An exclusive Squeaky Bleeps interview with the one and only Jack Beats.
I caught up with Beni at the country's BIGGEST 16+ phenomenon known as Under The Radar, at their Xmas bash at London's Ministry of Sound, when I was lucky enough to play in the same room as Beni on the night. First comes the interview, followed by the review video of the night which is very kindly uploaded by Under The Radar every 6 weeks or so to their YouTube page.
First off, congratulations on a huge year for You…I remember hearing your remix of Jack Got Jacked back in October 08' and thinking, these are going to be huge, but even I've been surprised by how quickly it's all happened, getting signed to Cheap Thrills as well has been massive for you, how have you found 2009?
Thanks! It’s been great. Super busy, lots of remixes, loads of gigs, which is always nice. Yeah, 2009 has just been nuts for Jack Beats.What's been the most memorable gig?
The most memorable gig? ahhh! you know what, there’s been so many, I’ve been up and down the country, all over Europe, and quite literally the globe. It’s quite hard to pin-point one particular gig. I couple of festivals I guess have been a highlight I guess. And Damn, these Under The Radar gigs are always pretty hot, these kids are just nuts!I’ve been quite impressed over say the last six months, you’ve kind of tried to let go of the old fidget scene, and matured as a duo. You’re remixes of Drumming Song and Little Secrets kind of venture into different areas. Kind of a deeper house almost Jungle bassline, is that a path you were maybe looking to venture into?
You know I think some people think that we’re just out and out party bangers and kinda you know, rinse out, which we can do, and we can do really well. But, I mean, we’ve been in music for about 15 years now, and the deeper kind of style has always been something we’ve wanted to do in certain ways. To start off with we just wanted to do club bangers, but I think we want to throw lots of different things into the mix as the next year kind of rolls out. The deeper stuff and the more melodic stuff, I guess.What are your plans for the album launch next year that we’ve heard about?
Well, I guess it’s a work in progress at the moment. We’re writing at the moment, and just hoping to see what comes out of it?Do you see it as say the next logical step for Jack Beats?
Yeah, yeah of course, I mean of course some people want to get the chance to do a full studio album, and that’s something we’re working towards. Basically, see where we at sort if mid next year, and see where things go from there.Just please don’t take as long as Crookers though, yeah?
Haha, no, I think we’ll definitely try and keep it so that it comes around as soon as it can really.Awesome. Now lastly, there’s a remix of Super Sharp Shooter, sort of floating about, what’s the score with that?
Yeah! Well, Zinc asked us to do it, must be a good 18 months ago now, and it’s unfinished as it is, I just kind of use it in DJ sets really. Everyone’s asking about it, but I spose we’ll get around to finishing it, at some point you know.Please release it!!!
Ha, maybe, maybe!Anyway, thanks very much, and good luck for the future.
Safe, bigup!
If there are any 16/17 year olds that do read this blog, then I honestly suggest you get in the know with Under The Radar, there is no other company putting on nights in the entire UK that even come close to matching it's pedigree! UTR facebook fan page, here! Get in the know!
Now, back to Jack Beats and their amazing Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1. A lot has been said about Jack Beats in the past, but I think to truly understand their sound you really have to take into consideration a number of factors.
They seem to be able to fuse together the essence of that 'old skool' sound in with an almost uplifting rave sound, which is very prevalent in the first 3 minutes of this mix and the build up to their remix of This Kiss. The kind of sound you hear in Jonny L's Hurt You So, almost cheesy vocals, but on a kick ass beat, with space like sounding synths.
I think it's great they haven't made a tune with any old skool kind of rave breaks parts, like the breakdowns on Harvard Bass's Caked. They seem to want to bring back what was great about rave in their younger years, but put their own stamp on things, without overcomplicating things, which a lot of people these days seem to forget, churning out remix after meaningless remix. In about 10 years, when hopefully I'll still be DJ'ing, some of their tracks, especially Little Secrets, Jack Got Jacked, Drop The Pressure, Get Off, U.F.O and most definitely Labyrinth will stand out as right little gems.
Labyrinth is probably their closest thing to something unique that no one can close to musically. Yeah it's got a wobbly bassline, but I don't think it would work any other way, and just because it has one doesn't mean that the idea has been ruined. It's like a timestamp of 2009 for me that tune. Last summer people were fusing together house and dubstep and some were already getting fed up of it, moving onto more tech-house and the bass scenes, but I think Labyrinth is probably the last thing that comes close to what that true sound represented.
As for their percussion, that's just on another level, the drums in their remix of Mars are tight as fuck!
Anyway rant over, that's what I think Jack Beats are all about anyway. It was a lot deeper than just sticking a dubstep wobble on a house beat. Their album will surprise a lot of people I think. Sonically, anyway, but first download this Essential Mix. Tight and golden.
Dead Can Dance - Dawn Of The Iconclast (Jack Beats Intro Edit)
Passion Pit - Little Secrets (Jack Beats Remix)
Lee Mortimer & Laidback Luke - Blau! (LA Riots Remix)
Jack Beats - Labyrinth
Pase Rock - Nights (Nadastrom Remix)
L-Vis 1990 - United Groove (MJ Cole Remix)
D1 - Pitcher (128 Mix)
Kissy Sell Out - This Kiss (Jack Beats Remix)
Black Box - Ride On Time (Zombie Disco Squad Remix - Jack Beats Edit)
Sound of Stereo - Button (Beataucue Remix)
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Epic Last Song (Jack Beats Remix)
Foamo - Jookie
Tiga - What You Need (A-Trak Remix)
Zombie Nation - Seas of Grease (Harvard Bass Remix)
Diplo & Blaqstarr - Get Off (Jack Beats Remix)
Noob & Brodinski - Peanuts Club (BeatauCue Remix)
M.A.N.D.Y & Booka Shade - Donut (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
Mvsvem - French Jeans (Style Of Eye Remix)
Boys Noize & Erol Alkan - Waves (Chilly Gonzales Remix)
Felix Da Housecat - Kickdrum
SonicC - Unicorns On Acid
La Roux - I'm Not Your Toy (Jack Beats Remix)
Jack Beats & MC Dynamite - What (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars (Siriusmo Remix)
Claude VonStroke - Vocal Chords
Popof - Serenity w/ Fingers Inc - My House Acapella (Jack Had a Groove)
Breakage - Justified ft. Erin
16-Bit - Jump
Joker - Tron
Calvin Harris - You Used To Hold Me (Nero Remix)
Subscape - Hardcore Members
Doctor P - Sweet Shop
Benga - Little Bits
Donaeo - Riot Music (Skreamix)
Jack Beats - U.F.O (K-Hole Bass Riddim)
Lady Sovereign - Got You Dancing (Jack Beats Remix)
Unknown Artist - BG (Crookers DJ Tool Mix)
Florence + The Machine - Drumming Song (Jack Beats Remix)
AC Slater - Jack Got Jacked (Jack Beats Remix)
DJ Zinc - Gimme A Camera ft. Angela Hunter
Hockey - Song Away (Jack Beats 'Anger Management' Unreleased Dub)
DJ Zinc - Super Sharp Shooter (Jack Beats Remix)
The Count & Sinden - Panther
TC - Deep (Jack Beats '2008 Unreleased' Remix)
L-Vis 1990 - The Bird
Project Bassline - Drop The Pressure (Jack Beats Remix)
Diplo & Laidback Luke vs. Proxy - Hey vs. Raven (Will Bailey Bootleg)
Faithless - Never Going Home (Herve Remix)
Fake Blood - Mars (Jack Beats Remix)
Jack Beats - Get Down VIP
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