This is a rare treat. After a scheduling conflict with the guest, Jaeger’s own Jaeger Mix resident takes the controls for this edition of the Jaeger Mix. Ivaylo is one of the pillars at Jaeger, a true facilitator, operating in the background every night, and when he’s not working he’s DJing or dancing.
Behind all this however is a dedicated music obsession and between DJing, running labels and producing tracks and remixes, music consumes his every waking minute. His Lab Cleaning Jams label has been continually pushing music into different directions, while his own releases, both on this label and for others still mark out his distinctive sound, built from deep foundations up.
It’s more of this sound we find on this mix. While Ivaylo is no stranger to playing Techno or Drum and Bass in his sets, this mix finds him engaging with his Deep House roots in a more direct manner. Turns towards the odd break beat or the more metallic soundscapes of Techno, crop up, but from start to finish, we find ourselves chugging along on rolling bass leaping across peaking kicks.
There will certainly be the odd Ivaylo original and definitely an edit or two, and for that we turn to the DJ, artist and facilitator to find out more.
As the host of the night, you don’t often get to appear on the Jaeger Mix. What made this one different and special?
The main reason was actually very simple. That night was supposed to be a Jaeger Mix with a guest, but he couldn’t make it and we had to move his slot to April. Since I was already there, it felt natural to record a mix.
I had brought a lot of deep house with me – music I’ve been reconnecting with lately, very much back to my roots – but also quite a few edits, which I always tend to have on hand. It felt like a good moment to let everything come together in one long mix.
It had also been a long time, probably two years or more, since I last did a Jaeger Mix, so the timing felt right. The night itself played a big role too. The crowd was really nice and very international — people from the UK, France, the US — and there was a relaxed, open energy in the room. I felt comfortable, present, and in sync with the space, and that’s usually when it makes sense for me to hit record.
It clocks in at around 3 hours and sees you moving from Jazz to House to Techno and even includes a bit of Drum and Bass. What’s consistent in terms of sound throughout with this one though?
Over the years I’ve become very wide in my musical language, and honestly, playing just one style doesn’t really excite me anymore. When I play, one thing naturally leads to another. It’s never about genres for me – it’s about the moment.
What guides the mix is a combination of atmosphere, the people in front of me, the sound in the room and my own mood. Everything is very immediate and unplanned. The mix itself is the journey – that’s how I express myself. Genres are just different tools along the way.
I’ve always been drawn to what I’d call a deep sound, but not in the sense of a specific musical style. For me, “deep” is more about a way of thinking – something thoughtful, intuitive, and emotionally grounded. When those elements are there, the style almost becomes secondary.
Drum and bass also plays an important role for me. It was one of my first real musical loves, and it’s something I keep coming back to. Lately I’ve noticed that in many of my sets, the last half hour or so naturally drifts into drum and bass territory. In this mix we only touch on it briefly, but if I’d had another couple of hours, we probably would’ve gone all the way.
So moving through different genres feels natural. And to be fair, this one wasn’t even that extreme for me – I’ve definitely gone further before.
You’ve heard countless Jaeger Mixes. What in your opinion makes for a good Jaeger Mix?
For me, it always comes down to meaning. Not just in a Jaeger Mix, but in any recorded DJ set. After more than 30 years around underground music, that’s what I’m really listening for. A good Jaeger Mix needs to have a reason to exist. I want to hear intention, expression, and a sense of direction. I want to understand the story – where it starts, where it’s going, and why.
We’re completely overloaded with sound today, and a lot of what’s out there feels empty to me. That might sound critical, but I am critical. If a mix feels meaningless, I lose interest immediately. So for me, a good Jaeger Mix is simple: meaning and storytelling. That’s what makes it last.
Is it something that is ever influenced by the mood of the night?
Absolutely. The atmosphere of the night always plays a big role – the people, the room, the sound system, and my own mood in that moment.
I usually come with ideas and things I want to express – music from the studio, edits, my own material – but I never prepare a fixed plan of what I’m going to play. Most of my DJ case is made up of my own edits anyway, so I always have a personal language to work with.
Especially with a Jaeger Mix, it’s really about the people in the room. The crowd and the atmosphere are what ultimately shape where the mix goes.
What do you hope the listener gets out of it?
I don’t really expect anything specific, other than for the listener to feel the journey I was on while playing.
It’s about being able to hear that walk – the movement, the shifts, the moments – and hopefully connect with it in their own way. Even for me, listening back is interesting, because I don’t remember every turn the music took. Everything happens in the moment. So if the listener can feel that sense of journey, that’s enough for me.
I know you’re a fan of including your own edits and as you mentioned already there are some edits in this mix. What’s your recipe for a good edit?
I can say this pretty confidently without even checking – around 70–80% of the tracks in this mix are my own edits.
As for a recipe for a good edit, I don’t really think there is one. It’s a very personal thing. I don’t make edits for a market, a trend, or a competition. I make them because that’s how I feel the music should sound – maybe the drums need to hit differently, or a certain part needs more space.
For me, a good edit is simply about being yourself. It’s about putting your own touch into the music so you can express it honestly when you play. That’s the whole point.
I assume there’s the odd Ivaylo original in here too?
Yes – if you listen closely, especially between around 1 hour 45 minutes and 2 hours 20 minutes, you’ll hear some unusual things. Those are basically working files straight from my hard drive.
I’m not even completely sure anymore what’s what in that section. Some of it might be unreleased material from a friend, possibly things we exchanged years ago and worked around informally. They’ve just lived on my disk as working files for a long time.
Either way, there are definitely some raw, unfinished ideas in there – which feels right for a mix that’s very much about the moment.
What are you currently working on and do you feel yourself moving in any new particular direction, musically?
I’m always moving in multiple directions musically – that’s just how I work. Right now I’m working on a remix of Helene Rickhard for the Snick Snack label, which is run by a group of friends here in Oslo. I’ve also contributed an original track for an upcoming compilation on the label, which hasn’t been released yet, and I’m genuinely excited about that coming out. The remix itself has moved quite far from the original and drifts into slightly more deep-house-leaning territory.
I’m also finishing another remix for my own label, Lab Cleaning Jams – a track by Tracey Cooper. We released his music on the label last year, and I really connected with his deep, Baltimore-rooted house sound. Bringing him back again with new material feels very natural, and I’m really happy to be working with him again.
On top of that, I’m working on two original collaborations with Sasse, also for the label, and we’re close to finishing a track with Simon Field. That collaboration has been especially enjoyable – we work very well together in the studio, fast and in sync. He’s extremely strong on a technical level, which makes the process smooth and really pleasant.
I’m also collaborating with Christian Engh, which I’m really enjoying. Whenever we work together, we naturally drift into that American house sound I’ve always loved, and we’re planning two releases together this year.
I’ve also just started working on a new album, without really knowing yet where it’s heading — which is usually how I like it. And I’m continuing The Jam, my nu jazz series, now moving into its third chapter.
So if there’s an answer to whether I’m moving in one specific direction – it’s probably no. I’m moving in all of them.
Lab Cleaning Jams has been the main focus for your output in recent years. How’s it developed to this point and where do you think the label lies sonically today?
The label is still quite young – it’s only been around for about two and a half years – so I don’t really see it as something that’s fully defined yet. But in a good way. My main focus has been on the label, and I’m genuinely excited about how it’s developing.
I’ve stayed very close to the original idea behind the label, which was never about pushing one specific sound. From the beginning, the goal was to release music across a wide spectrum – from house to techno, jazz, acid, and other sounds in between.
I never wanted it to be a label with a strict sonic identity. For me, it’s more important that it works as a platform for creativity – a place where interesting, honest music can exist, and where DJs can always find something that feels usable and inspiring.
I’m really happy with where it’s going so far, and I’m more interested in keeping that openness and curiosity alive than in narrowing it down to one direction.
Is it something that you consciously try to relay through your DJ mixes too?
Absolutely. For me, honesty is everything in a DJ mix. I want to mean everything I play – it has to be a true reflection of who I am at that moment. People who’ve listened to my mixes over the years know that I’m drawn to a deep sound, regardless of tempo. Whether it’s 80 BPM or 145 BPM doesn’t really matter to me – depth is a feeling, not a speed.
I’m not interested in perfection. In fact, a perfectly polished DJ mix feels quite boring to me. I prefer something more raw and human, with small musical imperfections that make it feel alive — almost like being in the studio, playing and reacting in real time. For me, that honesty and rawness is what makes a mix feel real.