№ 96 - Jasss

Born in Spain and settled in the German capital, Jasss has played a pivotal part in the success of Alessandro Adriani’s Mannequin label parties. As a resident right from the start, she was jointly responsible for the evolution of the event from Berlin’s intimate club, Ohm, to Berghain’s Säule outlet and the club’s main floors of Berghain and Panoramabar.

As part of the Mannequin team, she has played epic industrial leaning, drone-ambient-IDM warm-up sets as well as playing the final shift at Panoramabar, banging outbreaks and beats in high BPM zones.

In 2017, she released "Weightless" - an adventurous, experimental album, that enthrals with suspenseful electronic compositions. For her more dancefloor-leaning work, that combines techno, Wave and Industrial atmospheres as well as breaks and abstract IDM and EBM particles, she has worked with labels like cold-waving Mannequin, Swedish, Anunnaki Cartel and London-based imprint Whities, that recently re-branded as AD 93.

To accompany her latest EP "Whities 027” release, EDWIN have joined forces with Jasss and the Amsterdam based designer and art director Jonathan Castro to release a limited edition Tee, referencing a selection of track names while combining the lines of letters in a pan-typography for the robotic future.

AVAILABLE NOW ON BANDCAMP.

Her mix for the EDWIN Music Channel is a paranoid, experimentalism joy ride full of breaks, techno, 3D-electronics, little pop moments and outer-national topographies – always transforming from fast and furious to calm and witchy.

Check the interview below where Jasss explains her collaboration with Jonathan Castro and Christoph Synak for EDWIN, her artist career so far and the time when all dancefloors came to a standstill.

INTERVIEW

Q. Hello, Jasss, together with EDWIN and the Amsterdam based, Peruvian art director, graphic designer and sound artist Jonathan Castro you created a limited edition T-Shirt. What's the story behind the release?

A. I knew Jonathan’s work through the internet and at one-point Alessandro Adriani (Mannequin Records) introduced me to him. Jonathan did a lot of posters for the Mannequin label parties. So, we just started chatting and came along very easily. I had a release on the UK label, Whities coming and was thinking of accompanying it with some merch. So, he did a design, and the record came out 4^th March, right before lockdown. Obviously, we postponed the release of the shirt as all came right in the moment when the COVID-19 madness began.

Q. The pandemic also stopped your work as a DJ abruptly. It started in Spain, right?

A. Well, it started really here in Berlin. But, yes, I am from Spain. I went to the Netherlands, close to Amsterdam for a year and then I came to Berlin, where I've been for eight years. I stayed as it is a city that is accessible and has a lot to offer. Foremost, cultural wise. I mean, I come from a small town in the North of Spain. I was always into music, but all I do now started from here including making music and performing as a DJ. The desire came much earlier because I was always really obsessed with music in general and suddenly it was me taking action. I was just like, okay, you're going to do something that you've never done before, you don't really have the knowledge, but you know a little because you're not a complete stranger to some of the equipment. At that time, I was mostly working on my computer, because that's the cheapest way. And then it expanded intuitively. 

Q. Together with a peer group of like-minded artists?

A. Yes, but that took a while. And until I had new friends, a lot of action was happening in my head and I dreamed of my musical development. Even though when you start having friends, you have to continue dreaming. Very, very important, you know! And you have to work for it. Buying music, learn to DJ, learning how do work with programs and machines. But sure, when I associated myself for instance with the Mannequin parties, I exposed myself directly as a DJ to an audience. And that at a time when I was not an experienced DJ at all. And again, it was very intuitive. Also, the relationship between Alessandro and me has grown out a mutual interest in music and then I released two records on his label and became a resident of his party. I once met him in a bar and I did something very 90's. I went to him and gave him a CD with my music. He told me that he has this idea of making parties and if I would like to play there. I wasn’t playing much at that time. And I was not super skilled either. But almost immediately, it went well and people kind of realize my existence. 

Q. You established yourself as a DJ with a very wide stylistic range from hard-hitting techno to Acid, old wave rhythms, modern industrial and even footwork territories.

A. Yeah. I mean, I don't have a filter at all. Like, in terms of genres, I don't care. Or better: if the mood is right, I don't really care. I'm really happy that I am capable to enjoy a lot of different genres. And I like sharing that with my audience. But I have to say: DJing is something that happened to me. You know, I never intended to be a DJ. I love making music and I love the studio more than I love anything else. And there is something about music-making that nobody or nothing can take away from you. Income is great and obviously, exposure is great. But there is something about the private, inner experience of making music and just being in tune with the process, whatever the musical process is that you're making in a moment, that is extremely enjoyable. It is almost meditative and very healthy. 

Q. Do you have anything in the pipeline, that you created during the latest “meditations”?

A. I am doing another album. Or better I have been doing it. And a couple of other records. And I did some remixes this year. For Brainwaltzera, The Mover, Alva Noto. I made a lot of music and it makes me really happy. I guess that is why I can cope with the COVID-19 situation pretty good. 

Q. You prepared a mix for the EDWIN Music Channel. Do you have any words about the music?

A. Honestly, I just hope each listener enjoys it and that it brings a little joy to the hour you will spend listening to it!