JAMES Organ is a name rising through the ranks and rapidly earning his place in the dance music scene.
Pushing a vibe that is synonymous with electric club and festival sets, both James Organ’s mixing and on-stage presence over-flow with energy from start to finish. Playing to crammed festival tents with 6,000+ ravers is now the norm for the Liverpudlian, who since late 2016 has graced the likes of We Are FSTVL, The Warehouse Project and many more.
Last weekend saw James supporting Carl Cox and Yousef at the sold out Circus 15th Birthday Birthday at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool. We caught up with the Circus regular to find out more about his Liverpool roots, what Circus means to him and how the city has inspired him.
Here’s what he had to say.
So, for those not in the know – who is James Organ and what can we expect from one of your sets?
I’m a Liverpool based DJ and producer with releases on Saved, Roush and Decay Records. I have forthcoming releases this year on New York labels Nervous Records and Junior Sanchez’ Brobot Records. This summer I’ve played some phenomenal gigs including Parklife Festival, Hideout Festival, We Are FSTVL, Creamfields, WildLife, Reading and Leeds with dates at Circus Liverpool, The Warehouse Project Manchester and many more still to come. Check out my soundcloud to get a feel for my sound.
You’ve got a close affinity with the electronic music scene in Liverpool – what’s your earliest memory or experience of dance music in the city?
I’d been partying at the likes of Circus and Chibuku for many years throughout university and I have many fond memories of the old Theatre in what was then ‘The Barfly’, watching DJs like Ricardo Villalobos, Richie Hawtin and more hold a room like no other
From your perspective, what makes Liverpool so special in terms of dance music?
Liverpool is a great city in that it boasts a vast amount of quality clubs and venues, and an endless cycle of ambitious creatives / musicians and club enthusiasts that make this City one of the best in the UK for club culture. If you haven’t been yet, you should definitely pay a visit.
James Organ in the mix…Picture by GARY BROWN
Are there any particular local artists who have inspired you in your own career, or influenced you in some way?
There have been many artists that have influenced me in some way in Liverpool, whether it is those local to the city, or those I’ve seen come from far and wide to play in its many great venues. I would say watching people like Yousef DJ at Circus club nights inspired me a lot, as well as many names such as Davide Squillace, Loco Dice, Adam Beyer to name but a few.
You’re playing the Circus 15th Birthday event this weekend – what does Circus mean to you as a brand?
For me it’s one of the best club brands and record labels in the UK, if not Europe, so to play their 15th birthday alongside the undisputed dons don Carl Cox is a really big thing for me.
15 years is a long time in this industry, how do you think Circus has stayed at the top of their game for so long?
I think purely through booking a mixture of the hottest names in the industry alongside laying the foundations with lots of new up and coming local artists too. Getting the balance right can make a big difference
You’re playing alongside iconic names regularly who have been in the game for years, has anyone given you any advice which has really stood out?
The best advice I’ve received and something that I stand by, is that it pays to be nice to those that you meet on the way up, as they’re the same people that you’ll meet on the way back down.
Looking at your own career – you’ve had a busy summer on the festival circuit, how did this run of big stage shows compare to playing at an event like Circus?
Anybody will tell you that once you get a crowd going on a bigger stage such as the Steelyard of Creamfields, or the Hangar of Parklife, there’s no better feeling. You can recognise when there is a good energy in the room and this reflects a lot on how I play. Circus shows are no different. Being the 15th birthday, with the man himself Carl Cox, I expect Saturday’s show to be equally as incredible as any of the bigger gigs I’ve played this summer.
You’ve got several new productions lined up for the next few months, can you tell us a bit about what to expect from your sound?
As mentioned, before the end of the year I will be releasing for my second time with Junior Sanchez, alongside further releases on Nervous Records, Carpe Diem and Suah. Expect some subby, Groovy basslines, alongside some more aggressive lead synthy stuff too.
And finally, what are the plans moving into next year?
Over the next couple of months production wise, I aim to stockpile plenty of new music ready for the start of 2018, as well as some major gigs which I am massively excited for.
For more information on James Organ head over to his facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
James Organ feat. Nino Santos & Lightem – Noodle Whip is out on 18th October on Carpe Diem.
