INSIDE DNB GUEST MIX – Global Interpretations #02 – Jon The Dentist – Wales, UK (December 2024)
THE UNIVERSE WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS
It’s not everyday you find out that you have been living 10 minutes away from one of the UKs legendary techno and hard trance producers for nearly 11 years, and even less so that you happen to teach one of their children. But still, life is full of surprises, weird sh*t happens, and this is exactly where I found myself just last week.
What was crazier still was that just a few days later, Jon The Dentist had supplied us with a one hour and 18 minute mix of deep, dark, deadly drum and bass that fitted perfectly into our ‘Global Interpretations’ Guest Mix series.
Representing Denver, Colorado in Global Interpretations #01 was a no brainer. Our collaborator WuffNuffs lives there, so her contribution was perfect. But Wales was always going to be a different story. It’s our country of residence, our passion, the birthplace of our newest and very first Welsh family member.
The DJ representing Cymru in this series had to be the right one, and as if by magic, Jon appeared out of nowhere with this deadly mix in tow.
From Trance to DNB
We’ll be catching up with Jon properly in 2025 when his brand new LP drops, but for now, lets talk DNB with this legend of mind bending hard trance and face melting acid techno.
Jon! Welcome in! This has to be one of the weirdest meet ups in existence. One of your kids piped up in a lesson of mine (after talking about music) ‘you might have heard of my dad. He’s known as ‘Jon The Dentist’. I could have fallen over sideways!
Absolutely mental that one! I suppose it could happen – but in Pembrokeshire? The home of Eddies?! Where nothing happens and the best people can muster up about the 90s is Britpop and Oasis?! What are the chances of someone with taste down here!
You are well known all over the world in techno and hard dance circles, but perhaps less so for your drum and bass work. This mix is an absolute whopper. Tell us a bit about some of the tracks you’ve selected for it.
Well – to be honest – I don’t have a track list – but essentially, I love 90s drum and bass – especially the Metalheadz and Ed Rush stuff. I lived at Metalheadz events, and of course LTJ Bukems night at the Ministry, when I wasn’t off DJing and was back in London, where I am from. It was at its best in this era – and from my occasional forays into Beatport’s DNB section, I don’t think it has kicked on in the same way as other genres. I like the ‘space’ people like Ed Rush gave it – very sci-fi!
I love film scores and that’s what appeals to me about it- that and the Base 2 Dark of course! Also- let me correct on hard dance and techno- to be honest I was always a trance DJ but these days it’s really just progressive house and electronica (as reflected in a new album I have recorded ‘Out of the Machine’).
This mix might seem like a jump to left of centre by those who know you better as a trance/techno producer and DJ. I was surprised myself truth be told, but like many of us, I guess you’re into most digital styles of music?
Well, if I am completely honest my favourite band is Depeche Mode (15 brilliant albums later – though not keen on Black Celebration so much) – and of course I was a huge New Wave fan in the early 80s (Numan/ Japan/ Human League/ Duran Duran/ Kraftwork/ John Foxx/Visage etc etc). So anything with synths – I’m a sucker for it! lol So I am always looking for new music that pushes those boundaries and tries to put the synth front and centre- DNB in the late 90s was really ahead of other genres- and like that synth music of the early 80s – it still holds up!
My mum turned me into a Numanoid and I also love a whole heap of that 80s synth stuff, so I’m with you on that one!
Have you ever ventured into making drum and bass, as well as playing it out, or is it an area you’d look into in the future?
I’ll always have a love of 90s DNB – but unless someone starts making Ed Rush style DNB (before it went a bit noisy!) then I wouldn’t really have new material to play- and I have always been a champion of new music, so I have to stick to that principle as a DJ- I never play old school music from my genre (4/4 stuff) – except occasionally the acid house of the late 80s of course! I don’t produce DNB really – I’m more into that electro beat that goes with the synths! I do like Jazz though – so maybe I’ll learn the trumpet! lol.
