Dutch techno producer JSPR has made a serious impact on his home countries techno scene, with his past works coming via top labels like Elevate, Odd Recordings and M_nus.
Mostly recently he made an appearance with Pan-Pot’s Second State imprint, a label that has also released music from names like Amelie Lens, Jon Rundell, Dubfire and Shlomi Aber.
We caught up with JSPR following the release to chat about the tracks, why it doesn’t include remixes, how he’s been dealing with 2020 and how much he’s looking forward to getting back into clubs. Get the full discussion below.
You recently released your Mainframe Boogie EP with Pan-Pot’s Second State imprint, talk us through this one and the inspiration behind it?
During the summer it was kind of hard staying inside during lockdown, because the weather was nice outside and I felt the need to go out and do stuff that made me happy during the spring/summer days. Like going out to a festival or club or having a beer with friends at a barbecue or on a terrace. But all of this was not possible.
So I noticed that my productions were getting darker and harder. I think it’s because of the negative emotions I got from lockdown. So I wanted to go with that expression in these tracks. Henceforward the Mainframe Boogie EP.
It includes four original tracks, was there no talk of remixes for this one?
There was not an idea to have remixes included on the EP, for me personally the EP tells a story in itself and has all kinds of tracks you could play in any situation. Though I am always interested in what another artist would make out of the tracks.
In the past you have also released on M_nus, Elevate and Odd Recordings, do you aim to release with a certain label while working on music, or just see where it might fit after the fact?
I noticed that you can’t force your way to a specific sound or label, or it will be idealistic. I prefer to make music that I’m really feeling in the moment. As an example: this EP was made during the corona lockdown period. I couldn’t have made these kinds of tracks in another period of time. Afterwards I select the best tracks that would fit well together and will go on a search for a label that suits them.
And which other labels can we expect to see you on in the near future?
Actually, I am talking with a few labels about my next EP and a few remixes, but I don’t want to rush anything in these times. Though I will definitely do a release on my own label, Barbaric Recordings.
2020 has of course been a difficult time for everyone, and especially the music industry, what have you been doing while clubs have been off limits?
It has certainly been a challenging year for me. I really started focusing on my mental and physical health. I dropped almost 22kg in weight and became more physically fit for the first time in a long time. This also gave me more mental strength and I actually feel great, balanced and healthy.
And what are you looking forward to most about being on the road and playing to crowds?
I absolutely miss every little thing about going out and playing music in the club. Selecting and exploring promo’s and new music, the excitement of taking a plane or train to an unknown place, meeting a lot of new people on the road, playing that one track that moves in the crowd, the feeling of pure joy after giving yourself fully to the crowd and the energy afterwards. Writing this all down makes me miss the clubs even more.
Before we go, what has been your favourite non-techno album or EP from this year?
I have been listening to a lot of (psychedelic) rock music during this year and I have been listening to one band in particular from Australia called King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. These guys have made 15 albums in the last 8 years, within several corners of rock music. I really praise their work ethic and I have been enjoying several of their albums like Nonagon Infinity and Quarters.
JSPR’s Mainframe Boogie EP is out now on Second State.