Jack Mirror Interview
Viper Recordings have been and continue to be one of the premier destinations for dance floor focused drum and bass producers, with a wide range of high quality artists releasing tracks on their label. Such as; Matrix & Futurebound, Dossa & Locuzzed, Cyantific, Giganti, Insomniax, and Ekko & Sidetrack!
Their latest signing is brand new artist Jack Mirror and, with his first tracks Utopia and Reset, he’s already proven himself to be a great signing!
We thought it would be great to ask Jack in for a chat to see if we can find out what makes him tick. I’m happy to say that he agreed!
Hello Jack. Thank you for taking the time out to talk with us.
How has 2019 been treating you so far?
Thanks for having me! Yeah, so far so good! 2018 for me was mostly about focussing on working on my music production, so am happy that in 2019 I’m finally able to start showing people what I’ve been working on.
I’ve noticed that focussing on your music production in 2018 is now paying off for you. Big time!
Can you go way back and tell us a bit about the music you liked and listened to while growing up, and what first attracted you to drum and bass?
I listened to a fairly strict diet of Metal growing up. I spent a lot of time listening to bands like Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, and sitting in my room playing guitar. Alongside that though, I always had an interest in dance music, mainly through my exposure to The Prodigy at an early age. In my early teens I came across Pendulum’s Hold Your Colour and that was that, became obsessed with Drum & Bass.
Oh yes! Pendulum’s Hold Your Colour! I believe that was the debut album back in 2005, and later reissued in 2007 by Breakbeat Kaos? I’m definitely with you on The Prodigy! They made a major shift in dance music!
Do you have a favourite drum and bass genre? If so, what are some of your favourite tracks within that genre?
I’m really into what I’d call dance floor, high energy yet melody driven anthem tracks. Off the top of my head tracks such as Sub Focus - Out The Blue, Metrik - Freefall, Culture Shock - Rush Connection, have always stood amongst some of my favourites.
I’ve always believed that nice melody is the key to good music, and Culture Shocks’ - Rush Connection backs us up on that one!
What made you want to produce your own tracks?
Growing up my Dad ended up getting an early Mac which had Garageband on it. I used to spend hours on that messing with the loops that came with it. It was all crap and had no structure, but was great fun, until I grew out of that and started wanting more where I moved onto Logic. A hobby that got out of hand really.
That hobby that may have gotten out of hand has certainly served you well.
Viper Recordings is a huge label. Are you excited to be on their list of producers?
Yeah absolutely! Viper has put out some of my favourite records over the years. They have been a major influence on the way I write today! I’m in great company alongside the artists on their roster, and am already feeling the pressure and motivation to keep up with my peer’s production standards.
Your first release on Viper Recordings is pure quality! Could you tell us a little about both tracks, how long they took to write and what production techniques you use at the moment?
Thank you! Well Utopia was actually originally a liquid track I wrote nearly 5 years ago which I ended up putting aside for a few years, until I eventually went back in on it and turned it into a higher energy dance floor track.
Reset came together pretty quickly! I wanted it to be a natural compliment to Utopia, so I used similar descending synth lines and overall atmosphere, but a very different overall tone. I had the main outline of the track written in just a couple of days, but it took me a fair few sessions to get the mix right.
In terms of the production techniques I use at the moment, it’s hard to pin point as I really don’t know what I’m doing 99% of the time, but have been getting into the habit lately of exporting my project out to a handful of stems and then doing the mix down with those.
Exporting and mixing down separate stems? That’s handy to know, as I'm a complete novice at producing.
What aspects of producing your own tracks do you love the most and what keeps you going?
There is always that moment when the project goes from just a bit of a random idea, then I’ll maybe alter something on a synth, add an extra element, then it becomes clear as to how the track is going to sound. From there it’s just filling in the gaps. Being able to see improvement in my production is what has kept me going lately! Every time I sit down there is at least something small I’ll pick up on.
What do you find is the most challenging thing when making your music?
Comparing myself to others is always a bit of a battle. Whilst it can be productive to reference other tracks, it can also be incredibly disheartening!
Which DJ’s and/or producers out there do you get your inspiration from?
Culture Shock. He’s a genius!
I agree and it sounds like, as this is the second mention, Culture Shock has definitely been a big influence on you.
If you could collaborate on a track with anyone, who would it be and why?
That’s tough but I think it’d have to be Sub Focus, I really admire how he manages to take very simple sounds and makes them fill space so well.
Yes! Rock It is a prime example of that!
Those that are new in the music industry, and may feel the struggle when starting to produce their own tracks, what advice would you give?
Don’t compare yourself to others too much when you start and make sure you keep enjoying the writing process.
Most producers start off as DJ’s. Did you?
Nope! Producer first!
Do you prefer festivals or clubs, and do you think each have different energies?
I guess it really depends on the club or festival so I don’t really have a preference, but I generally prefer the gigs where the DJ booth is really close to the crowd.
Yes, I feel a better connection that way too!
What are your goals for the rest of 2019? Can we look forward to any more releases from you?
Finishing off and releasing a couple more singles, the next one is close to completion and I’m really excited about this one!
Can’t wait for that to land!
Ok, last but not least! What three things do you love most about your life at the moment?
Signing to Viper was a goal I set out to achieve years ago, happy to have nailed that one!
Being in a position to make music full time, and having incredibly supportive friends and family!
Great to hear that! Supportive friends and family to go with your music! You can’t beat it!
Thank you for taking time to chat with us Jack. I wish you all the best with your new release. Is there anyone you would like to mention? Any shouts or thanks?
Thank you! Shout out to Team Viper!
Buy/Stream Utopia and Reset HERE
Follow Jack Mirror:
Soundcloud / Facebook
Twitter / Instagram
Interview conducted by Brenton Clerkin
