Jacky, a huge welcome to DMCWORLD. How are you today?
Yeah great thanks, just got to Ibiza a couple of days ago. Had Defected opening and the following week. Also hit up the DC10 and Hi openings over the past week, which were both incredible. I’m definitely getting back into the swing of Ibiza life.
You’re becoming a bit of an Ibiza face, d’you come here often? Tell me about your first trip to the island and how long you’ve been coming…
Haha! Yeah I do actually. My first trip to the island was 2009, I was 19. I jumped off the plane rocking a snide H&M vest and crap boat shoes and went straight to Space for We Love to see Felix The Housecat and Simian Mobile Disco absolutely tear the place apart. I knew then I’d be coming back here for a while. I then did my first season in 2012 working as a ticket seller for Zoo Project and the boat party, which was wicked and have been coming back and forth ever since.
Tell me a favourite memory from your time on the island.
I once walked to the highest point, which is called Sa Talaiassa. When you get to the top you can see San Antonio and Playa d’en Bossa at the same time, it’s mental. We ended up walking from the bottom of the hill after a particularly big night out, which wasn’t the best idea – but was so worth it when we got there, just a as the sun started rising. It was breathtaking. It’s such a beautiful island and I feel like I see something completely new every time I come.
Where and when are you playing on the island this summer?
I’ve got six dates left with Defected, five of those will be Jacky & Friends takeovers in Room Two. I’ve also got three Jacky & Friends shows at the Treehouse stage during Zoo Project on 6th June, 16th Juy and 26th Sep.
Any off the beaten track beaches/bars/restaurants you can recommend?
Campilo! In San José. However, don’t go if you’re a vegetarian, you won’t like it. It’s a really small family restaurant, where they bring the meat out raw with a sizzler plate and you cook it yourself at your table, it’s amazing!
What artists/albums are you listening to right now?
I’m really into the new Geiser album, it’s insanely good. I have never been a huge techno fan, but the musicality on that record is just mind-blowing. I know It’s the most cliché thing you can say, but I feel like it’s an album that takes you on a real journey. There’s almost a narrative throughout the tracks, but they also stand really strong on their own. It’s really impressive. Artist wise I’m really feeling a breakthrough artist called Cloonee, he’s got a release coming through on my Red lunar imprint that I’m super excited about, so keep your eyes peeled for that.
You’re latest release ’Sensation’ on Defected is a bit of a banger, how did your relationship with Defected come about?
Simon got in touch with my management and asked what I was up to, obviously I was over the moon at this, having been a massive Defected fan for years. From there it all happened really quickly now I’m resident for them and the release has done amazingly well.
Tell us about your creative process when you’re in the studio.
I’ve been a drummer since I was about 10 years old so I always start with the drums. Once I’m happy with that, I move on to the bass line, they’re the most important elements for me to get right, I then normally move on to the synths as I have them in my head already so just have to find a way to translate them into actual sounds!
Are there any other Jacky or Red Lunar releases on the horizon we should know about?
For sure, as mentioned a minute ago, we’ve got an upcoming release from Cloonee which I’m really excited about. It’s a three track EP and I’ve remixed the title track myself. That’s out this Friday.
Beyond the vortex of Ibiza, where else are you playing this summer?
I’m all over the place this summer! I’m heading to Parklife in Manchester with Elrow, then hosting a Jacky & Friends official afterparty at Gorilla. I’ve also got a load of Jacky and Friends dates forthcoming Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool which I’m really excited about. I’m also playing Motion Bristol, Fire London and the Defected festival in Croatia which will be mint!
Tell us something about you not many people know
I used to live in Africa. When I was a kid, my dad worked for Caterpillar so we travelled around a lot of different mines and ended up living in Ghana and Tanzania for a while. It was one of the best experiences of my life, I was aged between 7 – 13 so it was a real pivotal time of my life and I’m so thankful I got to have that experience.
What was the first record your bought?
It was that Thrillseakers track, you know ‘Synaesthesia’? I was kind of a bit (a lot) into trance.
If you weren’t a superstar DJ, where and what would you be?
I would be homeless and unemployed. Haha! Well I’d like to think I’d be in the NBA actually, I originally wanted to be a basketball player and was actually pretty good! I played for North East England and nationally for years, that was my dream, then discovered music and realised that going out was really good and I couldn’t get up to go to training anymore!
