An artist with a cultured past venturing into new territory under a refreshing new moniker, alias_j, Jon Ojeda has existed throughout key eras of electronic music that have contributed to this new artistic package. Over decades, Jon’s unique and melodically-charged sound has seen him frequent club spaces across the globe including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Amsterdam, London, Warsaw, Moscow & St. Petersburg, which have allowed him to play alongside some of the biggest names in the industry.
Now, alias_j is on remix duties, recently taking on Momu’s ‘Music Gets Me By’ for Looq Records. To celebrate the release, Jon Ojeda shares his top 10 tracks on rotation:
“This playlist is a collection of records that have either shaped my ear, are regularly in rotation, or are what I’m into at the moment. The list could have been huge but I hope the sampling gives you a window into my history. Thanks for listening!” – alias_j
1. Jungle Brothers – I’ll House You
“This was the first dance record I bought way back in 1988! At the time, I was an exchange student living in Germany. One night, my exchange brother took me to a spot called Club USA (go figure). It was multi-leveled, it kind of reminds me of fabric, in London. Everyone was wearing smiley face t-shirts and battle-calling with whistles. I heard Acid House for the first time that night. The next day I went to a local record shop and picked this up, along with KLF’s ‘What Time Is Love’. Little did I know that these records, and that club, would change my life.”
2. Matt Sassari – Say What
“Thank you Matt for this gem! It’s a heavy-hitting techno rework of the first dance record I had ever purchased – Jungle Brothers’ ‘I’ll House You’ (the one above)! It’s amazing and sets such a vibe. The drops are deadly and command a no-joke bass face. It uses all the right samples. It’s a must-listen.”
3.Stephan Bodzin – Ix
“There was a period in my life where I drifted away from DJing and producing. At the time, I was having difficulty paying rent and I found myself with a really bad mindset of needing to DJ to pay the bills. Nothing good creatively comes out of that, and because I loved the music so much, I stopped and got a job. In 2015 though, I found Stephan’s ‘Powers of Ten’ album. It blew my mind. This particular track is one of my favorites. The melody and noise-based percussion are so emotive and thought-engaging. I would take long drives along the California coast listening to the album. Stephan Bodzin, as well as Ae:ther, who I stumbled across in 2017, are two artists that greatly influenced and inspired me to move forward. I’m grateful for that.”
4. Nicone – All Time High (Hot Mal Was Da Scheppert Mix)
“The year before Covid, 2019, I was at ADE in Amsterdam and went to “Audio Obscura & Adriatique presents – X“, at Muzikegebouw. Adriatique was playing all night, but we slipped away for a bit to go check out Agents of Time upstairs in a smaller room overlooking the water. It was about 3 AM and they dropped this, and ooof, what a track it was. It’s a highlight of the trip and hasn’t left my crate since.”
5. alias_j – Recovery Loss
“I wrote this during lock-down as part of a three-track EP called by the same name – ‘Recovery Loss’. I’m particularly happy with the final master. The low end and kick came out really well. The feedback has also been stellar and it’s been great to see it pop up at festivals in DJ clips. All I ever wanted was for people to play and hear my music. It did really well in the charts, hitting #3 in Melodic House & Techno. I’m grateful it’s been so well received.”
6. Erdem Yetim – Aleph
“JEAHMON! really hit it out of the park with this one. It’s melodic and techno with an indie dance backbone. The production and master on it are stellar. The low end just destroys some of the other records in the same space. It’s thick, heavy, driving, positive, and has a slight psytrance vibe to it as well, but it’s only 120 BPM. When it comes out of the break, the formant lead is just amazing. Well done, Erdem Yetim!”
7. Momu – Music Gets Me By (alias_j resouled mix)
“I’ve known Momu since my early beginnings in SF. We frequented the spots, held residencies at the same clubs (like Looq Recordings’ “Qool”), and have generally worked, partied, and been friends for decades. When Mark (the “mu”), shared the original, I couldn’t help but love the vocal hook – “music gets me by”. It spoke to me on so many levels and I’m really happy they asked me to remix it. The release reached #2 on the Beatport Breaks chart, #4 in Tech House, and #4 in Melodic House & Techno. I’m really glad people are into it :)”
8. Mind Against – Dreamcast
“Mind Against are consistent and their breakdowns are so emotionally charged. I’ve heard and played this several times and the energy in every room just explodes. I’ve even seen people cry. It’s crazy really, but Mind Against clearly understand the effects frequencies, chord progressions, and arrangements can have to send clubland into a frenzy. In the break, the second melody that takes over at 4:24 melts my face into a smile :)”
9. Toto Chiavetta – Next To Me feat. Kelo (Tape Proc. Mix)
“Toto’s releases are always mind-bending and ‘Next To Me’ just destroys the place. Toto has a way with ever-evolving lead melodies and room verbs that meander in and out over the top of his tracks. It’s encapsulating. When I heard the vocal hook, I never hear the same thing…sometimes it’s “night to me”, “nice to meet”, or my friend and I will just make up phrases like “Hiko feet”, “next chew meat”, or “flight to Pete”. It’s just a fun and twisted track with a solid groove you can let loose to.”
10. Melawati – I Just Want To Go Walking
“I remember when I found out about Melawati. I love how he showcases his different synths in his videos (he’s turned me onto a few purchases)! This particular track is off his new ‘Aritmia’ album. It’s a beautifully dramatic breaks track that really hits in all the right places for me. I love opening with it, but most of all, I love how it feels. I can get lost in the vocal and the drama of it all. It’s so powerful and unique. Fair warning though – it may induce some deep and vulnerable emotions, but I guess that’s why I love it.”
alias_j’s new remix of Momu’s ‘Music Gets Me By’ is out now via Looq Records. Purchase your copy here.
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