Archives for posts with tag: Mirror State

jimi1

If you’re unaware, I have joined the Bottom Forty DJ collective, based in Seattle. Run by Nark, this crew acts as a resource for lovers of underground music. Via the newly released Bottom Forty site, each of the members (Nark, Riff-Raff, Spaceotter, Pavone, Tony Radovich and myself) will post about music every week. In addition, we have a podcast series, featuring exclusive mixes and interviews. Each B40 member is requesting mixes from people we like, and working on mixes ourselves to debut. I’ve asked some of my friends to create podcast mixes, so keep an eye out for those, along with mine which will hopefully be up in the next few weeks. 

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You’ll notice my Bottom Forty posts often piggybacking Disco Droppings features, giving additional support to artists I’m fond of. So far I’ve written about Rubix, Misun, Dreams, Sleepyhead, Karma Kid, Velour, Boston Bun, Qween Beat, Nacey and most recently, Mirror State. Almost all of those have links to free downloads. 

“Bottom Forty is a mirror ball in New York, a basement in Chicago, a cruise in L.A. and a night in the desert.”

– Jimi Jaxon

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Such a pleasure to have Mirror State back on Disco Droppings. His steadfast tunes stay with me, and I find his depth as an artist very inspiring. The EP above is available for free via Bandcamp, my personal favorite is “Distress”. Mirror State holds down a show on Sub.fm, which you can hear Sundays from 7-9am GMT time (that’s Saturday’s from 11pm-1 Pacific time)..

DD Your new music, like the productions I’ve featured in the past remains sharp, focused and distinct. What helps keep your perspective fresh? 

MS Thanks. I couldn’t say really. Listen to lots of new and old music and make what you want.

DD Are you more introverted or extroverted? Do you get more inspiration from being social and out-n-about, or being more solitary? 

MS I would say I’m more introverted. I don’t really get more inspiration from either specifically, a lot of the time I think music is inspired by both. There is music made for the dance floor and for people to come together to, and there is also music for someone to listen to alone. I think I take a bit from each side. 

 

DD Does restricting or limiting yourself play into your approach as an artist? 

MS Not really, I normally wouldn’t have a point where I’d say “this is where I’m going to end up”. Sometimes though I find it can be useful when it comes to exploring ideas and finding out what you can do. 

DD What state of mind do you find yourself in when creating music?

MS I stay quite focused but open minded with my ideas. Most likely, I’ll have a small idea in my head. I’ll put it down as soon as I can, and let other things flow from there. I find when you’re really pushing yourself to do something specific, it’s not going to turn out how you’d like. 

 

DD Who are you most excited to share next on your Sub.Fm show? 

MS A lot I could mention really. I’d have to say keep an ear out for Ghostek and his new tracks. You’ll also hear new things from Neka (Part of Tape Echo in Bristol who also does a show on the station). Some of the deepest and most mesmerizing music around lately.

DD When you want to take a break from dance music, what do you put on? 

MS I would have to say I don’t stray too much from electronic music these days. What I listen to if I want a change you could still call “dance music”, but I don’t really think about it like that initially, just as music with a good rhythm. Lots of garage, drum & bass and ambient music. I still play Break’s album from 2010 a lot at the moment, also artists like Seba. I currently live with my twin brother who listens to a huge amount of black metal, so I listen to a lot of that when I’m just chilling as well.

Mirror State – Soundcloud Facebook Twitter Mixcloud

– Jimi Jaxon 

I’m a big supporter of both these artists so I was instantly interested in sharing their upcoming radio event together. For the past year, Mirror State has been building a memorable program with music ranging from garage to 2-step, ambient to dubstep. James Arctic joins him in the studio, and I’ve talked with both of them about how they met and what the celebration will sound like. If you’re on the west coast like me, tune in to Sub.fm tonight at 10PM-1AM, UK peoples from 6AM-9AM.

 

Mirror State

DD How did you meet James Arctic? I have to say I’m sad I haven’t physically met the two of you, we connect well!

MS I met James through our music after moving to the same city – out at a small bar, and we just stayed in contact from then.

DD Your Sub.Fm show is celebrating it’s 1 year this weekend, congratulations! I’ve really enjoyed the shows I’ve listened in on. How do you feel the show has evolved since it’s start, and what will the 1 year episode sound like?

MS Thanks a lot. The show for me has actually stayed quite similar over the last year in terms of how I do it. Maybe I talk more.. maybe I talk less.. but the sounds will continue to speak for themselves! The 1 year show will be full of new music from all around, as well as a few picks from the last year.

James Arctic

DD You will be joining Mirror State for his 1 year party live. What do you hope to add to the program? Any specific songs your hyped to share on Sub.FM?

JA Grime, grime, grime! Thinking about doing a little history of the genre – from old to new of some of my favourite and most influential tracks. I’ll also be playing all the forthcoming material I have, including some past releases and some other artists who I’m digging atm.

DD What does pizza mean to you?

JA It brings happiness like no other. It’s warmth and soft texture creates a mouth watering sensation, oozing in flavours after every bite.

http://sub.fm

Mirror State: Facebook Soundcloud Twitter

James Arctic: Facebook Soundcloud Twitter

– Jimi Jaxon

 

Listen to Mirror State on his Sub.FM show – Saturday nights 12-2 am West Coast time

DD Wow, your remix of Kid Smpl is so incredible. What was your mindset like when you created this? 

MS I have been working with Kid Smpl for a while now and listening to a lot of his music, so when I sat down to do the remix I already had an idea of how I wanted it to sound really. The details in his tracks are excellent and I wanted to create a new space for them.

DD What first got you interested in producing? 

MS Since I was younger I was always obsessed with technology and being able to tinker with things, I guess that carried on and was a big part of reason of interest. I learnt about music theory and electronics when I was in school as well, so I always felt an urge to do it. I wanted to create music by myself and explore different sounds and techniques so I think production can be a progression of that,  and it allows me to create an outlet myself.

 

DD How would you describe your show on Sub.fm? What about the station impresses you the most? 

MS The show I host is focused on new sounds that are mainly unreleased as well as other picks, it would fit between mainly garage and 2 step through to ambient tracks, and tracks you would play out on any good system. I have been on Sub FM for nearly a year now and I have the utmost respect for Whistla who runs the station and what he does. A lot of the hosts are from around the world so the output is quite diverse which is great to be part of.

DD What themes or symbols run through your music, if any? It has a kind of underwater feel to me. 

MS There are definitely themes..some quite subtle but I do try and make certain things stand out. The elements, landscapes, and more human themes like distress would be a few ideas that run through. So you aren’t wrong about it having a slightly underwater feel sometimes.

 

DD Talk a bit about upcoming releases..

MS I have 2 releases coming out in April, an EP called “Extension” coming out on Manchester label Broken Bubble and also a single with Seattle label Car Crash Set which will include “Dwell”, and a collaboration I did with Kid Smpl called “Fall Apart”. Both labels are doing innovative things within the scene from different ends, and is definitely something I’m looking forward to.  

The remix I did of Kid Smpl’s track “Float” will be coming out with the original on a label called Night Tracks with another remix from Venture some time quite soon. Additionally I’ve done a remix for the group Archie Pelago from Brooklyn who are doing truly original things. It’s of their song “Subway Gothic” and may also be seeing a release in a bit.

I am also working with a label called Solace Records so you can expect some other new things over the next few months including a collaboration with one of the guys behind the label called Stole.

DD Last words? 

MS Always appreciate the support man. Big up.

Mirror State: Soundcloud Twitter Facebook 

– Jimi Jaxon