isolatedmix 97 - Jane Fitz: We Fall Into The Sun

There’s many ways I thought about introducing Jane Fitz, and no-matter which way I went, I couldn’t do her accolades justice. A DJ’s DJ, a producer, a respected digger, event curator, and doing it all for years now… the list goes on. I came back to something very simple. Jane is the first DJ I thought of when we organized our upcoming London Label night. Someone who could spin records in an intimate setting; on an amazing system; have the trainspotters out in force; transition between ambient and [insert pretty much any genre] and ensure everyone has a good time.

My request to Jane to complete a mix for us actually came before the event was on the horizon, but it was serendipitous to say the least and mean’t I would hunt her down every day until she got this one out into the world to give you all a preview of her infamous sets. Those who follow her already know, her live mixes and podcasts are often a deep and winding journey between techno, acid, abstract experimental, straight-up electronica, psychedelia, ambient and more. As a result, they often stretch for multiple hours at a time. Jane likes to take people on a journey - a DJ in the truest sense of the word honing her craft and with a smile to boot. Jane is also a vinyl enthusiast, and I regularly see her name supporting ASIP releases and many other likeminded labels so it’s a true honor to have her a part of the isolatedmix series.

Thank you, Jane, for the considered effort and time that went into all of this. Of course, in true Jane Fitz style, we’ve been treated to a bit of an extended session at 1hr 44mins. We look forward to seeing Jane spin next week. To accompany the mix, I sent Jane a few quick questions, below.

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How did you approach your isolatedmix? Is there a concept in mind?

JF - Less of a concept and more of a mood - I wanted to create a moment in time with this mix and it's definitely reflective of how I feel currently - a little winter-weary and hungry for sunshine and longer days. I have been playing a lot of long and all-night sets recently and the beginnings generally sound like this, atmospheric, thoughtful, but heady and trippy too, which I set out to capture. It's something I'm enjoying more and more - and I guess this mix takes that long slow build from the set, and just stays in that space, rather than kicking it up a notch. Now it's finished I see it as part of a bigger whole, I have a part two in mind but for something and somewhere totally different.

Where and how was the mix recorded?

JF -At home in my studio in the garden, in one take. Everything is off records. I had been thinking about it for quite some time, trying to describe what I thought makes an ASIP mix and suffering a bit of DJs block. But in the end, once I'd whittled down to about 50 possibles, the records told me what to play and in what order, like they always do.

You're known as a brilliant selector and vinyl enthusiast, how did it all come about?

JF - Thank you! Pure love for music that grew to an obsession and became a longterm relationship. I started collecting records aged 10 and I've had some very full and some very lean periods doing so. But I guess obsessively from my late 20s (so the past 20 years or so) I've compulsively bought as much as my pocket and my space will allow. I just love records, I love the sound of music played on a record and I love storing and filing and rediscovering the music I already own on record. 

What are a few of your secret weapons on vinyl?

JF - Now if I told you the secrets would they still be weapons??

In keeping with the spirit of ASIP I give you this. It didn't make it onto this mix but it features on a tape released by Nachtdigital of my ambient set there a few years ago. And this one, a really lovely record with a dark heart I picked up in New York for very cheap two tracks from this make the mix. 

What are some of your favorite record shops?

JF - Round And Round - Melbourne; Low Company and the Little Record Shop - London; Redhill - Helsinki; Staalplaat - Berlin. Yugovinyl - Belgrade; Clique and Living Inc - Seoul; A1 - NYC; Seance Centre and Invisible City - Toronto; Snickers - Stockholm; EAD and Los Apson in Tokyo. And I have some really secret ones I won't reveal...

What's your digging process? Looking for something in particular? Browsing by art? By genre? Portable turntable?!

JF - I actually just bought a portable turntable recently so I think this might alter my digging habits. I have different ways - if I'm digging in store I just try and work my way through everything and wait ‘til something speaks to me - whether it's label info or cover art. In more modern stores its straight to the bargain bins. Discogs I have a number of ways - I like to obsessively stalk producers and labels. But I also love to set myself weird parameters using the 'explore' function. I always bump into something brilliant that way.

You're set to play our first ASIP label night in London at Hidden Sounds (I can't wait!) what can everyone expect from your set?

JF - Transcendental brain music that fully intends to kidnap you. I'm a sucker for all things psychedelic and druggy and deep and for a night like this (I can't wait either!) I think I need to take people places in their minds but also do my best to create the horizontal-listening rave. Dancing without decibels. Heat without beats. Something special...for you. 

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Listen on Soundcloud, Mixcloud or the ASIP Podcast.

Download

Tracklist:

01. Legion Of Green Men - Noise Floor /External Opascule #55 (Plus 8)
02. Jay Glass Dubs - Urged To Be Cleansed While Bathed In More Blood (Berceuse Heroique)
03. Aiwa - Etamorph (Banlieue)
04. Sixtyone - Tregnanton (Verdant)
05. Lyterian - What We Left Behind Will Be Lost Forever (Space Cadets)
06. O Yuki Conjugate - Steppe Land (Emotional Rescue) (Wrong speed)
07. Annawooh - Dust From WIthin (Stoscha)
08. Hugo R A Paris - Heliophagis (Jackstone)
09. Andrea Belfi - Plateau (Float)
10. Frazer Campbell - Araline (Elliot Project)
11. Annawooh - Stellar Explosion (Stoscha)
12. Evolution - B-S-W-P-S-S (Chill-Core-Mix) (Gaia Tontrager)
13. O Yuki Conjugate - Rite Of Passage (Emotional Rescue)
14. Fabio Orsi - Moon (Oltrarno)
15. TM404 - Trico (Kontra)
16. KNR - Zabran (Diskant)
17. M//R - Among The Methods (Great Circles)
18. Covert Dub - Spectre Overseas (Orbjects, Overseas And Oceans) (BMG)

Jane Fitz | Soundcloud | RA | Instagram

Preorder: Merrin Karras / Northwest Passage

We’re very excited to see Brendan’s Merrin Karras alias back on the label with a new album titled Northwest Passage. It’s been quite the journey in itself to get this one out there, but we’re very proud of the end result, with stunning artwork by Jack Hardwicke.

Head over to the release page for full details and links to preorder.

Watch the video for album-ender ‘Dominions’ below courtesy of Inverted Audio.

And lastly, catch Brendan playing two live shows this month, in both London at our label showcase on March 21st and in Berlin the week after. See our events page for more details.

Liner notes now available in ASIP vinyl releases

Remember the days when you’d sit with a CD, or record in hand, studying the artwork and digging deep into the liner notes, credits and any other accompanying detail to do with the record? Now, the majority of people are getting to the point where an album or track is played within a playlist, often on their phone, without seeing any accreditation at all - not even a label name is visible unless on the artwork, let alone the people who were behind the creation of the record. Today’s consumption of music is fast-paced and shallow, and it’s why ASIP focuses on physical objects and the presentation of music.

We’ve always preferred to create gatefold records for this reason, giving even more focus to the artwork and making it a piece to study and hold, and where possible I’ve always tried to encourage artists to add any text or elaborate on their record, but that isn’t always easy or wanted.

Moving forward, however, we’ve created a new way to inject more context and story behind the record. Each release, starting from ASIPV022 (also including ASIPV021 & ASIPV018 which were delayed) will have a separate piece of thick-stock paper with printed liner notes. It will be placed into one of the sleeves (outside of the poly-sleeve). These liner notes will come from the label’s perspective.

Why the label’s perspective? Because it offers consistency and is in my hands to create instead of hoping other artists are OK to contribute - more often than not, they want to focus on the music!

Each liner note will consist of four sections which, by chance (or not…) make up the ASIP acronym.

A - Art - the story behind the artwork, why it was chosen, what was the brief etc.

S - Story - how artist and label came together, was it a demo, how did they meet etc.

I - Insight - an interesting, or deeper detail about the release or artist you might not otherwise have found out.

P - Press - I thought it would be interesting to document the actual press of a record (manufacturing) where possible. Sometimes this might be very boring (with a successful press) but others might express some added pain, adventure and learnings.

If you find yourself wanting to post any of these physical liner notes online, I’d like to very kindly ask you not to. So you won’t find them online with any of my doing at least. They are meant to be received and read by the listener with the record in hand. I have an ambition that one day I can pull them all together and document each release in a book or something to help chronicle the label.

Now, going against exactly what I just said… but (blurred a little), below, you’ll find a sample of what to expect.

Now available: Blinkar från Norr / Metaphors For Things

It’s not often we get to release music by an artist without a recognizable catalog, so we’re very excited to present the first ever release by Blinkar från Norr.

The debut album from Sardinian composer Blinkar från Norr covers a rich, atmospheric and melancholic stretch of territory. Metaphors For Things was born from composer Andrea Garau’s own personal experience of the world today, brought to life through currents of powerful sound and an always shifting but ever-pensive state.

The album aims to express the negative conflicts and diseases often seen in people and modern society, capturing thoughts, emotions and feelings that can generate internal conflicts, anxieties and fears.

Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri and featuring artwork by Noah M / Keep Adding, Metaphors For Things is available on transparent, colored smoke gatefold vinyl and digital download.

See the release page for all links to buy

A Strangely Isolated Place at In Sheeps Clothing hi-fi (LA)

Join us for a dedicated listening session at one of LA's only dedicated vinyl hi-fi bars.

Releases from our back catalog, upcoming releases, and test-presses on the hi-fidelity sound system at In Sheeps Clothing Cafe and Bar, DTLA. Check out the pics below.

There will also be ASIP back-catalog and new releases available to purchase.

February 25th
8pm - midnight
710 E 4th Place, DTLA.

A big thank you to Dorian Denes for the lovely flyer artwork.