With a growing reputation for mood-lifting selections that refuse to sit neatly in one box, Sarahtonin has spent the last few years moving between the dancefloor, radio booth and festival circuit with the same broad-minded approach to music. A Low Life resident since 2023, she’s played alongside the likes of Bill Brewster, Frank Broughton and Optimo, while appearances at Glastonbury, Love International, Kala, Bugged Out! and Field Maneuvers have seen her take that instinctive approach to increasingly far-flung dancefloors. Away from the clubs, her weekly Do!! You!!! Radio show has become another outlet for her encyclopaedic taste, where house, disco, acid, electronica, techno, UKG and all manner of harder-to-categorise sounds can sit comfortably alongside one another. For her Off The Record mix, she’s done something slightly different: rather than mapping out a route in advance, she plugged in her USB, pressed record and simply followed whatever felt right — one take, no plan, just seeing where the music would take her. We had a quick chat with Sarah about some of her favorite moments behind the decks and about what she has on the horizon:
Hey Sarah, thanks so much for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
Thanks for having me! I actually decided to wing this one, which I’ve never done before with a recorded mix. I wanted to approach it differently as I often find myself not knowing where to start so I decided to just play whatever felt right when I plugged in my USB. I ended up recording it in one take and was pleased with how it turned out so it’s probably an approach I’ll be taking more often moving forward. Sorry, not the most exciting answer, I know…
What are your preferred methods for finding new music – do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
I find most of my music online at the moment, mainly because I can do it pretty much anywhere. I love being able to look for music whenever and wherever I fancy – whether that’s on my commute or falling down wormholes late at night. I find myself searching for stuff pretty much every day and I guess that’s just because I can.
I do love going for a dig though and have been saying I want to do it more. It’s just a case of finding the time at the moment
What would be a memorable set you played that sticks out in your mind?
It’s really tough to choose as I’ve had a lot of favourites for very different reasons but I’ve noted a few highlights from the last year or so below..
My closing set at the penultimate Low Life at Corsica Studios definitely stands out. Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton have been running Low Life for 30 years, and gave me my first ever club gig four years ago where I warmed up the room. To come back a few years later and close that same room felt pretty special.
Supporting Optimo at The White Hotel was another big one. It’s one of my favourite clubs, and with it closing at the end of the year, that night feels even more significant now. I’ve seen Jonnie play a lot over the years, so getting to warm the room up for him in a venue I love so much is something I’ll always remember.
Playing B2B with Charlie Bones at Kala Festival in Gjipe was easily the most beautiful place I’ve ever played. Anyone who’s been to Gjipe will know just how stunning it is, so it was a proper pinch-me moment. The set itself was a lot of fun too, as was arriving by speedboat!
Some other honourable mentions go to Wild Wood this summer, Bugged Out, the Tryouts boat party, my first B2B with Bill at the incredible Cobalt Studios and playing alongside my mates Matt Cowell and Rosie Ama under our MRS alias at Watching Trees.
I know that’s a fair few but it’s genuinely very hard to pick as they’re all so different! I’ve been having so much fun playing out lately and feel very lucky to have played some amazing gigs.
What are five records you couldn’t live without?
This changes a lot for me but here are some recent bits I’ve had on rotation…
Natural Magic – Don’t Look Back
I had to pick a track from my favourite album of the year, Natural Magic – II. If you haven’t listened to it already, I’d highly recommend doing so. Every track is amazing and I’ve got some really special memories attached to the album with one of my best mates Jack.
1000 OHM – Love In Motion
I’ve been playing this out and about quite a bit recently and I seem to love it more with every listen.
Axel Boman – Nokturn – Grand Finale
Not many tunes make me immediately run to the dancefloor, but this one does. I don’t know how or why it’s become a thing, but whenever I hear it and I’m with my housemate Tia, she somehow ends up on my shoulders.
Daphni – Fly Away (Deetron Mix)
A big, emotional banger that I have Optimo to thank for introducing me to. It was one of the last tracks I danced to at Corsica Studios before it closed its doors, and it’s one of those songs I know I’ll hear years from now and be transported straight back to that moment.
Gerry Rafferty – Down The Line
A beautiful track that I’ve become slightly obsessed with recently.
What do you have up your sleeve for 2026/2027?
Low Life is starting a new chapter after its many years at Corsica Studios, we’ve got our Halloween party at Number 90 in Hackney Wick coming up which should be a lot of fun. Those parties always are. I’ve got some other exciting gigs lined up too, including one in November that I’m particularly looking forward to, I think that will be announced soon-ish. I’ve also been spending a little bit of time in the studio with a friend recently who’s been showing me the ropes with production. I’m hoping to work on that a lot more over the next year or so with the aim of eventually putting some music out in the future. & obviously there’s plenty more radio at Do!! You!!! to come, I have so much fun doing my weekly show so I’m looking forward to more of that.
Thanks Sarah 🙂
