Justin Jay started his music career with house music and has evolved it with his new found love in nu-rave. He knows how to keep you listening and attached to the music with his avant-garde sound and doesn’t miss a beat. Justin Jay takes you on a voyage through emotionally infused mixes that you may find hard not to enjoy. He has been supported by Claude VonStroke, Jamie Jones, Disclosure, and George Fitzgerald, on his climb to stardom.
He sat down with SPIN to talk about his sound, performing live, PLUR and much more. Stream Your World Is beautiful But Is It Real?/Enter from his upcoming mixtape VOYAGER001 here and dance the night away with his SET below.
Who is Justin Jay and what do you stand for?
I’m just, I stand for 1) PLUR, 2) having fun making music instead of taking it too seriously, and 3) not putting restrictions on the type of music I can make. Whether it’s techno, drum & bass, indie rock or pop, if I’m feeling something, I want to give myself permission to be authentic.
Tell us about your sound – where does your style originate from and what have been your biggest visual, social, and sonic influences?
My sound is chaotic and eclectic. Daft Punk has been one of my biggest influences since I was a kid. They have such a diverse discography that spans so many different genres and styles. They’re the GOAT.
Was there a definitive turning point to your success? When did you realize the magnitude of your impact within the industry/community?
The biggest turning point took place when I was 18 years old, I got a track signed to Dirtybird Records. It was my absolute favorite record label at the time and to get a message from Claude Vonstroke (one of my favorite DJ’s) was the biggest dream come true. I slowly began doing small gigs around Los Angeles and had a nice organic start to my career with lots of warm up sets and low pressure shows. It was a great way to build confidence and skill versus blowing up over night.
Check out Life on Planet’s electrifying SET below! Want more SETS? Head over to SPIN TV to keep up with all the latest and greatest DJ/producers breaking through the electronic sphere.
What do you wish for the future of electronic music? In what ways would you like to see it evolve?
Open-mindedness: it’s the most powerful quality a crowd can have. The more open minded people are, the more artists can take creative risks and be vulnerable showing their authentic selves. We’re in such an exciting time as people in the dance scene are becoming more open to a wider range of bpms and a more eclectic curation of genres. In the past, underground fans wanted to see dedicated techno, trance, drum & bass, minimal tech house DJ’s, etc. Where people now are moving into a more cross-genre almost open format approach to DJing underground music which I think is super fun and interesting.
What’s next for Justin Jay?
This month, I’m launching a new series on my label that’s dedicated to outer space, sci-fi rave music! It’s called VOYAGER and I’m kicking it off with a 9 song mixtape + vinyl release. I made my first 200 bpm gabber song and got love from both Lil Texas & Blawan on it… insane hahah
Where did the overall idea for the theme for VOYAGER come from?
I was equally inspired by the Matrix, Interstellar, and The Magic School Bus. When my friends and I started Fantastic Voyage 5 years ago, I thought it would be cool if one day we went from the ocean into outer space. We finally are taking off!
How would you describe your musical style?
A mix between underground rave and indie singer songwriter music.
What made you want to become an artist?
I grew up playing lots of video games. When I learned that you could make music on the computer I got hooked and it replaced my gaming addiction. My passion incidentally became my career which I never predicted or thought was possible.
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What is your favorite part about performing live?
Getting to share music I’ve made and seeing it connect with people.
In what ways have you pushed yourself beyond existing self-imposed limitations?
Exploring my singing/songwriting. I never was a talented singer but with hard work, determination and auto tune, I’ve been able to step outside of my comfort zone and sing in front of people! So fun and fulfilling, especially when moving past fears and limiting beliefs. Exploring all sorts of different genres would be another example. VOYAGER001 contains some of my first jungle, electro, techno and 200bpm gabber tracks – many of which I made about 3 years ago! So fun trying new things even when most people think I might be a house DJ/producer.
Any last words for the SPIN-verse?
Hope everyone finds all the PLUR ya need 🙂
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