Gravatar
clox
2006-03-26_01:58 		17 questions with Jaia !

[color=red:3fjagvrb]1. Please introduce yourself...[/color:3fjagvrb] My name is Yannis, I’m 32 years old and I’m living in Grenoble in the south-east of France in the Alps. [color=red:3fjagvrb]2. Describe your musical background.[/color:3fjagvrb] I've learn musical theory for 2 years when I was a about 10-11 years old, then I played piano and keyboards in some rock bands. In the beginning of 90's I was starting making trance tracks, in the style of German uplifting progressive trance around at time in the style of Eye Q, Superstition, etc , but not professionally because I was studying in the University and didn't have enough equipment to produce in a professional level anyway. I heard my first “Goa” tracks in 94, and in the same time I met my partner Jean-Michel, and we decided to put our equipment together to produce our first tracks which where released in 95 on the French label Fairway Records. [color=red:3fjagvrb]3. You have just released a new remarkable album - Fiction (Digital Structures Rec.) describe its musical evolution since "Blue Energy"[/color:3fjagvrb] I made Blue Energy with my partner Jean Michel, but he left the band in 2000, so since this date I worked alone under Jaia’s name…so music has of course a little bit changed as there’s no more Jean-Michel influence. As I was always really attracted by the progressive sounds and groove, I first released some progy tracks on Flying Rhino and Iboga. So Fiction is sounding more progressive than Blue Energy , but I tried to keep the idea of a full trip as we made in Blue Energy. [color=red:3fjagvrb]4. Fiction fusses in a wide variety of electronic beats, from ambient, to psytrance, through progressive house & trance etc... what form of electronic expression do you found most appealing to you personally?[/color:3fjagvrb] It’s a difficult question indeed… let’s say “electronic music” ;) [color=red:3fjagvrb] 5. How does a track come to life in the Jaia studio?[/color:3fjagvrb] A track could start simply with a sound which then inspire the others, and by the way I build the track... in other times, this is a particular idea like a track on a certain theme, to suit in a concept. It's what I have done in Fiction album or before in the "Blue Energy" one... some other times I think I'm trying to create by myself a sensation, an emotion, I have had trough past personal experiences (musical ones or not)… There's not really a rule of composing a track. I’m trying to put sounds together to create something I like, which suit to what I have in my head and want to express. [color=red:3fjagvrb]6. You produce such a wide variety of electronics sounds, how are you able to successfully drift yourself through it all?[/color:3fjagvrb] I’m producing the music I like so it comes to me naturally, I mean producing only one kind of music, THAT could be difficult for me because it will be boring and frustrating. [color=red:3fjagvrb]7. What do you like doing in your spare time?, got any hobbies?[/color:3fjagvrb] Actually I don’t have really hobbies. In the most of my spare time I like to be with my friends, read, go to the cinema, go for a walk into nature... or doing nothing, just daydream! Simple things. [color=red:3fjagvrb]8. What equipment do you use to produce your music?[/color:3fjagvrb] My equipment is a Pentium III PC with Win98 and Cubase VST (but I'm not often using VST instruments). I have a lot of hardware stuff: Juno 106 (great for fat basses!), XV3080, MS2000, SG-01, Nordlead, EX-5, JD-800, Triton, A3000 and EPS16+ samplers, and some FX processors like the M-ONE or the Composer. I'm mixing on a analog 24 channel MX8000 Eurodesk Berhinger, and recording on DA-20 mkII DAT recorder. [color=red:3fjagvrb]9. The CD's structure seems as if it is some kind of a long personal journey through different global urbane sceneries, period of times etc..., how accurate have I been in this description? - how personal is fiction to you? [/color:3fjagvrb] Your description is nice!:) First of all, I decided to work in a new album like we've done before with Blue Energy, trying to build a real journey, but even more advanced, I mean to create something that is more than just a compilation of tracks. It was quite long to make it because I really was searching and thinking how to do it, writing my ideas on notebooks, collecting sounds which could suit to the concept, thinking what track will follow and how it will follow the previous one etc. So each track is a different atmosphere, but the album is a whole thing. The tracks are linked with 1-2 minutes ambient soundscape bridges, to go smoothly from a musical world to the next one. With this album I wanted to build an entire an coherent story with pictures and landscapes, that could be listen from the beginning to end. I would like people could listen to it like an imaginary film. Good to listen in the dark into your bed with headphones: just close your eyes, open your hears and use your imagination like you've done when you was a child and your parents told you stories before sleeping ;) [color=red:3fjagvrb]10. Are you also involved in other projects or are you mainly focused on Jaia? [/color:3fjagvrb] I have some other side projects: -EVEN 11, a project with SILICON SOUND together. Our first track “Oblivion” is released on the Exposure Production comp “Grey Area”. -I'm collaborating with him and BLUE PLANET CORPORATION to a side-project ALTITUDES, The first track of ALTITUDES is a down tempo one, and it's released on first Chill Tribe comp “Quality Relaxation”. -I’m also evolving into 2 electro-house projects: KAMA & Mc GREGOR and BALAZKO, and we will release soon our first tracks on Deepen Discs and Royal Flush Records, with remixes from Deep Dish, Da Fresh and others. We will also launch soon our own label Pumpz Recordings. -I've produced some club trance tracks too, but I released only the first one few years ago, “Truquoise”, on the “Clubber Vol1” BNE compilation under the name of “SLEEPER”. The truth is that I don't have enough time to invest on this project... I have 3 more unreleased club trance tracks but I never send them to any label ! :D [color=red:3fjagvrb]11. What artists have most influenced you in your music?[/color:3fjagvrb] I’m listening a lot of different music, but I could name a few that I really like and I’m listening quite often..but. I don’t know if they influenced me directly: it’s Muse, Telepopmusic, Royksopp, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Yann Tiersen, Coldplay, The Smashing Pumpkins, etc. In a closer musical style l like progressive stuff like Luke Chable, Unkle, Oliver Lieb, Sasha, Beckers, Deep Dish, Atmos, James Holden, etc, and most of the Digital Structures artists I mean Son Kite/ Ticon/ Vibrasphere of course! [color=red:3fjagvrb]12. Describe a normal Jaia day.[/color:3fjagvrb] Hm I’ll try, cause there’s not really rules...wake up at about 11 am. Then check the mails, and messages on the phone. After that, working in studio till I’m fed up, with some breaks to eat, daydream, read a book, see friends, or watching a video or TV. Usually I’m going to bed at about 5. [color=red:3fjagvrb]13. You perform both Ambient & Progressive sets, which do you personally enjoy the most?[/color:3fjagvrb] It’s really different, I like the both: progressive is intensive and exiting, ambient is like a playtime in during which I could play everything I like except up-tempo beats [color=red:3fjagvrb]14. What forms of art you find most attracting?[/color:3fjagvrb] Except music you mean I guess… ;) I must say I'm interested in everything which could have a connection with art and creation. I’m very attracted by graphic design and artwork for example, and really would like to learn... hope this project cold take shape one day.. I also love cinema, because is a mix of all forms of art : acting, picture, write, sound, music etc... [color=red:3fjagvrb]15. Describe an unforgettable moment in your musical career.[/color:3fjagvrb] First live act in 1997…it was in Paris, and we‘ve carried all our studio gear from Grenoble (600 km) in a 20 years old car...we’ve done 2h sound check, nothing was working, it seemed that our old computer didn’t liked the travel and/or the vibrations of the stage due to the basses ...the sound engineer was going crazy (and we also)...we started after all the live, and the computer crashed a lot of times, but we’ve done the live in spite of everything… this experience was unforgettable as our first live of course, but also as something like an “adrenaline-self-factory” experience too ;) [color=red:3fjagvrb]15.5. Best Remix ever made (In general)?[/color:3fjagvrb] One of the best imho is the remix by Shiloh of the Son Kite track “Focus”. In the same time smooth but incredible massive sound, the 2 talents of Son Kite and Shiloh combined for the best. An another remix I like is the remix of the Royksopp track “ Remind Me”, the “Someone Else Remix”. (they remixed themselves I guess). I like more the remix than the original track. [color=red:3fjagvrb] 16. Favorite Movie?[/color:3fjagvrb] Delicatessen, Shinning, 12 Monkeys, Blade Runner… [color=red:3fjagvrb]16.5. Favorite Book?[/color:3fjagvrb] Maleville (Robert Merle), “Misery” (S. King), “The Time Machine” (HG Wells), all Philip K. Dick books.... [color=red:3fjagvrb]17. Words of Wisdom?...[/color:3fjagvrb] I’m hungry but my fridge is empty… I have to go to the supermarket. lol http://www.jaia.net http://www.mpdqx.com/ds/ :idea: