Jaye Ward – The ‘Alternate Currents’ Ransom Note Mix

Jaye, like the best of these humans walking this rather odd planet, is a restless spirit and this mix she’s done for us is a fucking belter that reflects that.  It’s an examination of Jaye’s unwavering devotion to the weird and wonderful corners of dance music.

From a DJ who’s seen it all, Jaye remains perpetually curious. Get this in your ears, expect the unexpected, blur the conventional and dissolve into pure feeling…ONWARDS

Listen below:

Please introduce yourself…

Hi my name is Jaye Ward

Where are you ?

Currently I am sitting on my sofa with my faithful medium-sized legend chicky ward

And what are you?

I’m a compact & bijou disc jockey from the god’s very own municipal borough of Hackney in London. I’ve enjoyed doing this activity in various ways since the 80’s. I sort of do other things, too, but this is what occupies me most of the time.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

Obviously, acid house has informed my direction, but I’ve been into music way before that happened, so I suppose my tastes are pretty broad. I read the room. I play at a lot of wildly different parties and that means I can play banging techno, super deep wonky house, chuggy adult stuff through to the things I tend to play on my Netil radio show, show weirdo trippy electronics, jazz and psychedelic gear and all the way to the privilege that is playing ambient things for punters to chill to. I also have a low-key label thing called FIBS, which has so far released 3 things that are hard to pin down!!

Link to fibs bandcamp >> and fibs radio shows >>

How does your brain work when making music? how does it work when you aren’t?

I’m well neuro-spicy, and everything takes way more effort, apart from listening to music and playing music. I like to people and messing about trying to make music. It’s my sweet spot.

What was the first electronic record you heard and how did it make you feel?

Donna Summer – I Feel Love 7” 1977 Kings holiday camp Eastbourne. I was 9, and I was wearing a gold velvet t-shirt. We went into Woolworths as soon as we got back and bought the 7”

Where was the mix recorded?

At home on the canal of dreams, using a laptop, my finger on the mouse pad and the 4 deck template on virtual dj

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Somewhere comfortable, somewhere beautiful or on a journey to somewhere nice

What should we be wearing?

Whatever makes you feel good and lovely. If not that then maybe a hazmat suit or rubber waders and a Hawkwind t-shirt.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

On a beach somewhere hot, precious hall in Japan, Harveys gaff in Bali..

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Currently, it’s JZKL – B12 velocity, which is Johnny Zoloft + the ace Kiernan Laveaux making super wonky, deep electronic pulsing madness and is on the first release, pancake of the Infinite, on Kieran & CCL’s new label, Sweet Abyss.. whole thing is immense!

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

God, there are loads, Weatherall back to basics, loads of Baldelli and Beppe Loda mixes from Cosmic and Typhoon, Harvey late nite sessions and this old Tonka tapes, Jeff Mills live at the liquid rooms, mr C Orange tape, modern mixes from People like Kieran latex, ccl, Chris ranks. I listen to my mixes, too, because why not?

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I have only ever done back to back with chris ranks for PLU which is my touchstone for B2B, ambient babestation and interstellar funk.. I suppose I’ll be forever jealous of the amazing musical partnership that Sean Johnston & Weatherall had, too. B2B’s are about trust and friendship tbh.. most of fave do’s have a singular approach Mancuso, piano, levan etc.. I imagine that going back in time and asking Mancuso if I could do one 2 one with him would be mad embarrassing haha!

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

2 technics 1210’s and a citronic mixer bought from a disco shop on Blackhorse Road Finsbury park in about ’92 now it’s a laptop and a nice rega turntable..

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

The whole thing start to finish surely?

What were the first and last records you bought?

As above stated donna Summer I feel love 7” last thing I bought was a nice copy of Keith Jarrett’s – my song on ECM.. absolute bargain at £3 from Oxfam

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

All my fave things – sushi, roast dinners, bananas and cream, weed, mushrooms, curry & pie & mash

If it was an animal what would it be?

There’s only one animal(ish) in my life and that’s the medium sized legend himself, chicky ward.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

There is no such thing as an unmixable record. You can ALWAYS find a way to make the blend if you need to, haha!

Am I going to my dream job?

I’ve been doing this for over 35 years, but in the last 15-16 years have actually been my job, which has challenged what I think about being a DJ. I suppose my dream situation would be a combination of disc jockeying, music making, label running, maybe getting back to painting again (I did a degree in fine art back in the 80’s) and writing..

Am I being compensated fairly for the value I bring to my job?

Not always but sometimes. It’s never been about money for me but actually getting paid to do things is obviously a good thing. As much as my agent is helping me consolidate maybe the slowest career curve of all time.. I’d much rather negotiate fees to make the party happen.

Do I feel energised, rested, and confident?

Actually I do..

You just had a fight with the person you are closest to. do you not speak to them until they apologise…or do you apologise first?

I always apologise first

If you were trapped on a desert island with one other person, who would you choose? how long would it be before you eat them?

I’d never be so stupid to get trapped on a desert island, to begin with. Is this a void comp test?

Your doctor says you need more exercise….what do you take up for exercise?

Already have. Dog walking. I like to dance too.

If you could travel in time…where in time would you go? why?

I’ve always liked the idea of London in Victorian times.. the different engines, handsome vampires that look like Gary Oldman, Sherlock Holmes, dark magic and opium dens.

Upcoming in the world of…

Lots of gigs and the urge to do more and more.. a 4hr ambient session in a sauna in south London, I want to go to the States this year, and I have the initial ideas around a live thing, too.. a sort of band kinda deal.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Well all the above is happening to me while elsewhere all over the world capitalist pricks and right-wing horrors are dealing death and destruction to poor innocent people, people of colour, women, trans people and queers and we could discuss this forever and we should never forget this when talking about the privilege it is to be playing other peoples art to spannered punters who’ve paid an entrance fee.

Follow Jaye on Insta and Soundcloud here.

Tracklist

Agonis – a well known stranger (amentia recordings)
Kenny Hawkes – sleeze dubbing (paper recordings)
Five green moons – tiny spiral loom (moton)
Upsammy – another place (nous’flaer audio)
Urzula borderline – ketch me if you can (atune recordings)
Nail Holliday – cassiopeia (warp)
Mad static – crying for no reason (overtook version) (frustrated funk)
Leonidas + kay suzuki – asteroid (burning music)
JZKL – B12 velocity (w/ Gladstone Deluxe & mira mira) (sweet abyss)
John hassle – audio Werner interpretation #4 (audio Werner)
Metro – hold your wig (bassex records)
Kyle hall & KMFH – dr. Crunch (wild oats)
Temisan adoki – aeolia (all in the family)
Atom™ – riot in lagos (electric sheep)
Group a – ketabali (mannequin records)
Paradise 3001 – sludge flow (XSP)
Interviews – engine (BITTERFIELD)
Cheap thrill – magic mandrake (cheap thrill)
Kai galactic – helix (daybreak)
Time wharp – r version (leaving records)
Ben Mitchell – cymbalism (stereo deluxe)
Lucio – terra tagliare edit (Mystery island)
Kyjp – Vital esoterica (seeds and ground)
Chraevis – everything everywhere (shake well records)
Totem projects – praise (totem)
Myriad – time will tell (creme organization)
Fug – sola sonique (session recordings)
Fred und luna – der allgemeine tenor (compost)
Krabberz – workshop dub (krabberz)
Kasra V – big time (shaytoon records)
Two cold – desert leather (m.a.d. records)
Wata igarashi – question and answer (the bunker NY)
Danny clobber – dream house is a feeling (dub) (Danny clobber)
Nommo Ogo – Awaken (Nezzy Idy remix) (nommo ogo)
Olywok – Belmont oasis (first thing audio)
Flora FM – storm cleaned (Kalahari oyster cult)
Unknown – je t’aime (unknown)
Gag reflex – grunt (gag reflex)
Gordon bass – fondue analogique (visions recordings)
BWL – backyard shower dub (BWL)
Broken chord – stone fat (south of north)
Guitone – 1P-1m (dj/i/ozaki)
Djrum – Frekm, Pt. 1 (houndstooth)
schuttle – jejunum (third place records)
Fictional devices – Anomalous materials (perimeter junk)
Crespi drum syndicate – spiritus del norte (isla)
Lou ree & the metal machine – vitamin c ((dj/i/ozaki))
Halo – fingerling acid (halo)
Andrei Rusu ft. decha – hedesch (black merlin dub) (malka tuti)
Daria lourd – there’s a psyop goin’ on (bored lord)
Dj plead & rroxymore – read wrong (smalltown supersound)
Kincaid – Sound Of The Stream (Stella Z’s Woodberry Mix) (shaw cuts)
Gilb’r – Rien à savoir (antinote)
The midi janitor – roman concrete (Hotham sound)
Benbo pres boris johnson – one of my excellent speeches (spatial awareness)
Maarten Goether – city gate rumble (reprise version) (nu northern soul)
Oma totem – ER5 (haven discs)
Saturn – echotone (talking machine)
Hyungmin – da capo (dj shikisai dub capo) (diesel disco club)
Caim – nebula yoyaku (autodidact)
Sad man – optimist (sad man)
Windy City – acid dry (NYC records)
Carlos nilmms – When it’s all over (4lux)
Enea pascal – zanna (ivereatronic)