The mastermind behind our second installment of the Dance Party Chronicles Summer Series GuestMix hardly needs an introduction.
Satin Jackets, is the German producer behind one of my favorite tracks of 2012, "How Long Can I Wait For You", released on The House of Disco Records. Full disclosure: I enjoyed the track and EP so much that I bought the 12" immediately after its release, and before actually owning a turntable. The entire EP is top-notch, and if you haven't grabbed a copy, do. it. now. Also, I'd be lying if I said the pink and turquoise cover art didn't sell me either.There are so many great pieces to this track. From the soulful vocals, to the reminiscent melody and classic House vibe that have your head nodding with the beat, it's easily a dance party staple.
Tim (SJ) took a moment to answer a few questions for us. We were also able to pick his brain about the mix, his new label - Glam Jam Artists, and his thoughts on the NuDisco movement:
AFTER THE JUMP...
DPC: First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to do a guest mix for DPC. I know that you had originally planned a different approach to the mix and ultimately decided to do a 90s house mix. What inspired you to change gears? (Personally, I love when we can see a different side of producers!)
SJ: Well, at first I liked the idea of making it a mix devoted to german Krautrock and feature bands like Can, Neu, Ashra, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. But when I started to gather tracks I realized that most of the tracks were about fifteen minutes or longer which kinda meant I could only put in a few. A bit later it came into my mind that there was another period when I started to explore music that really interested me. It was the time when I was active as a DJ and these were some of the tracks I liked to play then.
DPC: If we were to go to a Satin Jackets show, what would we expect?
SJ: We're actually working on a live performance these days. I will be controlling Ableton with an APC40 firing up loops and effects while my band partner plays keyboards and does some vocals. We're still in the rehearsing phase since we do not want anything pre-arranged or even use playback.
DPC: What sort of music scene were you into growing up and how did you start getting into the music producing/DJing? Was there any special moment where you realized that it was what you wanted to do?
SJ: I spent my teenage years in the 80s which was really the best decade for me. I loved bands like Human League, Spandau Ballet, The Cure and Depeche Mode. My first mixtapes were made recording the DJ's radio shows with one finger on the pause button. The nerd in me had a strong inclination towards computers and the rest of me always wanted to make my own sound. So that helped me in the second half of the 90s when I met my future band mate who just finished his major in classical music but wanted to do electronic stuff and didn't know how. It was the beginning of our Deep House act "Lorenzo" and during the following six years, we toured across Europe and released three albums.
DPC: I know that you have an EP coming out today as well (May 28) on your new label, GlamJamArtists, how exciting is that?
SJ: Pretty exciting! I've been eagerly following the reactions to the promo and it has all been looking quite promising so far.
DPC: Moving along with that question, what are your hopes with GlamJam? Are there any artists or collaborations you are itching to get?
SJ: I started the label to be more in control where I want to go with my music and what's happening with it. After all, my heart lies with melodies, chords and vocals. My hopes for fruitful collaborations are entirely based on finding suitable musical talents and the motivation to go along. Fortunately, I have had the pleasure to work with some greatly skilled artists so far and I wish to continue that.
DPC: I've been a long-time listener, but it wasn't until I heard your remix of "Miss Mood" and then your original, "How Long Can I Wait for You" that I (honestly) really got interested. Do you find it harder to remix or make original tracks? I think both songs really showcase NuDisco at its finest and I love it when any DJs drop it when I'm out in a club!
SJ: Well, thank you. Actually, I like both. It feels good when somebody thinks I could be the right person to remix his or her work. Doing an original gives me more freedom to do what I want but it's also less of a clear objective.
DPC: I think that the term NuDisco gets thrown around a lot these days (I'm at fault, too) can you please explain/describe what you believe the genre is and the momentum it's been gaining in the last few years?
(Side note: Tim directed us to a post he did some time ago addressing this question. We’ve included an excerpt from it, but you should definitely check it out in its entirety as it a great discussion on the topic!)
"...So some thirty years later, when truly everything was coming back, and kids were struggling to accessorize with their retro-futuristic references simply because they did not have enough room on their skinny bodies to accommodate all those styles and have them still recognizable, the original disco got washed up at the shores along with a bunch of other stuff. It was long ago enough that even the americans seemed to have forgotten to be ashamed of it. Somebody picked it up and labeled it into, big surprise, "Nu Disco". This time it got to be a truly global subculture because it also, and probably for the first time, hit the areas behind the former iron curtain which appeared to have been reduced to a piece of flimsy nylon or at least some shiny chrome when I look through it during my virtual journeys on Facebook. Despite being taken with iPhones and the likes, most of the photos still looked like they were polaroids. Hmmm. I can only imagine this wasn't a master plan rather than an emotional gap to fill a need for this intriguing mixture of post modern hedonism, melancholy, champagne, sweat and glitter. I boldly challenge people to really explain what kind of music the label "Nu Disco" stands for other than that it's not Amy Winehouse or Coldcut. And I can say this because I have encountered a Whitesnake edit of "Is this Love" in a Nu Disco mixtape and I even liked it! I did like the original better though. Well, maybe that's the best answer to it - anything goes (once more)....[continued]"
DPC: Do you foresee any tour dates coming up? Specifically a US tour (hint hint - we love you over here!)
SJ: Satin Jackets was originally conceived as a studio project but I realize how times have changed and I feel there's a demand to show physical presence. At this stage it is something we're just currently developing. It seems we have a lot of fans in Russia and that's where we'll probably go first. After that, the world will be our oyster haha!
DPC: And because this is the Dance Party Chronicles, can you please tell us what your favorite dance move is while you're out?
SJ: Haha…I'm afraid, I have no idea. I didn't know there was such a thing. Maybe the one trying to fix your wedgie without anybody noticing?
We were extremely honored when Satin Jackets agreed to do a guest mix as part of our summer series and even more excited now to share it with you all. It was pleasant surprised when he sent back a mix that featured 90s House music and were smitten after the initial listen. I'm not the biggest 90s house aficionado by any means. At the time I was way too young to be allowed in a club and then I fell in love with this thing called disco, but I can appreciate its repetitious beats and rhythms and the occasional looped sample.
The first four minutes of the mix are filled with sultry lyrics that had me on the edge of my seat waiting for more and set the tone for the next hour. While the mix has a slower pace, with tracks like "Deep Burnt" by Pépé Bradock & Grand Brûlé's choir track at the 5 minute mark, I assure you the dance party truly begins at 16 minutes with Matthew Herbert's, "Thinking of You". Another highlight I enjoyed was Basement Jaxx's, "Samba Magic" that clocked in at 47:25; Basement Jaxx was one of the only artists that clicked when I read the tracklist initially, and I have always been a fan of the duo. This 60 minute mix is the perfect accompaniment to Monday, so please give it a listen and dance party your way through your day's activities.
DPC Summer Series GuestMix Vol. 2 - Satin Jackets - Back to House by Dancepartychronicles on Mixcloud
Tracklisting:
01 Hardrive 2000 feat. Lynae - Never Forget (Keyapella) [Strictly Rhythm]
02 Pépé Bradock & Grand Brûlé's choir - Deep Burnt [KIF]
03 Matthew Herbert - Thinking Of You [Phono]
04 Mood II Swing - All Night Long [Groove On]
05 Terrence Parker - Love's Got Me High (Tribute Mix) [Intangible]
06 Davidson Ospina - Strings [Henry Street]
07 Los Jugaderos - Le Me Down Easy [Junior Boys Own]
08 Basement Jaxx - Samba Magic [Outland]
09 Romanthony - The Wanderer [Black Male]
A huge thank you to Satin Jackets for taking the time to make this guest mix and chat with us. If you haven't already, "like" him on Facebook, "follow" him on SoundCloud, and get more information about his new label, Glam Jam Artists here!
If you missed, make sure you check out Volume 1 of the Summer Series GuestMixes from Billy Bogus!
-Written By Becca Thomas
I just looove dance music.
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