A series of jam sessions led to the official collaboration of Berlin-based veterans, Bloody Mary and Attan, who debuted earlier this year with a self-titled retro romp in vintage analog gear. The LP’s first remix release is a killer rework of “Area 89” from Chicago house legend, Boo Williams. A supple, deeply swinging track, the original finds a drowsiness with Bloody Mary’s pouty whisper, and a dynamic edge with breaks and acid lines. Boo Williams takes this slight squelch and throws it into the kiln, jolting “Area 89” into an incendiary synth-stammer, stripped down and flooding with rubbery mania.
Considering they’ve been around all along – or even credited with creating the scene, in Boo’s case – The Jaydes and Boo Williams are less remaking retro sounds here than relishing in their own tastes. Though most of us never partied after-hours at a 19+ juice bar in Chicago (no alcohol meant no close time), Area 89 EP, gives a nectarous sip of the ‘80s and ‘90s energy that only some can still brew straight.
Stream the tracks below, and get a quick plug-in to The Jaydes' "addiction to vintage gear and sounds," before the EP drops vinyl/digital March 24 on Bloody Mary's own Dame-Music.
EARMILK: You’re both French natives, “hardware collectors,” and now call Berlin home. Tell us how you came together. What makes you especially suited collaborators?
The Jaydes: We met for the first time in London but it is only when Seb moved to Berlin three years ago that we became very close friends. As we are both “Hardware collector” and we have the same passion for music we started to look for a studio together. Nothing made us especially suited collaborators, we guess it just happened during our jamming sessions. That’s how “The Jaydes” was born.
EM: Berlin seems to have become a hot media topic. The NY Times and Rolling Stone both ran features this year on the city’s gentrification and music scene – and not much to its favor. As Berlin based artists and long time residents, give us your portrait of the city. What are some of your favorite things about it?
TJ: It is true that Berlin is a hot media topic at the moment as it becomes a more and more popular city in everyway. But Berlin is a very inspiring city where you can enjoy the freedom of expressing and being yourself without any judgments. However Berlin is still one of to cheapest capital to live in Europe where you can enjoy a good lifestyle surrounded by a lot of green and lake without heavy traffic and overpopulation.
EM: The Jaydes are taking this release on a live tour. What’s the setup? How do you like playing live together versus DJing in your respective solo careers?
TJ: Playing Live as a duo is a real teamwork, one cannot go without the other which makes it very different than a DJ set. During the live we are building up our element together to re-create “The Jaydes” atmosphere and energy that made us go through the project while jamming in our studio. We love as much DJing as Playing Live but it is two different experiences that it is difficult to compare. Our set up consist at this day of an Mpc 1000, a Microphone, an Electribe-ES1, a Roland TR-707 and a Roland TR-909 but our set up is subject to change in a next future.
EM: You’re avid vinyl collectors and tinkerers of vintage analog gear. Talk about your preference for dated technology. Any recommended plug-ins for digital producers?
TJ: We have both been working on digital in the past mainly for financial reason but as we evolved we got into that addiction of vintage gears and sound. It is only a matter of choice and preferences, as we like to create our own rhythm chords, melodies and not use any samples. We like our work flow better on analog. To stay in the vintage section we would suggest using the ODDITY synth plug-in, which is a replica of the legendary ARP Odyssey.
EM: And lastly, Chicago legend Boo Williams victoriously delivers the B-side remix here for ‘Area 89.’ How did this come about?
TJ: Everything happened naturally with Boo Williams. There was a very friendly vibe going on between us when we met him for the first time last summer in Berlin. We invited Boo to come to our studio few times and the idea of remix for our album came up. We are extremely proud that the first ever remix of The Jaydes is made by one of our favorite artists and a pioneer of house music.
The Jaydes
Area 89
- Dame-Music
- 24-03-2014
