The project of Jauz, a young LA-based Icon Collective graduate, is one that combines brilliant production, energetic sets, and underground vibes that have captivated the hearts of the dance community. Hailing from the bay area, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. Soon, he went from an aspiring producer in the crowd of hard summer, to playing the main stage.
We caught up with Jauz to talk about his new album ‘This Is Off The Deep End’.
Electronic Groove: Hey Sam, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Where are you talking to us from today?
JAUZ: I’m at home in Los Angeles, in my studio.
EG: What’s your summer been like so far?
JAUZ: It was pretty busy. I do a lot of shows in Europe, a lot more than I feel like a lot of Americans do, so between balancing all of the European and American festivals there’s definitely a lot of bouncing back and forth but it’s a lot of fun.
EG: How did the concept for ‘Jauz Presents: This Is Off The Deep End’ come about?
JAUZ: It’s a concept that I’ve wanted to put together for a really, really long time. I think fans of mine that have been around since the early days probably saw something like this coming, especially because my earlier stuff was a little bit more on the house-y side and a little bit deeper. As my brand and my career went on things got a little more high energy and aggressive and heavy so I really wanted to create a forum for me to bring that back and showcase and really dive into the deeper, techier, house-y side of the project that newer fans may not be as familiar with, but I think my older fans will appreciate.
EG: Once you had the idea, how did decide who to collaborate with?
JAUZ: I mean, a lot of it was just from the thousands and thousands of demos we get from the label all the time. I had known that this project was going on so in the back of my head, every time I would listen to a demo I would pull some to the side and be like okay this is great for ‘This Is Off The Deep End’, but I mean working with i_o on the song we did together, he’s been one of my closest friends for like 7 years and we work together in the studio basically every single day, and especially with how great his new project is doing and how techy it is, it made a lot of sense for us to finally make a song together for the album and I think it turned out really sick.
“This Is Off The Deep End is a concept that I’ve wanted to put together for a really, really long time”
EG: You released it on your own label, Bite This! Why did you decide to create the label?
JAUZ: Again, the label is something we’ve talked about doing for a really, really, really long time. I just wanted to wait for the right moment. There were so many people that helped me get to where I am – whether it was Borgore who first put me on at the very beginning with Buygore, or all the help that Diplo has given me. All of these artists who champion and pioneer new and up and coming artists, I guess I’m at the right point to trying to give and repay that, and do my part because there’s so much incredible music and there’s so many awesome artists that are falling through the cracks, and I wanted to have a label that represented who I am and what I like and what I think is going to be the future of dance music.
EG: Do you have any more music in the pipeline?
JAUZ: I’ve released my new single, ‘Shake’ with Zeds Dead which just came out!
EG: You’ve completed a hectic European Tour. What have been the highlights so far / what are you looking forward to the most?
JAUZ: All the Europe shows have been pretty crazy. Pukkelpop in Belgium, I played on a stage that broke the Guinness Book World Record for the most lasers on a single-stage ever. I thought they were joking but I got on stage and there were literally 375 lasers around the tent. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. I love playing Europe, I love getting to go over there, and spend time. I got to hang out in Ibiza for a couple of days, and I spent a few days before my birthday in Paris. Every time I come back to Europe the experiences always feel fresh and new and I’m always excited to be there.
EG: You have a packed tour schedule. Do you ever feel like you need a break/wish you had more time in the studio, and how do you find balance?
JAUZ: This year, I think we hit our stride as far as balance goes. At the end of 2018, we did the Bite This tour, which was a two-month bus tour. And then right after that, just after New Years’, I had like 2 months off to hang out and work on music and do the things that I love and then when summer started things got pretty heavy touring wise! Now we’re coming to the end of the year, I have a good bit of time off again and I think having that balance of touring really hard and then being off and then going back to it. At the end of the day, I’m here to make music and if I don’t have enough time to make music then that’s a problem. But I think we have it figured out really well now.
“I wanted to have a label that represented who I am
and what I like”
EG: What has been your craziest tour moment?
JAUZ: Probably when Steve O from Jackass ended up walking up on the stage when I was playing a show in Canada. I was literally at the end of my set and Joann, my wife kept tapping me on my back but I was in the middle of something, you know like mixing, and I turn around and I’m all frustrated, and I’m like what is it and I’m staring right into the eyes of Steve O. I guess he had a stand-up show in the same place where the festival was, and he just walked over at the end of the show. Because of that, he ended up coming out at my Los Angeles show at the Palladium and lighting his hair on fire. The venue wasn’t happy about it.
EG: What kind of preparation do you do before a show? What happens in the leadup to a Jauz set?
JAUZ: I don’t know, I normally am just kind of mellow. I’m normally super talkative and hanging out with people and then 10/15 minutes before the show I get really quiet and in my head. I guess that’s just like mental preparation before going on stage so I can just turn it on.
EG: You’ve already accomplished a lot in your career, is there anything else you would like to achieve soon?
JAUZ: There’s always something else. Every time you achieve or accomplish something, you’re always thinking what’s next. Right now in my career, I’m really happy with the way things are going and the momentum. I’m not really worried about what milestone is next, I just want to keep hitting them and keep working as much as I can. Keep doing things bigger and better than I did before.
Jauz’s ‘This Is Off The Deep End’ is now available. Buy and stream here.
Follow Jauz: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
