Listen to Duke Dumont's New Single, 'Won't Look Back'

As the influence of house continues to spill over into chart pop on both sides of the pond, one man that's fully latched onto (sorry, honestly) the zeitgeist is Duke Dumont. Just over a year after his A*M*E collaboration 'Need U (100%)' topped the UK Singles Chart and bagged him a Grammy Award nomination, Duke Dumont's career has seen a heady thrust into the mainstream - and serious radio play to naturally go along with it. His new single 'Won't Look Back' just got its first airplay on BBC Radio 1 tonight, and we've got the first full listen of it too.

We also caught up with him about what's probably been the busiest year of his life so far.

THUMP: It's been a year since Need U (100%) went to No. 1 in the UK. How has the past year been for you?

Duke Dumont: Happily busy. I DJed at about 200 shows last year and when you're on the road a lot it can be exhausting, but I'm enjoying it and feeling fortunate. I wasn't expecting that track to do what it did, but as a result I've signed an album deal and I'm getting the freedom to make the kind of music i want to make. I'm looking forward to delivering the album. When you've had shit jobs in the past, you don't take any of this for granted when you become your own boss.

Getting nominated for a Grammy is pretty huge. With the recent championing of electronic music in major US music awards ceremonies in the past 2 years (Skrillex, Daft Punk), do you think this means that electronic music has really hit the mainstream now? Or is it a moment in time, commercially speaking?

Duke Dumont: Electronic music, without a shadow of doubt, is the mainstream. With pop culture, there's always a cycle. Other artists help pave the way for other artists. I'm sure if it wasn't for Disclosure doing their thing, 'Need U (100%)' might not have got to Number 1 in the UK. If I didn't do my thing, chances are Route 94 may not have got to No.1 in the UK. So it is a cultural chain reaction. I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out.

Many will have learned about you from your work in the past year, but you've been DJing for a long time. What changes have you seen in the public perception of electronic music, both good and bad?

Duke Dumont: DJing through the recession was hard. People just weren't going out. For me personally things are good, because I have the option to play smaller club dates, or big festival shows. Now is a good time for any act that performs live, or DJs, but I do think it is hard for producers who have no interest in performing live, and are consumed by recording. For the esoteric act who doesn't tour, it's a bad time.

Who are your favourite acts taking on the pop charts right now?

Duke Dumont: I liked the fact that Breach wrote a track with no verses which got into the UK Top 10. I don't have any real favourites though.

Who would you like to work with in 2014 and onwards?

Duke Dumont: This is two-fold. I'm working with different artists on my album to really set the tone. I want there to be a high degree of craftsmanship to the record. However, I've also been adopting more of a record producer role throughout this year too. I'm working with one of the best soul singers of the last 20 years right now, and producing some beats for one of the best rappers around too.

What's coming next?

Duke Dumont: Right now I'm concentrating on finishing the album, and I'm about to hit Ibiza for the summer. My label Blasé Boys Club has a Monday residency at Sankeys, so you'll see my first two signings Kiwi and Jax Jones DJing there along with Jonas Rathsman, French Express, Waze & Odyssey and the rest. On top of that, I'll be at a lot of European festivals and US and Australian tours coming. If you want to catch the live show, that will be debuting at Reading and Leeds. So, an active few months ahead.

'Won't Look Back' is out August 24th on Blasé Boys Club/Virgin Records

You can follow Duke Dumont here: @DukeDumont