Exclusive Interview with Jason Chance

Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Jason Chance, shortly before his performance at The Club Khaosan on 31st July.

You were one of Beatport’s “One To Watch / Emerging Artists” of 2011. How did you get in touch with electronic dance music in the first place and how did you get into DJing and music production?

Well I’ve always loved music and been surrounded by it ever since I was a kid because my Dad was also a dj (back in the ‘dicso’ era!). But with regards to dance music specifically, it all stemmed from when I first started clubbing aged around 17; I popped along to a club event my sister’s ex-boyfriend was running at the time & literally fell in love with the club scene immediately, I loved the whole vibe/energy/friendliness at that time – and most importantly, the music. Within a few months I’d got my own set of vinyl turntables so I could learn to mix & within another few months I got my first ever gig at that same club night (called ‘Prophecy’), and there’s been no looking back since.

With regards to production, having dj’d for so many years & having developed my own specific sound/style in that time, it was a logical progression to try and take that sound into the studio and see if we could create a similar vibe on my own tracks. One of my best mates had a studio up the road & I got given a few days’ studio time one birthday as a present – and as with the djing, as soon as I started hitting the studio then there was no looking back.

You play and produce a mix of House, Tech House and Progressive House. How would you describe your own music in just a few words?

Driving, energetic, uplifting. I’m a clubber at heart so my job is to make the dancefloor shake – and I always enjoy the challenge!

Your track “Looking Forward”(2010) was ranked #1 on the DMC Buzz Chart and “Got To Be Strong” (2012) with My Digital Enemy took the #2 spot on Beatport’s “House” charts for nearly 3 months. What other tracks would you recommend as an introduction for someone that is not yet familiar with your sound?

Well my sound has definitely progressed over the last few years. If you want to hear my early sound, check out my debut single ‘The Beginning’ (that Roger Sanchez signed to Stealth Records in 2009) or ‘Diesel’. After that I guess ‘Ready For It’ or ‘Looking Forward’ remind me of what I was doing a few years ago. But now I’m djing a lot more internationally, my sound has gone a little more Techy I think – some of my favourite recent tracks/collabs I’ve done would be the likes of ‘Zulu Shuffle’, ‘Let’s Bounce’, ‘Work The Track’, ‘Krin’ and ‘Just Like That’. – and with the My Digital Enemy guys we’ve done some cool housey bits like ‘Feel It In The Air’ and ‘Got To Be Strong’ that have both done really well.

What are you currently focusing and working on?

I’ve done lots of collabs over the last couple of years so I’m trying to focus on my own original tracks at the moment I think. I’ve just signed my latest single to Toolroom Records, which is great news, and I’ve also recently finished a couple of new remixes for my mates Nik Denton and Shaun Warner. Collab-wise, I’ve got a track on the go right now with The Cube Guys and am also doing something with Jose Nunez and Michelle Weeks too. And am planning to do some more bits with my mates Kevin Andrews and Pagano in the coming months as well.

What was the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?

My debut gig for Roger Sanchez/Stealth Records at their ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) label party showcase in 2009 was amazing; I was playing the smaller Room 2 but Belocca hadn’t turned up in time for his Main Room set, so the Stealth guys came and got me and asked me to take over the Main Room decks instead….that was awesome! That’s up there in my fave gigs for sure. I can’t really think of a worst gig to be honest….although I’ve had a couple of set times moved to an earlier slot at the very last minute during these conference showcase parties (WMC in Miami and ADE in Amsterdam) before – and that really sucks haha! Funniest thing to happen at a gig was one night at a bar I was playing at in London years ago, the place was absolutely rammed (which was pretty rare for the venue at the time) but there was something different about the crowd and I couldn’t work out. Eventually I realized everyone was doing sign language to eachother & I found out there had been a big convention for deaf people next door, so they’d all piled into the bar I was playing at! Really cool to see them all getting a rave-on, I loved that ☺

On 31st July you will live perform here in Bangkok at The Club Khaosan. Have you visited Thailand before? Will it be your Bangkok debut? What can we expect of your upcoming performance?

Yeah I literally can’t wait to play The Club Khaosan in Bangkok! I’ve never visited Thailand before so not only is the Khaosan gig my debut in Bangkok, it’s also my debut gig in Thailand as a whole – so it’s going to be a bit special for me & I want to make sure it’s a gig the Khaosan clubbers will remember! I play a mix of pumping, driving & energetic house/tech house music & I’m bringing out lots of new music just for this gig (including a couple of my own brand new tracks/remixes just finished in the studio), so like I say, hopefully we’ll make it a night to remember & start off my Thailand tour with a bang!