Homegrown hero Jamie Stevens (of Infusion fame) recalls the first time he was taken into a trance by electronica.
“What I love about music in a club is the vibrancy and energy of it,” he says. “When I first encountered club music I was really taken by that, I was excited by it. When I create my music I try to tap into that exhilarating feeling.”
As the founding member of the two-time ARIA-award-winning, electronic band Infusion, Jamie has made his mark as one of Australia's most sought after producers. “Jamming on stage with a band is of course completely different to playing alone. When it comes to album material, working out the palette of sounds can be a little bit daunting but there's also the openness of doing whatever the hell you want to do, whereas if you're working in a band, they have to feel it as well. They both have pros and cons.”
He describes his live set as a mix and match of percussive sounds, bass-heavy production and cinematic charisma. “For my live shows I break down my tracks into individual parts so I'm able to manipulate them all. It's all very hands on, I can control all these effects so I can build and deconstruct tracks in time. I'm always trying to create momentum in the live sets.”
When creative juices are running low, Jamie relies on art and the world around him as 'go-tos' for inspiration. “There are many areas that I'm influenced by; lots of art, novels, films, and even the studio itself. I keep a notebook as well, so I'll write down particular conversations or experiences. That's something I learned at art school – condensing everything around you into a format that you can take into the studio. I also read a lot of design books. The colours and architecture can help develop contextual ideas. Sometimes I'll go to the book shop, have a flick through a couple of designs and return to the studio to make music.”
Despite having played in some of the biggest and best clubs worldwide, Jamie fondly remembers DJing at Rainbow Serpent festival as a gig highlight. “When we first played there four years ago, the crowd was amazing but we had to leave the next morning, so I ended up flying back down to spend the time at Rainbow and I was hooked. I felt like I finally understood what everyone was talking about. You never truly get the atmosphere until you're apart of it.”
Jamie Stevens Plays Rainbow Serpent Festival in Lexton, VIC From Jan 24-27
