Resident Advisor Podcast 121 - Lee Jones

One of my favorite mixes of the year...seriously musical and soulfully electronic.

From Resident Advisor:

Lee Jones crafts an understated mix of new and old on this week's RA podcast.

As the sole man behind Hefner and one half of My My, Lee Jones has had quite a career in electronic music already. But as he gets set for the release of his debut album under his own name, he seems to be feeling a bit pensive. How else do you explain away the slow and brooding start—and end—to his RA podcast? The end title to Cool Hand Luke? Consider these heart strings pulled.

Despite the moody bookends, Jones crafts a mix here that glides through modern minimalism with aplomb. Like his work with My My, this mix is understated, but the more you listen to it, the more you grow to hear the skill that guides it along its path. The same goes for that debut album, Electric Frank, which has been seeing tons of play at RA towers. You never seem to need to hear it, but everytime you put it on, it's mighty hard to think of any other album that you'd want to be listening to instead.

What have you been working on recently?

A bit of everything. New ideas for the next My My album, promotion for my album, preparations for my solo live tour, some music for a German television series and a few remixes including "Silver Screen" by Felix Da Housecat and Miss Kittin, in collaboration with M.A.N.D.Y.

Where and how was the mix recorded?

At home on my Macbook using Ableton Live.

Can you tell us a little about the mix?

I loosely tried to give the podcast a cinematic theme. It starts off with a mix of film soundtrack music with some edits or beats or very minimal tracks mixed in. Then it turns into a mix of new and old tracks which somehow have a cinematic feel, or are just plain funky.

How do you differentiate the work of Lee Jones and My My?

I don't really. My My tracks are done together with Nick Höppner, and stuff I do on my own comes out as Lee Jones. I guess I'm a bit more "experimental" on my own because there's no one else in the studio to approve or disapprove of what I'm doing. But there's no deliberate change of approach to producing. That approach changes with every new track I make, mostly because I'm still learning how to do it.

Will there ever be more Hefner material?

I feel stupid saying "yes, I am working on the second Hefner album, and hopefully it will be out next year" because I've been saying that for seven years. But, in fact, yes, I am working on the second Hefner album, and hopefully it will be out next year.

Tell us about the cover art to your album.

It was done by a dear friend of mine from University, Richard Wilkinson, who does illustrations for The Telegraph Magazine and tons of other stuff. His drawings are just remarkable. I gave him a carte blanche to do whatever he wanted after sending him a few tracks. I've no idea why he drew a zebra with red stripes, but it looks awesome.

What are you up to next?

Apart from a short break in November for recording new Hefner material, I'll be working with Nick on the new My My album and touring until the end of the year, a mixture of DJing, live gigs on my own, live My My gigs with Nick and DJing with Nick.

Tracklisting:

Kitty Bronx - Sacramento - Junior
Margaret Dygas - Sail Away
Jean-Michel Bernard - Golden the Pony Boy - Astralwerks
Acid Pauli (feat. Master Saphi Band) - Euphonium - Bar 25
Jon Brion - Phone Call - Hollywood Records
Oni Ayhun - OAR 1 - Oni Ayhun Records
Jay Haze - The Warmth
CSM - The Way - Reel Discs
Warbgasm - Influenza (Plasmik Deep Chord Remix) - Hypercolour
Untold - Kingdom - Hessle Audio
And.Id - Sand On The Floor - Mobilee
Plez - How Can You Stop - BBE
Nicone - Una Rossa (H.O.S.H. Remix) - Stil Vor Talent
Butch & Julie Marghilano - Last Tango (Daso & Pawas Remix) - Envy My Music
Sideshow - 'If Alone' Feat Paul St.Hilaire (Château Flight Dub Mix) - Aus
M.A.N.D.Y. - Superman (Reboot's 20 Cubans) - Get Physical Music
Toasty - Like Sun - Hotflush
Burak Sar - La Garua - Cécille Records
Minilogue - Snake Charmer - Wagon Repair
Patrice Bäumel - Roar - Get Physical Music
Lee Jones - Weisses Kanninchen - Aus
Gwen Maze - More Than Love (Anthony Collins Remix) - Supernature
Lalo Schifrin - End Title (Cool Hand Luke Soundtrack) - Dot Records