Julie Reistad is back at the Jaeger Mix and it’s been 6 years since her last appearance. A lot has transpired, evolved and changed, but Julie has remained a constant presence in Oslo’s DJ booths.
Recently, she’s joined Tannia Næss and Emilie Lian for Rabalder, a club night focussed on music at the intersection of the trio’s dance floor tastes. With a few nights behind them they’ve set the tone of Rabalder between the percussive textures and delicate melodies.
As one of the linchpins of this group Julie Reistad brings her own idiosyncratic tastes, which she’s developed over a decade-long career and has taken her from Oslo to the farther reaches of the globe.
Her Jaeger mix stays the course with those core elements in percussion and melody in her sound, but favouring a progressive slant as the mix develops. We caught up with Julie to ask her about the last six years, her Jaeger Mix and Rabalder in our accompanying Q&A.
Hello Julie. It’s been 6 years since your last appearance on the Jaeger Mix. What have been some of the highlights in music and in life since?
The last six years have been filled with many musical highlights. Playing at Love Parade in Berlin for more than 200,000 people will probably always stand out as the defining moment of my career. It was an incredible experience, and I’ll be forever grateful to Simon Field and Tube & Berger for the invitation.
I also spent several years developing Monojack as an artist project, which gave me a lot of valuable time in the studio. After many years behind the decks and in the studio, it felt incredibly liberating to finally release my own music and explore a different side of my creativity.
Over the past year, life has taken me in a slightly different direction, and as a result I’ve stepped away from that project. The baton has now been passed on to others who can give it the time, energy, and love it deserves. Looking back, I’m grateful for everything it taught me and for the experiences it brought into my life.
It seems you’ve really cemented yourself in the role of a DJ. What is it about DJing that still resonates with you and remains your main musical outlet?
I feel most at home behind the booth. There’s something special about connecting with people through music and feeling the energy from the dancefloor in real time. It’s a feeling I never get tired of, no matter how many years I’ve been doing it.
What keeps me inspired is that DJing is something you never truly master. There’s always a new perspective, a different way to tell a story, or another skill to develop. Whether it’s discovering music, refining my technique, or learning how to read a crowd even better, there’s always room to grow. That constant evolution is probably what I value most about it and why it remains my main creative outlet.
As is only natural, your sound as a DJ has evolved since your last visit. What has been the biggest change in your sets?
Like most DJs, my sound has naturally evolved over the years. I’ve been DJing for 12 years now, and I think my style has gradually changed without me even consciously deciding to make a shift. The core elements are still there, the things that have always defined my sound, but my experiences and the places I’ve played over the last few years have definitely influenced the direction it has taken.
Playing in different countries and connecting with different crowds has broadened my perspective and introduced me to new sounds and ways of approaching a set. It hasn’t been a dramatic change, but more of a gradual evolution shaped by experience and inspiration along the way
Give us an introduction to this Jaerger mix?
For this mix, I wanted to focus on the sound that I feel best represents me as a DJ today. It moves through different moods and energies, which is very much how I like to build my sets in general. For me, dynamics are incredibly important. I enjoy creating contrast and taking listeners on a journey rather than keeping the energy at the same level throughout. There are moments that are deeper and more atmospheric, alongside tracks that bring more drive and intensity. That balance is what keeps a set engaging, and I think this mix reflects the way I approach DJing right now.
What were you thinking in terms of mood and vibe before going into it?
I think it ties closely to my previous answer. My main focus was on creating a mix with movement and contrast rather than maintaining one constant mood throughout. I wanted it to reflect the way I normally build a set, shifting between different energies and emotions while still feeling cohesive from start to finish. For me, that sense of progression and dynamics is what makes a mix interesting, both to play and to listen to.
There’s this progressive quality in the overall sound of the mix. What was the criteria for the tracks when you were preparing for this one?
The criteria was simply to select tracks that best represent me as a DJ right now. I focused less on a strict concept and more on instinct, choosing music that fits the way I currently like to build a set and that works well within the overall progression of the mix.
Was there anything in the way the night unfolded that pushed you into any unforeseen territories?
It was a really fun recording overall, with a great atmosphere throughout the night. Towards the end of the set, a group suddenly came in and completely took off on the dance floor, which definitely influenced the energy and the last part of the mix. It pushed me to lean a bit more into that moment and adjust the final selections accordingly.
The last few times you’ve played at Jaeger, it’s been with Tania Næss and Emilie Lian as part of Rabalder. How did you become part of this trio?
I’ve known Emilie for quite some time, and I got to know Tania more recently as well. We share the same passion for music, and we decided to start Rabalder as a platform where we can host club nights and play exactly the music we want, while also creating unique experiences for the audience. We’ve already done a few nights at Jaeger, Villa, and Skaugum, and we’re now planning some bigger things for the autumn. So there’s definitely more to come, just something to look forward to, hehe.
Has playing with them pushed you into any new direction when it comes to DJing?
Absolutely. We have quite different sounds, so it’s been really interesting to see how that works in a B2B2B setting with such different starting points. It has definitely pushed me to think a bit differently about my selections and how I adapt in the moment, while still staying true to my own style.
Is it something that’s reflected in this Jaeger Mix?
Absolutely.
Are you still writing music alongside DJing and what is currently happening on that front?
I haven’t really been in the studio over the past year. After spending the last 10–12 years in the studio several days a week, it’s something I definitely miss. I’m far from done making music, but I also think it’s been healthy to take a break. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the studio and channeling all the inspiration I’ve built up over this period.
What else is on the horizon for you?
The next big thing is Musikkens Dag, where Rabalder is collaborating with KOS to host our own stage on the rooftop at Sentralen. I’m really looking forward to it and excited to see how that collaboration turns out. Outside of that, I’ll be getting back into the studio from autumn onwards, as well as continuing with a mix of bigger and smaller projects on the DJ side, both solo and with Rabalder.