Sonic Router

SR Mix #115: Jim-E Stack [Good Years]

Posted in Sonic Router Mixes   

A week or so ago I wrote this piece about how it can be awesome when you finally get to figure out what that particularly swell tune was that you’d heard out and about or on a bunch of radio shows/online mixes. Well, the same thing happened here, with the New Orleans based producer Jim-E Stack. It’s only after the fact – after the exchange of third party emails and an certain agreement was made – that it finally twigged that he’s the dude behind that ‘Lemme’ song; another one of those tracks that’s real simple in terms of its melody but super infectious when you get to hear it in the right space.

It’s on flip of the second release that’s come out on Good Years, the label co-run by Rinse FM DJ and YoYo promoter, Seb Chew – with the first being The Patience EP by Lil Silva. ‘Lemme’ in particular definitely shares that similar post-funky (yeah, I went there: big woop, wanna fight about it?) direction with his label mate – being that it’s of that house tempo, is powered by repetition, a nagging kind of main riff and lots of snares that cut through any mix you make with it. The other two tracks on the Come Between EP (namely the title track and ‘3rd Soul’) prove that Stack’s work can happily exist alongside a label with such a staunch a direction as Night Slugs, given how focused it is on working a dancefloor and those soaring kind of synth lines. It’s probably a testament to the influence of music like theirs and their associated artists that Stack’s work comes out sounding so smoothed and so ready.

All of Stack’s tunes are pure energy. Built of the specific influences he intersects with in his hometown they’re made specifically to provoke movement and it’s a vital trait that SR Mix #115 shares dutifully, as Jim-E Stack explores the spaces between artists like Dark Sky and A$AP Rocky and Kingdom and Lil Wayne…

Sonic Router: Let’s start with an introduction. Who are you? What made you want to make it in the first place?

Jim-E Stack: My name is Jim-E Stack, I’m 20 years old, I live in New Orleans and I’m a producer and DJ.

What are you using to make it? Can you describe your ‘studio’?

My studio consists of my laptop, two monitors and a MIDI keyboard on a table up against the South-East wall of my bedroom. And my roommate has CDJs and a mixer in our living room that I use.

How did you get into Electronic Dance Music?

I remember Daft Punk as being the first electronic music to catch my ear. I was probably 15 or 16 years old when I started listening to them. From there I got into Switch/Solid Groove – who remains my favourite producer – Diplo and Burial. All the kids I knew in high school thought dance music was gay, so I was alone in my enthusiasm mostly. Now all those dudes want to fuck the guys from Swedish House Mafia, so it’s whatever…

When I was 17 I met Kingdom and Jerome Potter, of LOL Boys, in San Francisco, and I started getting into more underground dance music, mostly UK guys like Lil Silva, L-Vis 1990, and DJ Zinc; Jerome more than anyone put me onto the weirder electronic music that has heavily influenced my sound and taste.

You live in New Orleans but grew up in San Fran right? What’s the scene for electronic music like in New Orleans? Is it different to other spots in the US in your opinion?

A few months ago Diplo had a day off in New Orleans before playing a festival. After dinner we went on a little journey through electronic music in New Orleans. That night was perfectly expressive of the city’s “scene.” First we went to see Bassnectar play. If you don’t know his music I guess its best described as big-room dub step and drumstep. His show was a big rave with 4500 sweaty kids on MDMA going crazy. For the most part, only really well known electronic acts in the U.S., like Bassnectar, come through New Orleans, because they’re the only ones that can draw people out to the clubs down here.

After the dubstep rave we went to Bounce Night, which is a monthly party featuring 4 or 5 New Orleans bounce DJs and MCs, and a bunch of girls on stage bent over and clapping their ass cheeks. Bounce music is a uniquely New Orleans genre, in which every song either samples a drum break from The Showboys’ ‘Drag Rap’, Derick B’s ‘Rock the Beat’ or ‘Brown Beat’ by Cameron Paul. Juvenile’s ‘Back That Ass Up’ is probably the most widely known New Orleans bounce song. Bounce Night usually brings out a lot of girls from all over New Orleans who want to clap their ass and then some dudes and transvestites who want to watch.

Then Diplo and I left Bounce Night with these two girls and they brought us to this party at a gay bar. When we walked in there were no lights on in the bar except for TV screens showing dudes blow each other, and there was also this fat, naked girl just walking around rubbing up on people. The DJ was playing some weird tropical house, Jersey club music, dembow, and Chris Brown. It was pretty live…

Electronic music in New Orleans is different from some other major US cities in that the smaller and more forward-thinking artists don’t usually make it down here because they can’t draw crowds here. New Orleans definitely isn’t as musically progressive as San Francisco. There are, however, definitely people here who fuck with weirder, more innovative dance music; you just have to go the right parties to meet them. This dude Five is my favorite DJ/producer from New Orleans, but you can probably only see him play at a little clammy dive-bar, or maybe that gay bar we were at.

How would you describe the music you make? I mean for example, your mix for us is jammed full of styles…

I usually describe my music as club music, just because people mostly play my songs in clubs, and I DJ in clubs, but it also has a place outside the club, maybe at a house party or in your bed before you go to sleep. My music is inspired almost completely by club music, like early Baltimore club, 90s house, hip hop, some r&b and some grime, but I try to reassemble those influences in a way that makes sense both in the club and at home, whether you’re in the crowd or on the couch with your girl, or your dude.

Seb Chew is putting out your EP on his Good Years imprint. How did you hook up with him?

I actually was acquainted with Scott Jason, the other half of Good Years, before Seb. One of my New Orleans homies met Scott at their club night, YoYo, in London. He introduced me to Scott over email, and I sent some tunes, and they asked me to release my first EP with Good Years. I first met Seb in London this past August, at the peak of those riots over there. I was going to play Seb’s show on Rinse FM, but I guess the riots got too messy and Rinse was shut down for the night. Driving back to Seb’s apartment we came to several intersections swarmed with rioters burning cars and smashing shit all around us. We were all a little freaked out even though we probably didn’t want to admit it, because you know, we’re tough…

Can you give readers an idea of what they can expect from the EP?

The Come Between EP is three songs that reflect where I’m at right now musically. There’s definitely a heavy Baltimore club influence, lush synths and vocals sampled from some r&b and old house songs. I guess it’s on a bit of a heartfelt tip because I’m emo, but it also knocks in the club.

What else have you got coming up?

In April I’m releasing a single on Body High, an American dance label run by Samo Sound Boy and Jerome Potter of LOL Boys.

Tell us a bit about the mix you’ve made for us?

The mix is pretty similar to what I’d DJ out in a club. Like my EP, it reflects where I’m at musically right now, but also where I’m coming from. Older producers like Armand Van Helden (aka Circle Children) and Low Deep are some of my all time favorites, and continue to inspire and have an impact on my music. I put a lot of songs in this mix from artists whose new music I’m really excited about, like Floyd Campbell, Lil Silva, and DJ Sliink. I also listen to and play a lot of hip hop when I DJ, so I made sure to include tracks from some of my favourite rappers at the moment. I love that song ‘Beanee Weenee.’ I found it on a CDR with ‘Vol. 14’ written on it that I bought at this kind of hood CD and t-shirt store in New Orleans.

Any words of wisdom for our readers?

A good song is a good song, regardless of how old or new it is, regardless if it’s popular or not, regardless of who wrote it or who it samples… fuck the politics, love what you love.

::

DOWNLOAD: Jim-E Stack – Sonic Router Mix #115

Tracklist:

Circle Children – Zulu (Change Mix)
Jim-E Stack – Lemme
Pearson Sound – Let Me See Refix
Vjuan Allure ft. Kevin Monolo Blahnik – Brrrrrrrrrr Work With Drops
Jim-E Stack – 3rd Soul
R.I.P Productions – Oh Baby
Gypsymen – New Gypsy
Floyd Campbell – Multipass
Kingdom – Stalker Ha
Switch – I Still Love You (Jim-E Stack Darq Edit)
Jim-E Stack – Come Between
Lil Silva – Shutter
Miracle – We Ain’t Scared
Dha Real Jahkz – No Hands
DJ Fresh – Night Off
DJ Sliink – Sure Thing
Dark Sky – Neon
DJ Funeral – Last Breath
Sibian & Faun – I’m Sorry
ASAP Rocky – Peso
Low Deep – Down Like That
Lil Wayne – Two Shots
Black & Mild – Beanee Weenee
Terius Nash – Wake Me When It’s Over (Nadus Remix)

Jim-E’s EP on Good Years ‘Come Between’ is out on Monday 16th January 2012 but available for upfront download from Juno now.