Interview 001: J.Gill
Kicking off our interview series with the one-and-only, J.Gill! Central coast born and LA based, he is a DJ/producer whose sound transcends genres and time periods to create an eclectic sonic experience. Among being part of the core Coalesce crew he is also the founder of Re|flections, a live stream consultation and production service geared specifically for underground artists and events.
Read through this interview and get to know J.Gill a little better!
Coalesce: What artist got you into electronic music?
J.Gill: I know Daft Punk and The Prodigy were the early ones, like the early 2000’s. But after seeing Pretty Lights and Glitch Mob at the first SnowGlobe in 2011, I was hooked on modern “EDM”.
C: What were some artists that you listened to growing up and how has it impacted your sound?
J: I listened to a lot of older classics like Joplin, Santana, Zeppelin, and Sabbath. That’s where the energy probably comes from. And my love for reggae and dub help shape the ethereal and mystique feelings I push through music I play and make.
C: Besides being a lover of underground music, what other genres/artists do you enjoy listening to?
J: I love listening to old Offspring and Green Day, but my all-time favorite genre has to be the weird party rock that the B52’s were pushing. Super out-of-the-box and can sometimes fit well with my DJ aesthetic.
C: Who/what are your musical influences?
J: I get most of my influences from parties that I’ve attended and played at, usually the desert renegades. The brutal elements of the desert really transcend well when encapsulating a feeling into sounds.
C: What fuels your passion for DJing, producing, or digging for music?
J: I would have to say what fuels all three of these is the challenge to be not only a part of something, but to be in it for the right reasons. I DJ because of the joy I get from bringing people together. Production is my release, where I can most direct emotions into art. And the music discovery is driven by the need to find the unknown and under-appreciated sounds of the world.
C: What got you interested in being involved in the music industry and making music?
J: I started making beats on Garage Band to freestyle over with my friend in college. Once I discovered modern dance music, I attempted to make dubstep and that wasn’t sticking. After a friend and I tried to make a house song, we realized this was something we could get behind and I haven’t turned back.
C: Does the desert influence your club sets in any way?
J: I think it does. You definitely won’t hear me playing traditional club tech house and party tech, definitely more crunch and grit to the stuff I like to rinse in clubs.
C: What’s your process like when it comes to producing?
J: It depends really. Sometimes I really wrap myself into a certain idea and won’t steer away. And other times I get a sample and a groove and build a nice track with a lot of unorthodox methods. If the song is serious, I take it more seriously. If the track has a lighter tone to it then I tend to be a bit less harsh on myself. No process is ever the same twice.
C: Can you tell us about how your Ring My Bell edit came about? What was the process of producing that song like?
J: I was looping the original vocal track in different parts of the song and realized if I kept the second note extended on a loop it would sound kind of cool. Capturing the loop was all I needed to find the direction of the song and I built around it. That way it was easy to have my sights set on what the focus of the song was. It was about a three day grind of ideas. I had a blast making it.
C: Did you go to school to learn about music/live streaming or have any prior experience with music?
J: I have no musical background whatsoever. I went to Chico State for Video Production and Video Editing, graduating with a BA in Communication Design/Media Arts. Once I discovered producing music was video editing without the video, I tried to create a sonic representation, almost theatrical approach to writing tracks. Once live streaming came into the picture, my education in media arts was being exercised with every gig.
C: How did Re|flections come about? What was your intention with this project?
J: It all started over a bowl of ramen and some ambitious ideas for music between myself and Riley Wells, aka Closur. We wanted to combine our education of audio and video to create a livestream platform for all of our DJ friends, and there were a ton of those. Starting out simple, we drove our focus to the underground and brought light to the lesser known talents in the area. The intention has remained the same since the start; provide a platform for underground artists to perform live for their viewers.
C: What do you love about desert parties? Has it had an impact on your sound and life?
J: The desert is home. Nothing beats that sunrise holy heck. It is also one of the harshest environments around. Nothing is more inspiring to me than sticking it out for a couple days with my best friends and bringing a sunrise to start off a new year. I can thank Coalesce and the Mayor Forest Bump for that introduction.
C: Can you describe one of your favorite sets you have played?
J: I was so anxious and nervous, following up a beautiful morning set from the legend Tara Brooks. I hopped on the decks, making sure to blend into the sounds she provided. After the first couple transitions I found my groove, playing a mix of tribal and tech for a crowd of all my best friends. It was then I realized the sunrise set was a time slot where I could really reach out and play whatever tracks I felt in the moment, not what I planned for. I played the summer of love unreleased mix by the B52’s and that was that, best set to date.
C: Staying busy this year with live-streaming, how has it been handling that?
J: It’s been a bit insane to say the least. Since March I’ve worked DGTL LiB, NNMF:VRTL, produced 2 virtual gatherings for “Coalesce From Home”, and boosted the Reflections brand through all of it. All of this real-time experience producing events remotely has helped me effectively teach people and work with them on how to provide the best online experience possible.
C: Is there anything we should be expecting from you in the near future with possible releases or projects you are working on?
J: Since quarantined started I have had a lot more free time to create and explore production methods. I’ve made a remix for a close friend and a couple originals, haven’t yet decided where to send them off. I’ve been known to hold on to my tracks for too long and not share them with anyone…
C: If you were to give any advice for people who want to be involved within the scene what would that be?
J: Keep it real. Be in it for the right reasons. Give back to the community. There’s so much passion and drive amongst peers in this underground circle of artists that real respect is only given when it’s deserved. And most importantly, nobody gets anywhere by doing anything all by themselves.
