Ultra Music return with a cool new single from this exciting young producerl=
Interview by Rob Chadwick
Hi Jack, how are you? What’s been happening?
A lot! I’m just on my way to Chicago to play Lollapalooza for the first time after a week in Munich making music with some of my favourite producers.
What turned you on to house?
I was brought up listening to plenty of disco and 90’s house music, but my real eureka moment came when I went to Ibiza for the very first time. I hit up Space and saw Fat Boy Slim and it kind of blew my mind. From then onwards it was a love affair, and no amount of tune hunting ever seemed to satisfy me. I was hooked.
What’s your favourite house tune of all time?
Tricky one but would probably would have to go with Ce Ce Peniston – Finally, the 12” Choice Mix. I love the original but this version is such an unadulterated banger and probably one of the very first house tracks I ever knew of (it was released the same year I was born!). I can just picture myself as a kid singing along in my mums car with this blaring out the stereo. It is in my humble opinion one of the best vocals to ever grace house music.
You remixed Clean Bandit, how did that come about?
The stems kinda just came my way on the off chance I could pull something off. Luckily for me the band loved what I came up with and ended up releasing it as an official remix.
What or who would say have been your biggest influences to date?
Would have to say Earth Wind and Fire. They have had a constant presence in my life, and are universally loved by every member of my family. We even play their stuff at Christmas. Anyone looking for an incredible live album needs to check out ‘Plugged In and Live’, it kinda blows the studio albums out of the water and keeps you coming back for more and more.
Where are you from and how did you get into music originally?
I’m born and raised in London, and have mostly been doing music in one form or the other my whole life. Or at least as long as I can really remember. I did a lot of singing as a kid, and had some decent classical training in an environment where I was surrounded by top class musicians. I’ve never really counted myself among them but at least some of it must have rubbed off on me haha.
What’s good to do there? Any hidden gems?
London is literally good for everything. A personal favourite of mine tho is Ronnie Scotts. You can go there any night of the week and just get lost in some of the finest, sexiest music on the planet. There is aparticualuy great night they throw there called the W3 Jam Sessions. Its a jam night with some of the best players in town that focuses on Funk and Soul music. It’s amazing.
For the uninitiated, could you describe your sound?
It’s hard to describe for someone like me, I have grown a little weary of genres, particularly within electronic music. I almost feel like we should do away with them and all move on with our lives haha! That said my music at its core is just trying to make you move. I guess you could say It’s house music with flavours of disco & deeper house with a large injection of melodies and harmonies. I’m big into putting plenty of actual musical ideas into my tracks, rather than just noises and rhythms.
You’ve just dropped a new single on Ultra Music, ‘All I See’. Tell us about the track.
It’s a fun little number. I made it a little while back and then sat on it for a little bit. Then I started playing it out and the crowd reactions were so damn good that I just had to release it. Luckily Ultra loved it so here we are. It’s actually one the first records I have put out that has me singing on it. It’s a route that I am starting to go down now with my music, and I am really enjoying the chance to be heard not just as a producer but as a vocalist too. I actually also sang on the last track of my previous EP ‘Fooled Around’ but didn’t really tell anyone at the time. It was a sort of test to see if people liked my vocals or not, and it ended up being the most popular track on the EP by far, which has really encouraged me to keep at it.
What’s next for JackLNDN? What else have you got coming up for 2015?
I’m working on a live show right now. I’m currently putting it together piece by piece and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. I feel like If I’m starting to sing on my music, I should be singing live too and their should be a whole show that goes with it. I have no idea how it will turn out, but its a fun process and enjoying working on it. It gives me a chance to show what I’m all about as a musician which is really exciting and terrifying at the same time! Besides that I’m playing a bunch more festivals and shows and also finalising my next EP… so keep your eyes and ears peeled for that very soon!
JackLNDN – All I See is OUT NOW on Ultra Music – https://pro.beatport.com/release/all-i-see/1570701
https://www.facebook.com/jackLNDN
https://soundcloud.com/jacklndn
