Anders Hajem, BCR resident and Jaeger regular, hadn’t done a Jaeger Mix yet. That seems like a serious omission on our part and one we can finally rectify in this edition of the mix series. The DJ and producer has been on an incredible trajectory since we last spoke to him on this blog.
With a couple of releases for BCR since, a couple more on Prins Thomas’ Full Pupp and some pieces via Mhost Likely, Anders Hajem’s creative output keeps going from strength to strength while his skills as a DJ has only solidified with the BCR residencies and a playing schedule that sees him and his BCR compatriots visiting Oslo’s clubs every week.
A presence in motion, Anders Hajem takes that momentum into this Jaeger Mix, for a mix outside of the context of the BCR residency in the sauna. Always taking a bit of the BCR spirit with him, Anders’s foundations are still rooted in the sound of House that the collective and label perpetuates, but touching on elements like Electro and Electro, he casts a wider net for this edition of the Jaeger Mix. It’s locked in a perpetual groove with Anders’ instinctive approach to our Sauna dance floor.
The mix comes at the same time as a new release Vaguer Galactico, which arrived via Full Pupp last week. We talk about that release, the mix and more.
It’s crazy to think this is actually your debut on the Jaeger Mix series, since you’ve been part of the furniture here. As one of the consistent residents here, how did you approach this mix differently from one of your general BCR sessions?
I love playing music whether it’s by myself or b2b with my main dudes in BCR. It’s different when you play alone, it’s just you and your selection of tunes. It feels good to just dive into the music and try to keep it interesting for yourself and the crowd. The approach stays the same though, good tunes and the right energy.
Did you have a particular theme or mood in mind for this one?
I wanted to take it down a notch in terms of energy, at the same time keep it progressing through the mix. I wanted to capture the energy I get from the backyard, I’ve been playing here a lot during the last year and have become good friends with the room. I would say this is my Sauna-mix, it’s inspired by this booth and the room itself.
There are elements of Electro in there and as a whole its not necessarily as House focussed as something from BCR would sound. Was there a concerted effort to move away from strictly House here and was there an over-arching sound or spirit to the music you picked?
I wouldn’t say it was an intentional effort, I just picked the sounds I’m into right now.
My connection with house will always be strong, but I didn’t fall in love with a tempo or a sound, I fell in love with music. I think exploration is the key to keeping it interesting.
A lot has happened since we last interviewed you. What have been some of the key moments for you since?
Yeah, I’ve been keeping myself busy. Producing, releasing, DJing, studying and working, in that order….
Me and my girlfriend moved into a new apartment, with enough space to have a little DJ-setup at home. Feels good to have immediate access to my records whenever I feel like blasting some tunes for the neighbours.
Had a couple releases on BCR and one at Mhost Likely last year, feels good to broaden the horizon and share music in new ways.
I’ve also learned a lot about the whole industry in the last year.
Been working a lot in the studio lately exploring and experimenting alone and with friends. Released an album in November, Kjøret Gaar Vol II, really pleased with how that turned out.
Me and BCR are also working on some exciting stuff for this year. It’s nice to have a couple projects running and being busy creating, sharing and releasing music.
The Jaeger Mix comes around the same time as your next release for Full Pupp. Tell us a bit about that record and how it relates to your last Full Pupp release, Vaguer Galactico?
Yeah, stoked about that one, I think it is keeping a lot of the same energy in the drum section, a bit more swing and garage influence on “It’s All.” The weirdness and repetitive and driven drum grooves of Vaguer Galactico is something I really appreciate on the dancefloor myself. That’s something that I like to implement whenever I’m producing. I think this release and the next one coming up on Full Pupp is more of a raw approach to house music and its origins.
What brought you to Full Pupp and how have you adopted your sound for that label compared to your stuff for BCR?
Full Pupp is such an important influence for me. Bjørn Torske, Øyvind Morken, Andre Bratten, Frantzvaag and the chef himself Prins Thomas among others have all released incredible music on the label. Those records really shaped my taste in my early years of discovering “dance-music.”
For me it’s the drums, the bass, the dubby echos and atmospheres. I think the label itself has an honest and organic approach to the industry, which also is important for me.
There’s of course a lot of influence coming directly from Full Pupp, it naturally shines more through on my releases for this label, I think its one of the most interesting things that differs dance music from a lot of other music in the way that its still very present. How the labels are staples of their own sound and influence the artists releasing on their label, if that makes sense?
How has it affected the direction of your music, do you think?
I think it’s the love for the driven sound, it could be a drum groove, a bass-line or whatever, but it just wants to move forward, like a train, just pushing you on and making you move.
Is it reflected in this mix too?
Yeah, I definitely think so, there’s a lot of driven groove and and stubborn basslines in this mix, also a lot of acid.
What is that fundamental element of an “Anders Hajem sound” that you relay between the music you make and DJing?
That’s a tough one, I enjoy simplicity, raw and driven elements on the dancefloor. I don’t think I have a sound, and I would rather not have a “sound” that’s too easy to explain. I just try to keep it fun and interesting along the way and see where it takes me.
As with any DJ and artists there’s always this constant evolution. Where do you see this momentum taking you next and what else can we look forward to in terms of releases and news from you and BCR in the near future?
I have been making a lot of music and finding new influences along the way. So there’s definitely a lot of exciting stuff coming this year, so staaayyy tuned. I really want to embrace music as much as I can and see where it takes me.
We are doing some changes in BCR and I’m really looking forward to seeing all the projects come to life in the future. Perkules and Henrik Villard has some exciting releases coming up when we approach the summer.