Artist To Artist: J-Zbel & Low Jack

 
Music

This year marked the three year anniversary of one of our favourite record labels here at Ransom Note. BFDM is a strictly no nonsense business and has been responsible for the release of some great records in recent years. The Pilotwings, Dj Normal 4, Simo Cell and more have all released on the record label since its formation back in 2014. Operating out of Marseille it has been a powerful force in the revolution of dance music in France, a statement of intent if you will. 

In celebration of the three year anniversary the label released a split EP with the New York based record label run by Ron Morelli, L.I.E.S. J-Zbel and Low Jack both featured. We invited them to interview one another as they get silly… 

Read below: 

J-Zbel asks Low Jack 

Firstly concerning the release: do you love king Judaah? Do you think he loves you as much as he loves us?

I have nothing but love for Judaah. Regarding the love he has for you guys, each and every time I am with him backstage or on someone’s couch at 9.30AM he has nothing but hate for J-Zbel.

Garifuna Variations – your release on LIES – is linked to a cannibal tribe from Honduras. Have you ever eaten human flesh ? Are you gonna make a record based on your Breton roots (Breizh Variations)?

My label, Editions Gravats, is all about Breizh Variations. And for the first question, I’m gonna try to avoid responding to this as much as possible. My legal team should contact yours ASAP. « J-Zbel gate » on all social media, RA, etc soon. The fall down of the most promising French EBM trio.

Let’s talk about your teenage years. How deep did you dive into the NO-GO ZONE? Were the PRR PRR dickheads involved?We also heard rumors about DK being a trader in the street. What do you think?

We had a nice time as kids with D.K. and The PRR ! PRR ! crew for sure. No ski masks involved though.

The infamous Positive Education Festival is the place to be. Do you and Peev travel together?

I had a nice trip on my own. My French agency VOODOO-Artists dropped me at the St-Etienne train station through their chopper.

Finally, a question about (your) music. Did you sample a country record for Formula Ice? Did you compose this track in order to please Judaah and his dancehall obsession?

Because of Judaah’s huge disappointment on all of the other tracks on the comp, I had to make an effort to please him with some dancehall vibezzz. Sometimes « you gotta play for the team», as one famous DJ/Label manager from Long Island told me once.

Bonus question: could you share a beautiful souvenir related to a Mikhail Dj set?

The first time I met Mikhail, he tried to hook up with my wife. And then threw up  backstage. <3 

Low Jack asks J-Zbel 

What does your name mean?

N: J-zbel is an acronym for Joachim (garraud) Zaltan Bertille Elohim Laurent. It means "disabled" in the holy Bible. This name was given to us by a drunk astrologue in 2014. He also had a vision about our music being played by Carl Cox in a Belgian festival.

How did you guys meet?

L: We met 8 years ago at the HentaiCon of Las Vegas, we only knew each others by our pseudonyms by then and never met in real life. We had already talked a lot on musical and hentai forums so the moment we met, it was obvious that we had to work together, both for music and video production. I work on dubbing the movies and all post-production effects, like squirting sounds, anal noises etc… so when we decided to produce the first EP together it was really cool to work on more musical sounds. But that’s also why we don’t show our faces, since I’m not really sure my Mom would love to see me in a musical band.

Are you using analogue gear rather than software?

N: I mainly use the subpack created by Richie Hawtin. It lets me hear the bass and reach a wider audience

L: As I previously said I mainly use the samples I record to produce music, It ranges from a potato thrown at the wall to make a kick, to the sound of a screaming girl to make a beautiful soft synth pad with a lot of analog reverb on it.

J: Serum, Hardstyle sample banks and TR-707. I love this game

How would you describe your main influences ?

J: I was into VJing before J-zbel, for frenchcore parties (Audiogenic crew). So my biggest influence is this mental hardcore music (Radium, Maissouille, Speed Freak..etc.). When we met with the BFDM crew, the guys introduced me to the trance-hardstyle-gabba music.


Visit the BFDM bandcamp HERE

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