IN CONVERSATION WITH LB aka LABAT
Interview by Samo Šajn
LB aka LABAT is a French DJ and producer known for his high-energy, genre-blending approach to dance music. Today he announces his debut album Feel So Good Around U, releasing February 27th, and premieres the single and music video for “Cómete” featuring MJ Nebreda. He will present the album with a new A/V live show in 2026, marking an exciting new chapter in his career.
How did growing up between France and India shape your musical identity and approach to DJing?
I was really young at that time. I lived in India from 7 to 11 (2000 to 2004). I remember being into music already, my brothers were always playing hip hop at home, but my real interest in DJing came when I got back to France at 13. My elder brother already had turntables before I went to India. He was practicing scratching, and I guess I was lucky to be mesmerized by him and his records at such a young age.
Your sets and productions mix house, techno, UKG, hard house and more. How do you maintain a cohesive sound while crossing so many genres?
I started producing music when I was 13 or 14, so it has been a long journey. I was in Strasbourg near the German border and was very influenced by the German scene at that time. Then I went back to hip hop with my beloved MPC and got into sampling, which made me discover all the genres behind hip hop beats: Madlib, A Tribe Called Quest, spiritual jazz, Brazilian music, funk, and more. Because of that, my sets reflect a lot of crossover between genres. I have had time to really live with and explore them. You can be cohesive while blending genres, it does not have to be a techno set or a house set. I get easily bored if I am not crossing genres, and I think it is important to bring the audience into the spectrum of your influences throughout a performance. To make it cohesive, you really need to know your records by heart. That is how you know what to bring next without hesitation.
“Feel So Good Around U” is a global project with collaborators from Australia, France, Sweden, Venezuela and Germany. How did you bring such a diverse group together while keeping a clear artistic vision?
It is the first time I operated like this. I spent so many years crafting music and building my musical background mostly alone in my studio, but for this album I really wanted to open myself to new ways of producing, pushing myself further, and collaborate more.
The past two years of studio sessions around Europe, learning from young talented producers, was a blessing. Universal Music, Because Music and the whole team helped a lot with this album. We all took part in it. I had my vision of course, but I trusted and listened to everyone who brought ideas and had professional experience in album making. It naturally became a collaborative album, which was my goal. Artistically, I was usually leading the sonic direction and the feeling of each track, but I also trusted the new processes suggested by the composers I was working with. A true blend, and I am very happy with it.
Tracks like “Cómete” and “Fixated” highlight both club energy and pop sensibilities. How do you balance accessibility with your love for underground dance music?
My goal is to make an album that is open enough for a large audience. I want people to listen to it on the train, on a plane, walking, in the car, but also still have bangers you can play in a club. Cómete and Fixated are perfect examples of putting myself in uncomfortable positions, but with a lot of excitement and a real desire to learn. When you have never really recorded vocals and suddenly you are in a big studio with a talented singer, recording, singing toplines, making melodies, writing lyrics, it is like a condensed masterclass in 24 hours. I was also figuring out how to merge my sound with a pop songwriting process while still keeping that underground touch. I have to say, the producers who helped me on those tracks (LUCASV and amne) had deep knowledge of pop writing, and I trusted their ideas. I learned a lot from them.
You are constantly touring across Europe, the US, Australia and beyond, and now you are presenting Live A/V shows. How do different club cultures and live formats influence how you create your sets and music?
The most important thing for me on stage is to be as honest as possible. Of course, there is a difference between festival gigs and club shows. The set length at festivals, for example, dictates a bit more what you can do. But Europe, the US, Australia and even Asia, where I have played a lot over the past 10 years, have not really changed the way I play. Room reading is always important, but I have found that people party pretty much the same everywhere. Everyone wants to hear good music, be surprised by the DJ, and see artists taking risks behind the booth. It is a sign of respect to the crowd, and that is universal.
Collaboration seems central to this album. Can you share a moment where working with another artist completely changed or enhanced a track?
I remember very clearly and will never forget a session with amne at Artistic Palace in Paris. I had received acapellas from Memphis LK a few days before and wanted to build Fixated around them. Amne opened a session and we started making the track. I remember being shocked by how fast and precise he was in the production process. It was crazy. I learned so much from him, he opened me up to so many production tips and certain VSTs. It was amazing. Big up amne.
Looking ahead, after this debut album and your global tours, what new directions or experiments in sound and performance are you excited to explore?
I am working on an indie rock alias where I want to sing more. I have been developing it over the past five years, slowly but surely. I loved making this album so much, I do not want to wait four years before the next one. The new live show is very exciting. It is very different from DJ sets, and I cannot wait to do more in 2026.
