James D: The techno industry today is judged through social media, not talent

In this interview, techno artist James D discusses his journey and creative process, which culminates in his latest track, \”Rollin\’,\” a hypnotic collaboration with Drumsauw. The track features a unique vocal loop and intense synths, bringing James D\’s signature dark, captivating energy. Growing up between Washington, D.C., and Spain, James D’s influences span from D.C.\’s vibrant African American culture to Valencia’s electronic music scene, shaping his gritty, underground style.

James D’s events, Nocturne Number and Abyss Underground, champion authentic, raw techno experiences, resisting mainstream commercialization. Looking ahead, he plans to delve deeper into raw, industrial techno, staying true to his underground ethos and continuing to push boundaries in the genre.

Rollin’ just dropped! What inspired the track’s intense and hypnotic feel?

Hi, Tune In Mag team! Thanks for the invite, I really appreciate it. I think the intense and hypnotic feel come from two lead elements, primarily:

• The swirl vox (background voice made into a cyclic pad sound). I created this by chopping, reverberating, delaying and looping the soul vocal one-shot (the one that goes, \”Oooh-hooo!\”). I specifically selected and processed this vocal in with this process chain to give this track a very hypnotic vibe.

• Drumsauw\’s synth lead (not to mention that heavy, stomping kick of his). His signature and acclaimed sound really drives the track along. The way Drumsauw\’s synth dances and moves around the beat gives the song its intense main hook, one that also makes it hypnotic and catchy.

How did your collaboration with Drumsauw on Rollin’ come about, and what was the process like?

Joe (Drumsauw) has been a good friend of mine for many years now. While talking online, we just struck up the idea one day to work on a few tracks together. Needless to say, it\’s an honor to work with this great guy and artist.

In terms of the process:

Drumsauw sent me 16 bars of a synth lead, a massive kick, and some tops. I then took his stems and put them in my Ableton and added the main vocal (\”Dance with Me\”), the swirl vox I mentioned above, percussion instruments, tops, and then I did the full arrangement of the song, as well as the full mix and mastering. I was honored that Union Three took my mastered versions!

For Pitch, I sent Drumsauw a synth stab lead I made on my Access Virus TI2 Polar, some tops, percussion, and full structural arrangement. Once again, he placed his kick and some of his killer signature rides, snares, and percussive hits, which really gelled nicely in the track. I also mixed and mastered this track for us, just like with Rollin’.

It was truly one of the best team efforts I have had the pleasure to be a part of, and we will make more tracks together soon!

Influences and Creative Process

Growing up between Washington D.C. and Spain, how did these environments shape your sound?

We lovingly call Washington, D.C. the \”Chocolate City\”, because it was predominantly populated by African/Caribbean-Americans. When I was growing up there in the 90s it was 73% Black, and this has changed dramatically in recent years. Thanks to my friends and environment, I was influenced a lot by Rap Music, R&B, and Go-Go Music (a D.C. genre of music from the heart of our ghettos in Southeast/Anacostia and Northeast, primarily, influenced by African and Caribbean percussion, steel drums, and keyboard instruments). You can hear all kinds of music in the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia, the suburbs of the city are in these two states), precisely because it is such a diverse and international city. I love it, home sweet home.

Unfortunately, despite its rich cultural heritage and international environment, it has always had one of the highest murder rates in the USA also. In 1991, it was actually America’s most dangerous city and the unanimous murder capital. In 2021, there was a 33% higher per capita homicide rate than Chicago. And only last year in 2023, D.C. was considered even worse than both Detroit and Baltimore in most national crime rankings.

As such, Gangster Rap and really aggressive music became a huge part of my childhood and musical influence. Also, Thrash Metal, 90s Grunge Rock, and Classic Rock from the 70s and after were my biggest influences, all of which drive my darker and harder taste for music. Techno fits in perfectly into this sonic cocktail.

This storyline of crime and street life in the city can be heard particularly in my songs 187 (Original Mix) and Grimy (Original Mix) on Markantonio’s pioneer Napolitain Techno label AnalyticTrail, as well as Heartless (Original Mix) on Ramon Tapia’s Say What?. Or even older tracks of mine like Gold Teeth (Original Mix) out on Dolby D’s Dolma Rec. These songs are about life in D.C. and some of my experiences living there.

Electronic music came into my life at age 14 in Valencia, Spain, while visiting my mom\’s side of the family. I got bitten by the Electronic Music bug in the Summer of 2000 with Hardcore Techno, 90s Gabber, Industrial Hardcore, Makina (Spanish Hard Dance), Techno, and House as well as Electronica. And in 2001 at age 16, I got my first vinyl turntables.

It was terribly hard, artistically speaking, growing up in a city with no Techno scene and having to self-learn everything, with 0 gigs to enjoy or grow from because there was literally nowhere to play electronic music at clubs then in D.C. This is what has most influenced me, the harsh reality and struggle to even be a small part of the Electronic music I loved so much in my teens… I know first-hand something European DJs and kids growing up around a club culture don’t know: How hard it is to do this music for real when you come from a city with absolutely zero club scene.

Photo & Art Direction for James D by Dinora Tashmetova and Andrei Gorb

You’re known for drawing from Detroit Techno’s original ethos. How do you bring that legacy into your music today?

I bring this legacy into my music with the following ethos: Techno is Black music. It\’s underground Black music made by Black people from Detroit, done purely for the sake of art, culture, and creation (man and machine creating a new futuristic sound together). And, it is also ghetto music. I support the raw, gritty, self-made hero of the underground, the way Techno culture was actually meant to be, and how it genuinely was back in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s (this is especially noticeable when we look back at the world’s most acclaimed Rap artists from these eras).

But, to be more clear on my sentiments and perspective, I would say London\’s Techno pioneers and the 90’s Dutch Gabber referrants greatly influenced me as well, not just Detroit. Jeff Mills, Dave Clarke, Derrick May, Bens Sims, Kevin Saunderson, Radioslave, Sam Paganini, Misstress Barbara, DJ Promo (NL), Ruffneck, Ophidian, Lenny Dee, Negative A, and a few others are my role models and espouse my beliefs as to how this music should evolve.

I stay true to the roots of Techno and the intellectual and social principles that were evolved by its originators, not the uber-modern social media generation artists we typically see today propagating a culture and music that is devoid of any deep meaning – I find this “new wave” to be empty and unworthy of attention.

Is there a specific moment that made you want to become a DJ and producer, or was it a gradual journey?

My love and obsession for making records (music production) and playing records (DJ) when I discovered this music in Valencia was near-instant. I became literally obsessed and even my friends back home in D.C. thought it was weird, haha. Those summers (1999-2001) visiting family in Spain, I was immersed into Valencia\’s infamous 90s club strip, La ruta del Bakalao, also known in English as the \”Destroy Route\”.

I ended up buying a continuous DJ mix CD at El Corte Inglés (Massive Spanish mall chain that also had record shops) recorded by DJ Jose Conca, resident DJ of that time at Valencia\’s famous Discoteca Chocolate. The CD was Chocolate 5, the first DJ mix I ever heard. At first, I thought every track was the same as the last one. It was odd to me that as I skipped forward to the next song or back to the previous one, I heard instruments and elements of the previous song with the parts of a new one in both. And then suddenly while listening, it hit me: Jose Conca was mixing the songs together to create one big story, one song interwoven using many songs all linked together, one after another.

At that very moment while listening to this DJ set on my headphones, I fell in love with this artform instantly, and that was when I knew I wanted to be a DJ.

The next year, my parents bought me the best gift they ever got me in my entire life: My first turntables and DJ Mixer made by Stanton. I was hooked and I started ordering vinyls online from a California based vinyl distributor back in the early 2000s that was called The Majestic Store. I never stopped buying vinyls and spinning records since then.

Experiences in the Industry

Photo & Art Direction for James D by Dinora Tashmetova and Andrei Gorb

Can you tell us about your experience founding Nocturne Number and Abyss Under Ground? What’s the mission of each?

Event hosting is really hard work and very complicated, but I do this to bring Techno party concepts I want to create. Nocturne Number is my event organization. It operates under the catchphrase, \”We are night animals!\” Our motto: \”Real art, real artists, real underground.\”

Nocturne Number does everything from Techno events with major headliners to art expositions. Our events in the past brought famous Techno names like Jay Lumen, Roberto Capuano, Gaston Zani, Hollen, and others. We also hosted Electronic music-themed art expositions in Brno, Czech Republic, and plan to do the same in Prague soon, where I am currently based.

Abyss Under Ground is my new party concept, with the catchphrase on our Marketing \”We rave by our rules.\” It\’s a Techno concept under the Nocturne Number brand that is focused purely on the rising underground Raw Techno/Hypnotic niche. It will not bring famous headliners, but extremely talented and highly recognized artists. We will host raves with local DJs as well as top music producers from all over Europe who release on absolutely top labels, but who are not in the mainstream.

We only deliver serious Techno made and played from the heart of its creators in both of these event initiatives, with truly unique and outstanding performances from all of the DJs, always.

What have been some of the challenges and rewards of being a self-made artist in the techno world?

The short answer: The challenges clearly outweigh the rewards. It’s not for everyone.

The long answer with almost all the details why: The only reward is creating something unique and truly yours. Taking pride in being a real part of this music in a way that gives back to our music culture. Everything else is just challenge after challenge, often paired with frustration and disgust due to the state of affairs today thanks to a social media-dominated industry with near-zero meritocracy on a musical/performance level.

To make matters even worse recently, now they’ve killed Aslice – some famous DJs (ironically, the ones who had the least artistic value) didn’t want to share their royalties with the real music creators whose music they are playing at their overpriced gigs – R.I.P. Aslice, what a great idea it was, and a huge thanks to all of the legends like DVS1, Richie Hawtin, or Joseph Capriati and other real top stars who were active contributors, or whom speak out against this all, and tried to share a piece of the pie with the rest of us. Thank you!

I’m also really thankful for the awesome gigs I’ve played these past years in festivals and top venues in Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, and countless times in the Czech Republic. I’m proud of the path I’ve paved for myself. I continue to set realistic end-goals and always keep in mind that I wouldn’t do it any other way – I take pride in an honest fight and struggle as a true artist to the core. For now, I’m back at Prague’s famous Roxy Club this month 29.11.2024 as D:FILE a.k.a James D, supporting Alignment (DE). I’m also super grateful that I will soon have my own monthly Techno program at a slick and unique underground venue here in Prague, and many other bookings lined up for 2025 in Czech Republic, Belgium, The Netherlands, and hopefully several others soon too.

But yet, careerwise for almost all self-made artists today, the sad reality is that still no agents call you or hear about it after the many amazing shows you played in the past (even if you upload the reactions of the crowd on socials), nor take note of your big EP release on a top label, nor top supports and chartings you may get. This is because the grand majority of Techno business is evaluated on social media (and it’s not the music they evaluate) or leveraged via money and nepotism. Let’s talk honestly here, nobody who can really help is watching, and nobody cares, except fellow artists and the few fans you get to reach, especially when you don’t get loads of shows in front of thousands of people. It\’s hard to get any exposure or money like this and grow as an artist, as one can imagine.

However, I will mention that I got this interview because Spartaque saw/heard my set when we played at the same gig at Cross Club in Prague September 2024. He was so impressed with my performance that he graciously offered me this interview on Tune In Mag. Big thanks to the boss Spartaque for this opportunity, what a great guy and artist he truly is, always seeking new talent! You never know what can come if you stay consistent and keep playing with your heart and soul, while keeping a positive outlook and never losing focus on realistic end-goals.

But, yeah… there are literally hundreds if not thousands of extremely talented artists who are totally unseen and forgotten about. The sad truth is that you can be a genuinely humble, good, and fun person to be with; you can use social media constantly to share your music and put relevant content out there and boost it organically till your bank account with 200 EUR left in it for the month is dry once again; you can have your songs played by the most famous DJs, and consistently do amazing work as a producer and DJ over and over again… and nothing comes of it, year after year after year, all while working full-time jobs or multiple jobs. It’s f*cking hellish. There are so many talented artists/great human beings to grow our music out there and it’s a real shame that nobody who can help cares – a true social injustice that has yet to be addressed.

As Dr. Martin Luther King once said, \”Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.\”

Live Performances and Personal Insights

Photo & Art Direction for James D by Dinora Tashmetova and Andrei Gorb

What’s one thing about you that your fans might be surprised to learn?

I love books and sports, apart from music, of course. I used to be a youth-level professional footballer (\”soccer player\” as we say in the U.S., haha) on D.C. United\’s Under-19 squad. I received an NCAA Division 1 scholarship to then Top 25 ranked Davidson College. When I left soccer at age 20, I trained in MMA/BJJ for a few years, and will continue to do so in 2025. I love sports, especially Martial Arts.

I\’m also a bit of a philosophy, sociology, and political science nerd, having finished a Master\’s Degree with Merit in Social and Political Theory at Birkbeck University of London, back in 2012. Mens sana in corpore sano.

How do you unwind or recharge creatively outside of music production?

I love gourmet food, an exquisite bottle of red wine (or a refreshing Czech lager), and my favorite hobby is puffing on delicious strains of high-quality marijuana (I’m an end-of-day smoker, haha).

BUT… \”Unwind\” and \”recharge\” are not words in my vocabulary or life since my early 20s, at bare minimum. That\’s what life is for the \”middle-class\” and also for economically underprivileged people as adults, I\’m afraid. We don\’t get to live off of mom and dad\’s money or success, we have to do everything ourselves once we leave our homes.

I work work work, and even the 1 or 2 weeks of vacation I get per year, I still barely rest since I have always been between either studies and music, or a 9-to-5 job to make ends meet while doing music. This is even more so the case nowadays since my wife and I have 2 small girls ages 5 and 3, and our newborn son now too. But, we couldn\’t be happier people as parents and as a couple, so zero complaints. My family is everything to me, and I give every bit of myself daily so that they can live well and I can set a good example for our children. But, I would not be able to keep going without my wife, she is a real-deal strong, intelligent, loving, and beautiful woman. I am immensely proud of her as a wife and mother – she also has no idea what the words “unwind” or “recharge” mean, so we support each other every day.

Needless to say, the struggle is real when you are owning your life 100% of the time with no external help from anyone. It’s extremely difficult, and for some reason in Western first-world countries today we show no appreciation for self-made people or even young parents. It\’s surreal and ass-backwards, at best.

Photo & Art Direction for James D by Dinora Tashmetova and Andrei Gorb

Looking ahead, where do you see your sound evolving, and what can fans expect in the next chapter?

I am going head-first back to the underground, and loving it! I will continue to make some Peak-Time Techno and have already signed some tracks recently to some solid labels to be released in 2025, but I am going now more towards Raw / Hypnotic / Modular Techno as well as Hardgroove as James D. And I am also continuing my first alias from 2012, D:FILE, to do Industrial Techno, Hard Techno, and some heavier and grittier genres like Industrial Hardcore and Schranz.

Some of the current labels I like are Planet Rhythm, JAM, SWAY Label, Tronic, KD Raw, Suara, and so on for Raw Techno all the way to Hardgroove. And some heavier label tycoons I aspire to as D:FILE are The Third Movement, Industrial Strength, Broken Strain, and the rest I have yet to explore.

Needless to say, there is still a lot of music to come and I want to thank all of you for listening to my music and helping me grow in this journey.