JULIAN JEWEIL TECH TALK
DJ Mag Tech managed to catch a few minutes with this in-demand Frenchman to talk all things, well, technology...
Julian Jeweil is having it large; the talented Frenchman holds the heady accolade of being Beatport’s No.1 best-selling techno artist of 2015 as well as having six tracks in Richie Hawtin’s Minus BP Top 10! With releases on Minus, Form, Plus 8, Cocoon and many more, 2016 has shaped up to be one hell of a year too. Not only that, he has remixed the likes of Adam Beyer, Ida Engberg, Moby, Pan-Pot, Joseph Capriati, Deadmau5, Pete Tong and John Monkman, Marc Houle, John Digweed, Pig & Dan, Christian Smith — the list goes on.
With tours all over the world including the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Japan and Korea, Julian Jeweil is a very busy man. Added to that he was on the line-up at the Carl Cox Music Is Revolution closing party at Space playing back to back with POPOF.
DJ Mag Tech managed to catch a few minutes with this in-demand Frenchman to talk all things, well, technology...
How did it all start for you?
“It all started when I went to my rst rave party in the South of France. I immediately loved everything about it, the vibe was amazing. One week later, I was at a record store buying my rst turntables and my rst techno records on vinyl... I really cherish these early memories.”
What was the rst bit of kit that you bought and why?
“One of the very rst machines I remember buying was an all-blue Korg Electribe EMX-1; mainly because I liked the sounds it produced. I recall very warm sonorities, I adored this one.”
What synths do you use for creating speaker shattering bass lines?
“Virus TI, without any doubt. I’ve had this machine for a while now, I’ve never grown tired of it. Also one of my personal favourites at the moment is a VST synth called Nemesis by Tone 2. Its sound grain is brutal; I love it so much!”
Are you loving the newfound hardware modular revival?
“I think it’s a good thing to be honest. It provides so many more opportunities to explore and experiment with sound. And either way, software or hardware, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as the feeling’s right.”
Can you give us a breakdown of your studio?
“I mainly use, and love working with, Native Instruments’ Komplete series, Tone 2 VSTs, they have a great sound as I mentioned before, Nord Lead 2X, Virus TI and the Novation Bass Station 2. It’s a simple affair but works for me.”
Drums are an important element in any track, how do you create yours?
“When I create my drum tracks I like using bits of loops that I mix with a groovebox such as Native’s Maschine, Korg’s Electribe, or Roland’s TR8.”
Why is it important that you keep dynamics in your tracks?
“To keep good dynamics is crucial for me as it’s the base of my work, it’s what allows me to start and nish a track — simple as that.”
What is keeping you busy at the moment?
“My work days are pretty much the same, as I’m a very routine-oriented person. I like working very early in the morning, after I’ve had a big cup of coffee. Having a clear head is important for me when I work on music. I’m currently working on many different projects... But I can’t really tell you more, I don’t want to jinx them, I’m very superstitious!
“Outside of music, taking care of my cats, painting, going to the restaurant with my friends, riding my bike, chilling out in the country, going to the beach... That’s what I love doing. I’m a pretty normal person, really. When I’m not touring all over the place.”
You’ve been touring a lot around the world, what makes up your DJ set-up when you are out playing?
“It is nothing too elaborate, I use two CDJ 2000 Nexus with an Allen & Heath Xone 92 mixer, one Boss RV-6 Reverb effects pedal, and one Boss DD-7 Digital Delay. This means I can really get creative in my DJ performances by combining additional FX to a standard set-up.”
What was it like playing at Carl Cox’s last ever night at Space?
“I have no words for that. It was an immense honour for me to participate in this historical event, and I really, really couldn’t wait to be part of it. We dropped a happy techno set so that everyone could have fun and have good memories of the closing.”
One tech tip for creating killer tunes?
“I don’t really have technical tips to provide, because methods of production vary from one person to another. I do, however, have a practical tip for your readers, and it’s that one must always remain determined. See your ideas through to the end, never give up.”
