‘A rare and special freedom’: Backstage at dh2’s Glastonbury takeover

“Honestly, San Remo was where it was at,” Welsh techno musician Kelly Lee Owens tells Dazed. She may be signed to new electronic label dh2, which took over Glastonbury’s neon-lit San Remo tent on the Saturday night (June 28), but these exclusive pictures from the event do make a compelling case in Owens’ favour.

Founded by The 1975’s George Daniel last year, dh2 is the hedonistic, lovably messy child of British independent record label Dirty Hit, which counts The 1975, Beabadoobee, Rina Sawayama and Lava La Rue among their ranks. “I’d say dh2 leans more into electronic territory,” says Owens, who serendipitously became the label’s first signing after, by pure chance, reaching out to Daniel the very same day that it was founded. “Because it’s so new, there’s this exciting sense that it can shapeshift and grow in any direction it wants. That kind of freedom is rare and really special.”

In the short year since dh2 was born, the imprint has leveraged extensive connections across London’s dance underground, booking the likes of hardcore-leaning DJ-producer Daniel Avery, rising club star Surusinghe, and none other than Sampha for DJ sets at the takeover. “It was about bringing the DH2 family together,” Owens recalls. “This time last year, me and George were at Glastonbury dreaming things up and the label hadn’t even launched yet. To come back a year later with a full-blown takeover just shows how quickly and beautifully it’s all come together.”

For anyone who missed out on Glastonbury this year (myself included), the flicks from the event are pure FOMO fuel – featuring the likes of Glastonbury headliner herself, Charli xcx, Nasty Cherry vocalist Gabbriette, photographer Indiana420Bitch, and more. Owens, meanwhile, does little to ease the pain. “Everything you hear about Glastonbury being magical is true,” she sums up. “There’s this deep sense of openness everywhere you go, and an understanding that at the end of the day, we’re all just music fans!” 

In the gallery above, we go behind-the-scenes and behind-the-decks at dh2’s San Remo takeover. However, to anyone who missed this year’s proceedings, or even those suffering from the post-festival blues, proceed at your own risk.