Jason Emsley

In 1979, Jason Emsley was born in La Jolla, California; hardly a city synonymous with techno. If you had asked Jason to predict his future 10 years ago, his answer most likely would have been the depiction of a man slouching inside an 8x8 cubicle; the color of his tie a sole declaration of individualism. Thankfully, while attending The University of Colorado at Boulder, Jason’s parents pushed him to follow passion rather than convention. Making his first connections with electronic music around the age of 16, the curiosity to delve further into the genre began to pull at the back of Jason’s mind. At the age of 20, curiosity became reality with a pair of Technics and a vinyl addiction. Expanding creative interest moved Jason into production, so upon completing his degree in 2003, he moved to London for further study in audio engineering. In just two short years, Jason Emsley - or “That California Guy” as he has become known overseas - has made a serious impact within America’s resurgent techno scene. Jason’s first solo release on Cologne based record label Platzhirsch Schallplatten, the “Function EP”, undoubtedly raised the bar for the current rising tide of young techno producers. His subsequent productions for Platzhirsch have included two more solo EPs, as well as the honor of remixing last year’s undisputed bomb, “Doppelwhipper”. His latest release, the “Inept Starlet EP”, which subtly pokes fun at America’s ‘famous-for-being-famous’ celeb-reality, has topped the charts of several top international DJs. In combination, the strength of his releases have established Mr. Emsley as one of America’s finest up-and-coming talents. Production-wise, one of the most respected facets of Jason’s work is his attention to detail. Monstrous kick drums thump alongside his signature pounding bass lines. This sub-based underpinning constructs the perfect backdrop to snappy percussion and the tracky, heady melodies that make his tracks so special. Less than a year after his first release, this perfectionism landed the young producer two trips overseas and headlining gigs at prestigious clubs such as Berlin’s Berghain/Panorama Bar, Zurich’s Kaufleuten, and London’s T-Bar. In addition, Jason has recently been invited to join, as one of only two Americans, Kompakt’s influential booking roster.