Williams - Beyond 'Love Crisis' WEB

As far as breeding grounds for dance music talent go, the picturesque Isle of Skye doesn't instantly spring to mind. However, having already produced Myles MacInnes, better known to the screaming masses as Mylo, his friend, 29-year-old William Threlfall, DJ, producer, and musician, who works under the name Williams, looks like he might be next to hit the big time. Having recently finished touring as guitarist with Mylo's live band, Willie started making waves in the music world back in 2003, when he released his first LP, 'Love Crisis.' His Royksopp-influenced debut from label Glasgow Underground, consisting of nine tracks, is a bit of an undiscovered gem, the kind of music you want to tell all your friends about. Aged 19, Willie left Skye for Glasgow to try out a couple of college courses, worked as a sound man in The Tunnel nightclub, and spent some time abroad before going back to London, where he shared a flat with MacInnes. It was during this time that 'Love Crisis' was born.

"Myles was in the process of making 'Destroy Rock and Roll', and I helped him with a couple of tracks, but I didn't really set out to make an album," remembers Willie, speaking from his home in Skye. "He knew Kevin McKay from Glasgow Underground and I just happened to give him some music. He offered me an album deal, so it happened by accident really."

Made on Willie's laptop, the album is largely sample based, with a couple of friends roped in to play guitar and sing, including Johnny Barrington, who features on the brilliant track, Bad Boy. "I was living with Johnny at the time, and he's not a singer or anything. He just kept drinking loads of coffee and coming out with these really hilarious songs, so I decided to record him one day. I didn't have any intention of putting it on the album as I was just messing around, but it turned out everyone really liked it."

For Willie, finding suitable samples is "...a random process of going down to a charity shop and buying crappy, unwanted records from the eighties and taking them home. I'll sit reading the paper listening to them and a little loop will stand out." Just two months after the release of 'Love Crisis', which met with glowing reviews, Glasgow Underground's distributor went bust, badly affecting sales. The label has since recovered, and Willie hopes a re-release of his LP could be on the cards. Touring may be over, but Willie is keeping busy. His single Pinball was released by Tsuba records in January on 12 inch vinyl, following on from the big club track Piccadilly Circuits on German label Get Physical. In February, a Williams remix of Swedish dance act The Knife's first single, Silent Shout, from their forthcoming album, was also released.

"Doing the album was great as it was new to me and experimental and fun, but now I want to concentrate on getting a name for myself as an underground artist, releasing singles and DJing. I might do a live set eventually." Any advice for someone trying to break into the music business? "Hang around with famous people! I got it pretty easy as I was friends with Myles and just happened to be there at the same time and meet the same people he met. Send demos to all your favourite record labels and hassle people as they aren't going to come looking for you. I don't really aspire to be like a specific DJ. I just want to be recognised as someone who does something a little bit different."