Andrew Akanbi - known mononymously on the international stage - is ten years deep into running his well-established and respected party Groovy Groovy, but it feels like he’s only just getting started. New-York-based, by way of Nigeria, Andrew started Groovy Groovy as a college basement party in New Jersey, before porting it over to New York in 2016, not long after its inception. 

Run with his creative partner Declan AKA DJ Temporary, the party retains a loose-yet-focused sensibility with its booking policy, remaining ahead of the curve and tying together sounds and aesthetics from across the board. Bringing in artists such as DJ Fart In the Club, Jubilee, Neffa-T, Scratcha DVA, Manara, Shyboi, Laksa and Simo Cell, the broad range of artists reflects the openness that he embodies both as an individual and in his artistry.

Though an eclectic bunch of artists spanning geographies and musical aesthetics, what ties them together is the feeling that they have something special to say with their work, all operating on the same spiritual wavelength in spite of differences. Discussing the overarching sonic sensibility of Groovy Groovy and what he looks for when booking artists, he proclaims that “it’s that special something... artists who believe in love and want to use their art to bring more love into the world. Especially now, that’s what I look out for in the music and the art.” 

Coming from anyone else beaten down by the incessant cynicism of the underground dance music industry, this could come across as glib or insincere, but it comes across as wholehearted and even fervent coming from him. It’s as if Andrew is compelled to book them off of the sheer power of their creative expression, with him “trusting the person’s voice so much that [he] needs to give them the microphone”.

This sense of ceding the limelight and creating space for others is a core thread running through his work, but 2023 was a bumper year for him, with the spotlight being turned on him and bringing bookings at respected global institutions such as Primavera Sound, Garage Noord, Lente Kabinet, Herrensauna and Fuse Brussels. With 2024 marking the tenth anniversary of Groovy Groovy and with an upcoming booking at Dekmantel Festival, it’s clear that he’s not slowing down any time soon. 

A set from him is an experience, filled with curveballs and with each one drastically different, with his omnivorous, deeply considered taste seeing him play anything from soul-soothing ambient, fearsome techno, and brain-scrambling, high-fidelity bass bangers to grown n’ sexy amapiano and groovy house. Having played b2b with esteemed selectors such as Kia, livwutang and DJ Voices - at his own event and further afield - he’s a chameleonic presence behind the decks, able to perfectly calibrate his selections to the situation as needed. The underlying thread tying this all together? “It’s what feels good and what feels real…it’s what connects with people in their soul”

A grounded, empathetic individual with infectious energy, he “just wants to play tunes and let us all feel our vibes”. Though recent years may have seen him burst into the wider consciousness of the dance music scene, his breakout is underpinned by a relentless drive and a desire to keep things fresh. You get the sense that his dedication to music and culture isn’t just a job for him; it’s a necessity, with the act of creation being something deeply spiritual that nourishes his spirit and those of the individuals that he connects with. The topic of freedom crops up repeatedly during our conversation; a driving factor for him is the desire for people to release their inhibitions and to let go of preconceived notions. 

Speaking to the civil engineer-turned-recently-full-time-DJ on Zoom, he states that the thing keeping him motivated is “knowing that [he’s] feeding people with soul food”. Ten years of graft is by no means an easy feat, but you get the sense that he relishes the challenge and that he has a clearly defined plan for where he sees things going - in his own words, “after ten years, the spirit of how to manifest the vision of Groovy Groovy is incredibly clear”. 

At the time of speaking, it’s been a year since he left his career and made the leap directly into full-time DJing, but it’s clear that his ambitions stretch beyond progressing up the DJ ladder. Fully grasping the moment and the opportunities that have come his way, he acknowledges that “you can be the DJ who goes out and plays bangers OR you could be that DJ who educates and gives people what they didn’t even know they needed. Spiritually and creatively, I feel very ready… I go on these travels and know exactly what I want to share. I know what kind of impact I want to make”. 

The way he discusses music gives the impression of someone aligned and in tune with a wider purpose, beyond the mere utility of playing music for the sake of it. “I’m bringing supreme levels of music therapy to people… It’s a privilege to travel the world and serve this Groovy magic to people, have it be felt and not try and win people over. You either feel it or you don’t”. Whilst he’s been seeing success and becoming known for his selections as a DJ, the overarching ambition is to bring people together and to challenge their perceptions of what can be. 

He seems driven by a desire to deconstruct and rebuild in a new image, discarding the way things have previously been done. Reflecting on a recent experience playing in China, he talks about how mainstream clubbing culture is mainly focused on “playing the bangers”, with tightly controlled access to the Internet giving rise to a limited perception of what clubbing should look like. In spite of this, he still came in driven by a desire to educate and challenge, “feeding them the boom boom…but only after messing with their minds”, he says with a smirk.

He seems to be simultaneously humbled and blown away by the concept of people from other continents appreciating the vibes he brings, yet also fully attuned to the path he’s walking, completely aware of the transformative power of music and the arts, and unphased by the journey.

He brings up an instance in Brussels where some admirers who’d previously seen him at Dekmantel Selectors in Croatia approached him, stating that their friendship group had put together a spreadsheet of artists they all wanted to see and he was on it, alongside some big names. Accepting of the growth taking place in his career, his desire to touch people’s hearts in different corners of the globe is deeply tied to his passion for community building, an overarching thread of his artistic practice that comes up multiple times in our conversation.

This comes through when discussing his experiences getting used to the realities of being a full-time touring DJ. At the time of speaking, he’s fresh off a stint in Asia, and was blown away by the openness and dedication to culture he encountered, particularly in Japan. It’s clearly something that’s stuck with him. He animatedly recounts how “musically, performing in Japan was phenomenal…they’re very receptive ‘cos they’re actually tapped into the vibe. They can identify when they’re getting hit by something real and genuinely authentic”. He again seems deeply grateful that people over there “had been following Groovy Groovy for years and explaining how they couldn’t wait to attend…a clear example of them resonating with the vibe”.

He mentions a party he played at in Japan where, despite the strict no-drugs policy, their commitment to culture even comes through in their stamina, with people staying for the whole duration, “remaining really present” and keeping the energy high throughout without the assistance of mind-altering substances. “They’re able to tap into a deep state of mind where, looking out onto the dancefloor, you’d think they’re high as hell”. We both agree that the Japanese are great students when it comes to their passions and hobbies, with Andrew stating that “Japan is all about the culture. They’re heads.”

This openness is something that he gravitates towards and that permeates his approach to life, creatively or otherwise, with a sense of relaxed curiosity emanating from him. Whilst discussing the logistics of touring life, he mentions how “on a spiritual level, you want to immerse yourself in the spaces you visit, truly experiencing what they have to offer”. 

A far cry from the in-and-out stints experienced by superstar DJs, his desire to commit to new cultures, dive in deep and fully learn from them often means staying longer than just the weekend. This of course comes with a financial cost, but “as an artist operating in a capitalistic system, you can’t be too precious about the financial side of things…obviously you need to pay your bills, but you can’t be counting the money too much. You’ve gotta prioritise building your craft…it’s an investment in yourself”. It’s plain to see that materialistic pursuits aren’t what drives him. 

His appetite for living openly and partaking in new experiences is transmitted when talking about his time in South America, the joy contagiously jumping out through the confines of the screen on which we’re talking. He relays a trip to Colombia - where he played at Rio Hostel, a hostel integrated with the locals and situated in the middle of lush, verdant jungle - and Brazil, where he spent his 30th birthday. A ride-or-die New Yorker, he exclaims that Brazil was one of the few places he could see himself ditching New York for and living in: “it was absolutely amazing and refreshing to be an African in Brazil, being surrounded by people that look like you”.

This is in direct contrast to his time in China where, despite still having a great time out there, he felt overly perceived as a black man abroad. In his words, “it’s one thing to not see anyone that looks like you, it’s another to look around and think…holy shit. People would just come up to [him] and take a picture, invading personal space without consent”. 

Minorities are all-too familiar with the feeling of being overly aware and not able to fully let your guard down but, in a very whitewashed scene which has only recently started to diversify somewhat, the othering that can be experienced when navigating unfamiliar spaces isn’t often discussed. 

He contrasts his experience in China with his time in Japan where he largely felt immense freedom, with the feeling of otherness and displacement in China being amplified by the reach of the surveillance state. In addition to there being countless security cameras on every street corner, police would regularly impinge on his spatial autonomy, “getting up in his face and recording with their camera, almost as if to cause some sort of reaction”. This is down to what he calls the “different layers of being perceived”, with the first layer being people staring on the street - ostensibly harmless, yet still triggering - and the final layer being full on invasion of space. 

You’d think that coming home to the cosmopolitan haven that is New York would get rid of this feeling of othering, yet Andrew speaks of disappointment at having to deal with people at home “not navigating conversations with sensitivity”. People of colour are used to dealing with constant microaggressions in their day-to-day lives but, coming home from a life-affirming-yet-draining world tour, you’d expect people to be mindful of your energy, right? 

Unfortunately not, says Andrew, relaying a recent tale where he was “just trying to chill in the club and enjoy being back home” and yet was bombarded with repetitive, fairly thoughtless questions about his travels, with it seeming like a lot of the questions were “asked on autopilot”. 

Rather than actually wanting to really understand his experiences abroad, it appeared as if a lot of people were just trying to have proximity to him in an attempt to be near clout. If this appears trivial, then this misunderstands the othering that occurs to people of colour - rather than being seen or treated as an individual with autonomy, people project their ideas onto you, looking through you and treating you as an avatar of success.

After heart-opening experiences in different corners of the globe, navigating experiences like this can be jarring as it reduces your humanity - “you just want to relax in the club but, not wanting to make things awkward, you just roll with it and engage with the questions you’ve been asked ten times already that night”. He even acknowledges how having success can have people “intentionally disrespecting you and trying to bring you down”

Even with dips such as this though, his unstoppable energy means that situations such as these leave him feeling unphased - in his words, “you’ve gotta be grounded but you can still reach for the stars”. As with everything we’ve discussed during our conversation, it comes back to the energy gained from the community around him. Even when not feeling 100%, himself and his inner circle can “hold space for each other and engage…being in the same group but not being tired of hanging out with each other, since [they] can all be respectful and show affection, treating each other as a human being. That’s why those relationships are so cherished - we can build with each other in a very healthy way”. 

The inimitable energy that he puts out into the universe is returned right back to himself and Groovy Groovy, with the community that he nourishes feeding him right back - this is perfectly illustrated by a challenge earlier in the year when Groovy Groovy fell foul of the pitfalls of hosting events in today’s fraught dance music ecosystem. They lost a not-insignificant chunk of money on an event, enough to potentially put a halt to future parties - where this would have potentially caused others to lose faith, his steadfast resolve and belief in the community that had been built meant himself and Declan didn’t falter. 

They were transparent with their community about the financial challenges faced and subsequently had the community rally round, helping to recoup their losses. “You get back what you put in”, he says. “I’m keeping it so real and letting it all out on the decks. I’m really connecting deep with people”. With ten years under the belt, it feels as if there’s plenty more connecting to be done, with many more hearts and minds around the globe that’ll be won over by the Groovy Groovy energy in the years to come.

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