instead, which has massively shaped my music. People seem to like it.”

Bissett admits that his lack of musical training can occasionally be a nuisance during the production process. When he’s in the studio with Chris Lake — who Bissett considers to be a mentor of sorts — he’s constantly reminded how useful a skill physically playing the piano is. “It’s a pain sometimes. When I’m in the studio with Chris [Lake], and he starts making melodies on the piano... whereas I have to type every note into fruity loops, which isn’t ideal but I think that’s part of the magic.”

This lack of technical training forces Bissett to resort to alternative methods of production. But, in Bisset's own words: “Less is more.”

“To be honest, it can actually be more difficult to create a solid tune when you’re only relying on one high hat, one clap, one kick, and a single bass sound. But if you have the right ear for these things, you don’t need much else.”

This is what sets Bissett’s music apart — an impeccable ear for catchy vocals, and his ability to marry all sorts of musical influences together into tech house tracks that set the dance floor on fire. His Beatport chart-topping hit, “Stephanie,” is a perfect example.

The rap verses in “Stephanie” are pulled from Young M.A’s iconic “OOOUUU” single, released in 2016. The original song represents a cultural moment, as Bissett explains: “‘OOOUUU’ is one of those culturally known records across the globe. The original record really connected with people, and now it brings people back to a specific time in their lives.”

Bissett insists the track is a universal classic. “The track just hits,” Bissett says. “‘Stephanie’ has been a blessing. A huge shout-out goes to InntRaw, who I collaborated on the record with. Also, Young M.A for her timeless original. I've heard so many remixes of ‘Stephanie’ in all sorts of genres and styles. The people always respond in the exact same way; it really brings out the best in the crowd no matter what version plays. Every remix, in any culture.”

“Stephanie” is pretty straightforward; Bissett doesn’t rely on any bells and whistles to spice up his tech-house production. Simplicity is the groundwork of his creative ethos. Fortunately, this is a blessing in disguise.

Bissett believes you don’t need fancy production to make a fantastic dance tune. All you need is a good ear, and good instincts. He constantly reminds himself that “I am the audience.”

“As an artist, it’s important to trust yourself and remember that you are the audience. If you think something sounds cool, your fans will probably feel the same way. I’ve always backed myself and trusted my gut. I don’t know if that’s blind faith, but it usually works out.”

Bissett says there are no rules when searching for musical inspiration and vocal samples. If something sounds good, that’s a good enough reason to see an idea all the way through. This uninhibited creativity allows him to explore genres and styles from across the globe; hip hop is a massive influence on some of his biggest hits including “Stephanie,” “Sippin’ Yak,” and “Get Stupid.” 

But on tracks like “To The Beat,” the main vocal is nothing more than a man talking casually about a life of sex, drugs, and non-stop parties. It’s simple, but it’s intoxicating. That’s all that matters. “I’ve sampled so many different kinds of vocals throughout the years,” Bissett says. “Spanish vocals, rap vocals, spoken word, the list goes on. There’s no formula to it. I just wait until something catches my ear.”

These days, Cloonee is known for implementing Latin sounds into his music, but before he moved from the UK to Los Angeles, California in 2021, he had almost zero exposure to Latin music. “Before I moved to the states, the only Latin song I knew was ‘Gasolina.’ It sounds kind of silly, but there’s basically zero Latin influence in England.”

“When I moved to L.A., I fell down a rabbit hole of discovering Latin music, especially because tons of Hispanic people were coming to my shows. It’s amazing how much they welcomed me with open arms. So I’d play a few Latin records for them to show my love and appreciation for their culture. My first barber in America was Mexican, and he would send me his playlist so I could discover all this music. Once I started, I never stopped. I’m so blessed to be welcomed into their community.”

It makes sense, then, that Bissett chose Miami to debut a proper experience for his beloved Hellbent Records imprint at Factory Town during Miami Music Week.

Miami has one of the most vibrant Latin communities in the U.S. It’s a community that’s known to be eccentric and lively; Bissett wanted his Hellbent takeover to represent that energy. What better way to do that than have all-gender dancers performing in metal cages, wearing black leather masks?

“Miami is a city of people that just wants to have a great time, and party hard. They don’t really judge the music that’s playing, which gives DJs like me a lot of freedom to go crazy. A lot of the time, DJs are playing 90 minute sets. But in Miami, you can play for however long you want. This means DJs get to take the crowd on a journey, and that’s what I want the Hellbent experience to be — a journey.”

Hellbent is more than a music label. It’s an experience. It’s also a clothing brand inspired by the metal rock culture Bissett grew up listening to. The first concert he remembers attending was Killswitch Engage in Birmingham, England, accompanied by his dad around the age of 10 years old. He’s been enthralled with the aesthetics and fashion of metal culture ever since.

“The Hellbent merch is inspired by the metal bands I loved as a kid. Every time I walked through the door for a metal concert, the first thing I did was go to the merch booth to buy the tour merch. I still have a lot of those shirts to this day, and I want to give that same experience to my fans today. It’s really a homage to my favorite experiences as a kid, but it’s turned into something so much bigger. That’s so cool to me.”

The word “Hellbent” is associated with imagery of fire and erratic lunacy, and there was plenty of that at the Hellbent takeover at Factory town (especially fire). But “hellbent” means so much more; the dictionary definition of “hellbent” is “determined to achieve something at all costs.” 

Bissett argues that is the most important quality of any artist. “That’s how every DJ needs to think in order to be successful,” Bissett says. “If you’re not hellbent on making an impact with your music, you're going to fail.”

Hellbent’s Factory Town takeover is proof that being hellbent on success eventually pays off. The first show Cloonee played in Miami was in 2022, supporting Kölsch at Club Space. Since that show, he’s performed at Club Space 10 times. He’s also sold out some of the most iconic venues across the U.S., including a day % night double header at the Brooklyn Mirage. Not to mention several #1 Beatport singles including “Stephanie,” “Still My Baby” and “Sippin’ Yak”

Cloonee’s monumental rise to global stardom proves there’s no secret to success. All you need is a hellbent desire to be great, and a willingness to trust your gut when inspiration strikes. Like the infamous Rick Ruben, Cloonee relies on instinct. It turns out, that’s all he needs.

Listen to Cloonee's 'Artist of the Month' chart below or check it out on Beatport.