No stranger on the Irish scene, Belfast’s Jordan has had an industrious first half of 2016, with some exciting releases at home and abroad, as well as packing out his acclaimed The Night Institute party on a weekly basis. Today, he’s provided us with a hefty drum workout to give away – think Spencer Parker meets Jimmy Edgar on this one. We sat down with him for a chat this week.
Hey dude, great to catch up again. A lot has been happening for you since we last spoke, between the launch of a new imprint to some high profile recent festival appearances – not to mention some attention from a well known Canadian. Fill our readers in on how 2016 has kicked off so far!
Hi! Yes on paper 2016 has been one of the best I guess. The signing to Turbo was a big coup and the launch of my Nocturne label seen props across the board from Radio One to DJ Mag which was pretty cool. I’ve been in Manchester, Dublin and London this year playing as well as continuing to hold down my weekly party The Night Institute and set up a studio! Life Festival and AVA Festival the past two weeks were great and Longitude in a few weeks will be continuing the festival buzz.
Your appearance at AVA Festival last weekend looked like it went down a storm, and with The Night Institute [Jordan’s weekly party alongside Extended Player Timmy Stewart], you play a central role in what is one of the most exciting up-and-coming European scenes. What is it about Belfast that has so many people talking right now?
It’s the raw sense of community. It’s the DIY culture. Finding spaces or clubs or bars that aren’t purpose built for a rave and making them work. Bedroom producers downloading cracked copies of Ableton and sitting in their parents houses making absolute weapons. Essentially we’re all working together – at the weekend we teamed up with Twitch and Jika Jika and we all played back to back. In any other UK city they’d be competitors – but we’re always finding ways to make it work. We aren’t catered for so we’re trying to make it happen ourselves.
Like Dublin, the city also suffers from draconian licensing laws, causing clubs to close at 3am. Indeed in the past, you’ve spoken of getting your start in running and promoting afterparties to cater for the clubbers inevitable needs. While Belfast is obviously buzzing, how do you feel these sort of licensing hours affect the city’s dance music scene?
The positive is 4 to 5 hours of absolute dancefloor chaos. Endless visiting DJ’s have commented on the amazing atmospheres generated so early on. We aren’t pretentious and we don’t chin-stroke – people go daft for it. On the negative – the economy is losing out – at a recent conference I heard someone say “If you’re a shop, and you’re closed half the time – people are going to go elsewhere.” This rings true in Belfast. People fuck off to university in Liverpool, London, Manchester. People go clubbing in Berlin and Amsterdam. We’re losing endless creative people who are going elsewhere to contribute to their music, events and arts scenes. On the negative – who regulates the afterparties? As much as I enjoyed throwing the parties, I’m not a first-aider, I’m not a bouncer – as a promoter it’s too much responsibility to take on these risks.
Finally, you’re here today to give away your track “WERK” – a hefty percussive techno workout (pun not intended) built for the club. Where did the idea for this track come from?
It’s a really simple, functional dancefloor track. It’s a track I’d made and realised it was more of a DJ Tool than a track which would fit on a release, so I thought – fuck it – other people may as well have it!
We think so too! We’ll finish off with a little quickfire, if you’ll entertain us…
Favourite producer right now?
The Tuff City Kids stuff is really doing it for me right now.
Favourite DJ right now?
Moxie
Favourite club?
Salon – Dur Wilden Renate
Favourite festival?
Homegrown heartstrings saying AVA after the weekend just past.
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