James Lavelle

For over three decades, James Lavelle has stood at the cutting edge of global club culture — a true polymath whose influence spans music, fashion, film, and art. Best known as the founder of the groundbreaking Mo’ Wax label and as the creative force behind UNKLE, Lavelle’s career has defined and redefined the sound and style of contemporary electronic music. 

Starting as a teenage DJ in Oxford, Lavelle launched his first club night Mo’ Wax Please before moving to London to work in record shops leading to establishing Mo’ Wax in 1992. The label became a cultural movement — pioneering trip-hop, turntablism, and alternative hip-hop — and introducing the world to artists like DJ Shadow with the seminal album Endtroducing…. Lavelle’s vision fused music, streetwear, and art, leading to collaborations with brands like Nike, Supreme, and A Bathing Ape, and soundtracking runway shows for Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens, and Virgil Abloh’s final Off-White show.

As a DJ, Lavelle has held legendary residencies across the globe from the renowned That’s How Is It night at Bar rumba to being the original Fabric Live DJ and clubs from London to Tokyo, Ibiza to New York, shaping global nightlife and mix culture through his iconic FABRICLIVE and Global Underground compilations. His Living in My Headphones show on Soho Radio continues his reputation as a curator of bold, genre-defying sounds.

Through UNKLE, Lavelle has collaborated with artists such from Thom Yorke to Massive Attack, Brian Eno to Queens of the Stone Age, and so many more, producing cinematic records and acclaimed remixes that bridge music, film, and visual art. His creative universe extends to exhibitions like Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick and Beyond the Road, immersive experiences blending sound and art.

Now entering a new chapter, Lavelle continues to tour worldwide, curate events, and work on UNKLE’s next studio album while bringing his ever-evolving sound and vision to his Soho Radio show which started back in 2014. 

James’ new 3 hour Living in My Headphones show on Soho Radio is Lavelle’s ongoing exploration of the music that inspires him — an eclectic journey through genres, eras, and moods. Each show captures the restless curiosity that has defined his career, offering listeners a rare window into one of the most innovative minds in contemporary music. James invites listeners inside his creative universe — connecting the dots between decades of underground culture and the new sounds shaping the future. Expect rare gems, new discoveries, and timeless influences woven together with insight, passion, and the unmistakable touch of a true tastemaker.