Ambient-electronic producer Jarvus will be releasing his debut EP titled The Lake on July 13th via Non State. Produced by processing all kinds of expressive sounds through various guitar pedals using circuit bending or DIY instruments, Jarvus fuses downtempo-techno into atmospheric, mesmerizing movements rather than folding into conventional structures. As well as heading his own independent imprint Non State, the new EP The Lake will be the label’s introductory release, initiating what hopes to be a leader in the realms underground electronic music. We caught up with the Oxford-based producer ahead of the release this week.
Tell us about you, how long have you been producing music? What did inspire you to start?
I’m from Oxford and currently live in the Oxfordshire countryside having lived in various parts of the world, including Shoreditch for a while! I’ve been making music now for 12 years, beginning as a DJ / promoter in East London and working through various music industry jobs with a focus now on my music production. My inspiration has always been routed in the music particularly in the live music and club scene.
The music industry is super competitive these days, was there a moment in your life that you wanted to give up on music? How did you manage to stay focused and achieve what you want?
That’s a good question, and yes there were many occasions where I did give up while I was doing various music industry jobs, mainly due to realising that working in the music industry doesn’t make you better at making music. You still have to put in the hours to learn your craft. I stay focused by making sure I make time every day to make music come rain or shine. I still feel I have room for improvement and never seem to be fully satisfied whenever I finish a track!
How would you describe your creative processes?
In the studio I like to jam out ideas pretty quickly, my creative process usually revolves around plugging various machines and instruments into each other and trying to make ‘good’ mistakes. By that I mean it’s usually the bits you didn’t mean to do that make it onto the record. If I try to do something, in particular, I usually fail or come up with something naff. You can head over to my Jarvus Facebook page to see some of these experiments as live jam videos using odd instruments, effects and loopers.
Where does the inspiration comes from?
I am influenced massively by where I live, the landscapes and the countryside around me. Very tranquil. Many musical ideas come while walking around here. My family are also a great inspiration, particularly my wife and little 11-month-old girl.
What’s your favourite track from the upcoming EP and what other bands/artists are you listening to right now?
My favourite track from the upcoming EP is Lake Mist, a little odd and edgy but happy with how it came out and I feel it captured my musical expression. Right now I’m listening to a few really great new 2018 albums, Compro by Skee Mask, Nothing is Still by Leon Vynehall and Open Submission by Alex Crispin.
What’s next for you?
Looking to release another EP or two in 2018 and collaborate with other artists for my label Non State.