KC Lights has always sat in that space between precision and instinct. A trained musician who understands structure inside out, but one who has gradually leaned into something looser, more immediate. His records tend to land because they feel right in a room, not because they tick the right boxes on paper.

“Danca,” his latest on Toolroom Records, comes from that mindset. It’s a track that didn’t hang around in the studio for long, written quickly, tested early, and shaped by how it moved a crowd rather than how it looked on a timeline. There’s a tougher edge to it as well, pulling in Latin rhythms and a more direct energy that pushes his sound slightly out of its usual lane without losing the clarity he’s known for.

You studied music at university before moving into dance music properly. Was there a point where you had to unlearn anything from that training to make records that actually worked in clubs?
I wouldn’t say I’ve had to unlearn anything, exactly, but I think restricting yourself to a set of rules or confines can hinder creativity. It definitely took me a while to realise that it can be a useful tool to understand the tools of writing music but people on the dance floor respond to a feeling rather than something thats perfectly constructed.

Talk us through how your new single Danca came together…
Amazingly, Danca came together really quickly. I went into the studio to write something a bit more club focused than some of the other projects I was working on at the time and within a few hours I had a solid demo. I played it out that weekend and knew I was onto a winner. If only it was always that easy!

Your schedule now moves pretty quickly between cities. Do you find that constant movement feeds into ideas, or does it make it harder to hold onto them long enough to turn them into finished tracks?
It’s only really in the last couple of years that I’ve felt like I’ve really been able to work on music on the road. It was never something I could really get comfortable with before but I love it now. I think having a small window of opportunity can actually really help creatively. There’s no messing about really, if there’s an hour to spare at the airport I can just open my laptop and get a quick idea down and there’s no choice but to commit to it. I can have a full day in the studio and come out with nothing because I was jumping between lots of different ideas.

There’s often a moment in a DJ set where things either click or drift. What do you look for in a crowd to know which way it’s going?
This kinda depends on the event actually. If there’s any sign of things drifting during a one hour festival slot then you have to think quick and pull them back in. With an extended club set it’s a little different. I’ve learned not to get worked up and panic if its not all hands in the air the whole time. I’ve found it to be detrimental to the night as whole if you’re constantly trying to maintain those big moments the entire time. It’s good for things to ebb and flow a little throughout.

Have you had a record that you were convinced about in the studio that just didn’t land when you played it out? What did you take from that?
Absolutely, this happens all the time! Sometimes it’s a case of getting back into the studio and fixing the parts that didn’t quite work, or adjusting the mix. Sometimes it’s a case of coming to terms with the fact that its just not as good an idea as you thought it was.

Danca brings in more of that Latin vocal energy and a slightly rougher edge. Where did that come from, and did it open up anything new for you creatively?
Really, I was just trying to come up with more of a club tool, something with a slightly darker edge than my other recent releases. I’ve always been inspired with latin rhythms in particular and the combination of styles just felt right with this one.

You’ve been releasing music consistently for a few years now. Has your relationship with your older tracks changed at all when you revisit them in a set?
I really thought it would, you know, but actually I love playing the older stuff still. Sometimes it can feel like the moment has passed a bit on a record so I’ll stop playing it for a while but I love pulling out some older tunes of mine from time to time and I’m usually pleasantly surprised with how well they still go down.

Do you find it easy to switch off from music when you’re not working, or does it bleed into everything else?
I don’t think I’m ever fully able to switch off, if I’m being honest, but I’ve really made an effort over the years to get better at taking time away from all the noise, particularly when it comes to spending time with my family.

What tends to start a track for you at the moment? Is it still quite technical, or more instinctive than it used to be?
It’s still a bit of both. I still try and make time to learn new things in the studio and find new sounds and a lot of the time new ideas are born out of that process. I have a folder on my phone of notes I’ve taken from ideas that have just come to me when I’m out and about as well. It’s never really the same process each time.

If you look at the next year or so, is there something you haven’t done yet that you feel ready to step into now?
So many things! It’s part of the reason I’m more excited than ever looking ahead. Doing an album is still something I feel like I’m working towards. It isn’t something I’m necessarily actively working on but just the concept of it excites me a lot and I think it’ll happen sometime soon.