Jozef K

Published on 2020-05-15 00:00:00 by Alex Honey

Here’s an improved version of the interview, focusing on logical flow, clarity, and engagement:

Interviewer: Hi Joseph, hope you’re well. How are you doing?

Joseph: Not bad, all things considered. I’m currently working on a track, and I’m really hoping the world can start taking some steps back towards normality soon. My thoughts are with all the frontline staff around the world—you are truly heroes. My brother works for the NHS, so the fight against the virus is very close to home for me.

Interviewer: It’s great to hear you’re keeping creative during these times. Let’s talk about your debut album, Battle. How are you feeling about its release, and how did it come to be released on Nite Grooves?

Joseph: Releasing Battle felt incredibly cathartic, especially because my life was quite tumultuous while I was creating it. I simply sent it over to Rich, and thankfully, he liked it. That was really cool for me, as I’ve been buying Nite Grooves and King Street Records for ten years now.

Interviewer: The atmospheric sound of this record is a real elaboration on your wide-ranging discography, continuing to explore the emotive side of house. Was the production process much different from your other work, for example, your recent darkside jungle release under the Bluematter moniker?

Joseph: Yes and no.

Yes, because apart from ‘Caught A Glimpse Now It Haunts Me,’ the album is primarily house and generally 30-40 BPM slower than my other work. Also, yes, because I began this album three years ago, and my preferred techniques have evolved since then. I was heavily into using samples at that time—definitely going through my DJ Shadow phase. Those days are mostly behind me now! While jungle certainly uses a lot of samples, with Bluematter (which is a collaboration with Thomas Ragsdale), we write all the music ourselves.

No, because both the album and the Bluematter material are created from the same emotional palette. Production-wise, there are considerable similarities in the processing and textural layering across this album and, I guess, most of my work—whether it’s Bluematter, Jozef K, or my upcoming project, Violet Mist. I suppose that’s to be expected; I never intend for them to be completely isolated.

Interviewer: You’ve mentioned that your forthcoming releases will sound more “familiarly futuristic” and “post-apocalyptic.” Is there anything more you can tell us about them at this stage? I’m wondering whether recent events have fed into your “end-of-days” fantasies much.

Joseph: Absolutely, I’m really immersed in that whole Blade Runner “broken future” aesthetic right now. I was actually into it before the virus outbreak, and now it’s really put me into overdrive. Oh, and how spooky is the name of this track, which I made last year, on an EP called “Planet Doom”? It feels oddly prophetic now.
\

Joseph: You’re right, I’m definitely exploring that dystopian aesthetic further, whether it’s in house, jungle, or whatever genre feels right. I appreciate how it’s more about a textural quality than a melodic one, focusing on the soundscape and processing rather than individual parts. This makes the dystopian future aesthetic quite adaptable to various styles.

However, I am slightly cautious about a potential influx of music being written in this style in the coming months. I’ll definitely keep my ears out for it and switch things up if needed. If I hear a tech house track that opens with a generic wind and rain texture, that’ll be my cue to move on!

Interviewer: The dystopian urbanism of post-industrial Manchester laid the mythic foundations for a lot of British subculture, particularly Joy Division, who you’ve mentioned a couple of times. The closing track of your album is even a tribute to your home city. Has your perspective on Manchester changed after traveling and holding residencies abroad, notably in Ibiza? And has the city’s environment itself changed much?

Joseph: Citing Joy Division and being from Manchester—I know, I’m so original, who’d have thought it? [Laughs] But seriously, traveling has really strengthened my positive perspective of Manchester. I’ve been fortunate to play in various cities around the world over the years, but my heart will always be in MCR, and my love for the city is a visceral one. I love Ibiza for many reasons—who doesn’t?—but it’s not 100% me; I need some grit. You’re never going to get a place like White Hotel in Playa D’en Bossa, do you know what I mean?

In terms of the environment, both musically and creatively, Manchester has always been forward-thinking and innovative; I suppose that goes without saying by now. I think how much it rains must have something to do with it—people are indoors escaping the elements a lot! I only realized how small the city center actually is after visiting supercities like New York and Shanghai. In Shanghai, for example, taking a 20-minute subway from The Bund still means walking out to more skyscrapers, whereas Manchester just has Market Street! That said, there are a hell of a lot of buildings currently under construction, aren’t there?

Interviewer: You’ve also toured extensively in China—what’s your impression of the electronic music scene there?

Joseph: The electronic music scene in China is currently in its formative state, so it has a really fresh, vibrant energy. In cities like Shenzhen and Chongqing, it’s super new, and it’s genuinely cool to see it rising there. I distinctly remember in Chongqing seeing a handful of people dancing to house for the first time during my set, and it was beautiful. Shanghai and Beijing are a little further advanced in their electronic music development, and these are my two favorite cities to play in. I feel a bit like a fly on the wall, getting to watch it grow, and it’s cool! Oh, and I’ve noticed that acid often seems to evoke a particularly positive response across China!

Interviewer: Has your approach to DJing changed at all since your illuminating ‘How I Play’ video?

Joseph: I actually just watched it back for reference, and it hasn’t really changed. I think I’ll carry those fundamentals with me now; I still do a lot of those things in terms of set preparation and audience interpretation. I was a bit drunk on the last part of that video, though—that bit about the snares and rims is well cringey!

Interviewer: Any upcoming announcements our readers can know about?

Joseph: Once the virus eventually calms down enough, I’m going to play some shows in Japan, which is my personal light at the end of the tunnel. Also, I just signed a Bluematter album—can’t say who with just yet!

The next release is on Lossless, home to Trikk, Mathias Schober, and Thomas Herb, who are all amazing producers, so I’m really happy to be doing a record with those guys. Mathias even does mixdowns for Dixon and the Innervisions crew, so it’s a true honor! I had to take extra care with the final versions of these tracks, knowing they’d be under the microscope!

Apart from that, I have releases coming on Lost City Archives and Vault Wax. And, I have an EP signed to the biggest label yet, which I’m incredibly excited about, though I’m under strict orders to keep quiet about it for now! My new side project, Violet Mist, debuts with an album next month on Disintegration State.

Interviewer: Finally, any artists, crews, or other things that you’re particularly feeling at the moment?

Joseph: What I’m really feeling right now is ambient, atmospheric, dreamy techno, especially their mixdowns. For the producers out there, how sick is that? Complex, subtle, and detailed—I love it.

Is there anything else you’d like to dive into about your upcoming projects or influences?

https://open.spotify.com/track/528QVyZtUDHcz21cuIJlC0?si=b_FiXeXNT9ijlCy7jWSolw

This sound has really been inspiring my studio approach currently, I made a playlist containing more of this type of stuff which you can check here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5vyXtB0jn9ilBYhGa4SMR3?si=MqiLdoaiSJiiElJI48QeCw

Joseph: I heard Vril’s album Anima Mundi for the first time a couple of months back—I know, I’m late to the party, it came out in 2018!—and it really floored me. The melodies, the textures, and the depth… that’s what caused me to delve deeper into the field, beyond the bigger names of the genre like Vril, Donato Dozzy, Neel, and co. I also noticed some dystopian aesthetics across these new discoveries, for good measure.

Other mentions, rapid fire, in current, heavy, recent rotation, here goes!

• Nabihah Iqbal’s NTS show and Tom Ravenscroft on R6 (Mary Ann Hobbs is a given, of course).
• Skee Mask always kills it—his Compro album… damn!
• Barrington Levy’s ‘Shaolin Temple’ (that Roland echo space!).
• Western Lore is always sweet for jungle.
• Kim Ann Foxman’s new one, ‘Blood Moon’.
• HTRK (I’m forever listening to them, caught them in White Hotel in November, sick).
• The new one on UTTU by Nemo Vachez, and the DJ Haus collab with Jensen Interceptor (also on UTTU).
• Beyun’s ‘The Rains Shall Pass’ is some killer, moody acid.
• Tin Man’s new remix of Aurora Centralis’ ‘747’ is some lovely sci-fi acidness too.
• I’m also really into Interplanetary Criminal for some slick garage; their production is really nice—I don’t find enough reverb on UKG!
• New retro house tune from Chrissy, ‘So I Go Dancin’ (Ft. Carrie Wilds).
• And I just heard this one on Phonica I was digging: by Earth Trax & Newborn JR.

I feel I have to mention Big L as I am just addicted to listening to him; in my most played Spotify 2019 playlist, he made 3 of the top 5! I had no idea he would feature before either! Also heard this the other day and LOVED it: Ojerime’s ‘Give It Up 2 Me’—it feels like a more melancholic version of Erykah Badu.

 

I’m keen on the data these days aren’t I? Too many late night reddit threads…

Written by Alex Honey