An Exclusive Interview and DJ Mix, with Jordan K Joseph - Strange Daze 13th Birthday

SD - Hi Jordan. Thanks for taking the time to speak to us.
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JKJ - Thanks, its a pleasure!
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SD - You're partly based in London, and partly in Manchester. Explain that to the readers.
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JKJ - I've lived in London most of my life. I have been in Manchester for a year since joining university. I had never been to the North before I moved here, but I absolutely love it!
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SD - You're not the first I've heard say that! - Spending time between (arguably) the two most musically diverse cities in the UK, must give you a great perspective on music as a whole. How has it influenced your tastes?
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JKJ - Growing up in London, everything is at your doorstep. I've never had a particular allegiance to a certain music genre and I've been through phases of everything from Ska through to Psychedelic Rock, Hip- Hop and Garage. My first introduction into the world of electronic music came at various squat raves in London, where there was lots of Dubstep and Drum'n'Bass. I think these experiences gave me an appreciation of certain aspects of many music genres which shows up in my DJ sets. I love mashing things up and playing between sounds and genres.
In Manchester there are loads of dance music enthusiasts, and it's great you get to see world class DJs and producers but also its small enough to retain a sense of community. I see a lot of the same party-goers, DJs and promoters attending similar parties to myself..... And plus, there are some fantastic venues in Manchester showcasing local talent which is awesome! Its really refreshing because its easy to feel isolated in a city as big as London. With my newfound friends in Manchester I've found my music style to become more dynamic without losing the variety in my music! Many thanks to Vinyl Exchange and Eastern Bloc records who have shown me loads of new directions I did not know existed!
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SD - Both great record stores, to be fair...and well worth a shout! I think that diversity in taste can often set you apart from other DJs, that may be a bit too focussed on a niche - Your Soundcloud has some mixes and playlists that span several genres. Highlight a few of your main musical influences for us?
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JKJ - My biggest musical influence in my life is actually my older sister! She introduced me to the world of electronic music, to artists like Maya Jane Coles and Booka Shade from which I started getting into classic house artists like Masters at Work and Larry heard which then evolved into 70/80s Disco and finally harder Techno. Both ends of the spectrum! But growing up I was a massive fan of Jimi Hendrix because his music was so advanced for its time and he pushed musical boundaries of the sounds you could achieve! I admire that vision and also Jeff Mills/ Underground Resistance and Carl Craig and many of the early Detroit techno artists too who really pioneered techno in the 90s and pushed boundaries of the genre!
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SD - MaW and Larry Heard!.... Jeff Mills!... NOW You're talking our language! - All great established names. Any lesser known artists that are really doing it for you at the moment?
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JKJ - Well, I'm really enjoying Vin Sol, Innerspace Halflife and SHDW & Obscure Shape at the moment, these guys are coming out with some really sophisticated Techno. Some really nicer cosmic ambient sounds in the music but still really hard hitting and even a nauseating feeling! A really raw side of Techno but not too intense at the same time!
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SD - That emotive side of House/Techno cross over, that still maintains some sophistication, is definately a sound worth exploring - We've seen, unlike a lot of the younger generation of Djs coming through, you play on vinyl along side other technology...How did you get in to DJing?
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JKJ - I took a year out from school and started really getting into dance music, particularly Disco and House and I just started collecting music on vinyl and also just getting loads of music from the internet - I just wanted to start mixing! A lot of my friends were really into the same type of music and a few of them were mixing as well so i thought, why not!! I wanna do that too! I'm glad that I started because I've enjoyed every minute of it. It really gives you an appreciation of the artists out there making the music and spreading the love!
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SD - And I think that helps a DJ stand out. That love of all styles and formats. The sign of a true aficionado! - Any forthcoming projects or future plans that you have in the pipe-line?
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JKJ - A few friends and I run a music group called After. From September '16, we will be commencing our second year of broadcasting on Shock Radio, with a program of artists set to appear on our show as guests, which we are always excited about! We're are also in the process of organising some parties before Christmas. Nothing is set in stone yet because we've all been having a break over summer, but our one year anniversary is gonna be sometime in late October/ early November so thats definitely one to look out for. Thats gonna be a big party! Other than that I've just moved into a new house so I'm building a little studio in the basement with all my music stuff so that will keep me occupied in the time being.
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SD - Nice! We look forward to hearing about the events on social media ... and seeing the studio build!!! - Strange Daze 13th birthday promises to be a massive event, with some great talent on the bill... Do you take that in to account when planning your set, or do you play it by ear, on the night?
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JKJ - Well this will be a first for me at this venue and with these DJs so i'm really excited for that! I'll be sure to get down early and get a feel for the party but when i'm playing i try not to plan my sets too much because you never know what the vibe of the night is going to be like. I just bring a whole bunch of different songs that I like and then see how I'm feeling on the night. I'll always try and switch things up and bring something different to the table, hopefully the crowd will respond well and I can have an opportunity to delve into my lesser known tracks!
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SD - You've hit upon a key thing I feel, there. A lot of DJ's forget to take in the vibe of the event before they jump on the decks. Sometimes that can feel a little like they're more imposing their pre-planned set on a party, rather than vibing off what is happening!
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SD - Thanks for taking the time to speak to us. We look forward to your set on the 30th Sept... .... for those unfamiliar with Jordan K Joseph's sound, check out the link below..it includes an exclusive Strange Daze 13th Birthday promo mix!! ....a great journey through techno, house, acid and melodic vocal floor fillers!
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SOUNDCLOUD - https://soundcloud.com/user289667558/strange-daze-13th-birthday-party-promo-mix
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...and don't forget, Standard tickets for the Strange Daze 13th Birthday, are still available, via the below!!

Tickets are no longer available for this event