INTERVIEW:OSMOSIS JONES
A CHAT WITH AUSTRALIAN GARAGE PRODUCER AND DJ, OSMOSIS JONES
Interview BY PORTIA BRAJKOVIC
WHAT DREW YOU TO MUSIC?
I’ve loved music since I was young. It’s what I’m drawn to most in my downtime - I’ve constantly got some tunes going to soundtrack my day.
AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE OSMOSIS JONES UNIVERSE IN THREE WORDS?
Bad. Boy. Businezzzzz.
WHO IS YOUR MUSIC FOR?
People who get bored easily.
INSPIRATION CAN FIND US OR IT CAN BE SOUGHT OUT. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Digging for old hip-hop and R&B records from when I was younger, and being out and about in the city.
describe your creative process.
I start by listening to songs that have been on heavy rotation and, using them as a reference, I’ll incorporate some vocals that I’ve dug up from my memory bank, which I keep in a big YouTube folder. Then I cook up a loop and extend that into a full track. If I get that far I’ll leave it for a day or two, then come back to edit and mixdown. That’s it really. I don’t waste too much time stressing about it being perfect, there’s more tunes to make.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW EP, ‘POP DA MOLLY’.
Each song is a different vibe, but they all shine in their own way. I really wore my influences on my sleeve for each track. I know this might sound weird to some people who think you should be trying to be original, but music for me is like an imitation game. I just want to recreate the feeling of songs that speak to me.
WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A GARAGE PRODUCER IN AUSTRALIA? TELL US ABOUT THE SCENE.
It used to be dark days man. No one really knew what garage was, but when speed garage took off again in the UK and trickled over here, people started to really resonate with the sound. It always blew my mind how it wasn’t more popular because it has everything you need for mass appeal: catchy vocals, driving drums, and exciting build-ups. I’m confident that Melbourne has the biggest UKG scene in the world outside of the UK, all thanks to the sick producers we have here and the promoters and originators Bubble UKG for bringing in headliners and throwing sick events, pioneering the scene for years before it blew up.
WHAT WOULD WE FIND ON YOUR SPOTIFY PLAYLIST?
I have two albums saved for offline listening: Die Lit by Playboi Carti and Konnichiwa by Skepta.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR PEACE?
I like to walk along the creek trail near my house or go out for some good food and coffee with my closest friends.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
I’m trying to level up my record label, INTHEHOUSE records, and build something sick that can stand the test of time. I’ll also be doing a big UK/EU tour from August through to late October. We have a lot of shows lined up already, but in the meantime I’m getting forthcoming releases ready and trying to consistently make new tunes. There’s always something to do.
