diskJokke is back. The DJ and producer of some repute has played a significant role in bringing the Norwegian sound to the fore alongside the likes of Prins Thomas and did his fair share of broadening that sonic palette from the disco-infusions of his peers. In recent years he has favoured quietude over the noisy racket of club culture, only making the rarest of appearances in Oslo’s DJ booths and feigning the recorded format almost altogether.
Even while in 2020 there was a new release, the first in 8 years, diskJokke has thrived in this obscurity, which makes it all that much more of a special occasion when he comes to Jaeger to record yet another session in the sauna for the Jaeger Mix.
That diskJokke’s sound is now unmistakable. Over the years it has only matured and it’s cemented itself in a sparse minimalist landscape where groove subjugates everything to its whim in a blissful atmosphere that invites the listener closer. For this edition of the Jaeger mix its more of the same, but a recent move to the forest seems to have lured the DJ over into more serene and hypnotic realms. Like a babbling brook in extreme quiet, diskJokke’s mix lull’s and charms.
Welcome back to the Jaeger Mix. What do you have in store for us this time around?
Thank you! Good to be back, and thanks for having me once again. Mostly new tracks this time, so much amazing music being put out!
It’s unmistakable as a diskJokke mix. How would you define that sound in today’s context?
I’m glad you said that. The mix and my sound these days is a bit more sparse in melodies and colours, it’s more on the hypnotic side than the storytelling and progression. “Forever music” is an expression that I find describes it in a nice and round manner.
It’s pretty deep yet again, and it goes from the punchy bits to more introspective kind of stuff too, but what do you think this mix is different from your last two mixes?
Well a lot has changed since the last mix. For one we have moved into the forest. This means I once again have a car, which has given me the opportunity to soak myself in music on a daily basis, and this has been a huge inspiration. Secondly I have stopped playing big dancefloors, as I at some point lost interest in the whole thing and never have bothered to pursue it again. Nowadays I prefer to play only seldom and entertain smaller crowds and events that allow me to go deeper with the music. I guess this is reflected in the choice of music.
The last one you did was nearly four years ago. Have there been any major evolutions or changes in how you approach a DJ set these days?
For me it’s less about big tunes and more about ambience, I would say. As I have stopped playing mainfloors I feel that I have gone back to being more investigative and curious about music again. The music might lean towards the techno aesthetics, but it’s never really techno. When it comes to mixing I am really inspired by the way John Talabot creates a witches brew of sounds.
As a DJ, is it about finding new music or digging through the back-catalogues in search for your sound?
Definitely about finding new music for me at the moment, but when the reference point is changed to a certain degree the older stuff becomes relevant and interesting again. As always the pendulum is moving.
In the age where every piece of music made is right at your fingertips, when you are looking for new music, where and how do you usually find it?
Luckily, I find myself receiving a lot of promos that lead me on to new artists. Which I in turn can start following on the internet.
Have you ever found yourself being dictated by a trend and how do you avoid that in staying true to your sound as a DJ?
Musically I am very much ruled by emotions. There are so many new sounds and trends going on now that I just love, but I have found that I cant play it all. So I try to move forward using the content of my crate, building layer upon layer from it.
Since our last chat, you released a track via Full Pupp. Does that mean you are working on music again and what else is happening on that front?
Yes and no. I have a lot of finished and unfinished stuff laying around, but I am not really committed to releasing any. After moving into the wilderness I once again have a studio and have been using it a lot . I have found that I enjoy the process of making it a lot more than doing the whole release and promo thing. So I’m happy doing it for my own entertainment. Maybe it would make sense to put together a live set rather than releasing any music, who knows what might happen during the winter.
I don’t think I’d be wrong in thinking Norway would really want a new diskJokke LP. Hypothetically, what would that sound like and how would it have evolved since your last LP?
Haha! That’s very nice of you to say! In theory I guess it would still be melancholic and melodic but less colourful and crisp than the previous albums. Also it would be more up-tempo. But that’s just hypothetically speaking.
Thank you for your time again. Is there anything you’d like to add?
Hope you enjoy the mix!