With the 'Balance' Party, nearly upon us, Bar DJ Jonathan Lisle takes 5 mins to talk to us...
Now you’re a firm favourite on the Progressive house scene, but for those of our regulars who haven’t had the pleasure of listening to you play, what can we expect?
I’m doing a kind of dj/live shows at the moment, playing a synth and a drum machine over the tracks. I’m doing a lot of 3 deck mixes and am mixing up all kinds of styles. The progressive sound has really changed over the last few years thanks to German influences and there is some amazing music around.
We’re looking forward to having you down the club this Saturday; we haven’t had you play the club for a fair while.
We’re really excited to have you back. Are you looking forward to coming to play with so many of your pals/contemporaries?
Yeah the good thing about this line up is that the guys aren’t just good DJ’s they are top lads as well. Demi, Desyn, Paolo and Luke are really nice geezers.
We’ve heard whisperings on message boards about some of your new tracks. Can you give us some info on them, when they’ll be getting released?
The first track has been signed by Tim Paris and will be coming out on his marketing label soon. He is a really cool bloke and the music he puts out is excellent so I am really pleased with that. It is a collaboration with a guy called Carsten Weiss, we have called ouselves "Sturm and Drang" and the track is called "Third Girl" so check it out when it is released. It’s being cained by DJs like Digweed, Hernan, DJ three and Geddes so I am pleased it appeals across the board.
I have around 8 other tracks which are finished and I’m just sorting out labels now so I will keep you posted. I’m really excited about making my own music at last. I realised last year I had been playing other people’s records for 19 years so I decided to take a year off DJing every weekend and concentrate on production. It’s finally coming together and there is nothing more satisfying than watching a club going mental to one of your own tracks. You play all over the world regularly.
Where are your favourite countries to play and why?
The gigs I’ve had in Argentina, Australia and Japan were all incredible because of the passion of the crowds. They really know their music and you can see them getting proper lost in it.
What artists/producers are currently doing it for you?
Mattias schaffhauser, Seth Troxler, Ziggy Kinder
What tunes are big in your box at the moment?
Ziggy kinder - QuÚ_Pasa_Maria
Miss Fitz - Drifting on
Laurent Garnier- Back To My Roots [Panoramix]
And finally... If you were to be hit by a freak flood and you only had enough time to grab a handful of records, what ones would be the first ones you’d reach for?
Orbital- Belfast
KLF- Chillout Lp
Leftfield- Leftism