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Fear.FM Interview - Jack of Sound

Chris Oberman started out his life in the city of Rotterdam on the 30^th of November 1985. He has always been interested in music from a young age. Be it learning instruments or singing in a choir. He only began his experimentation with electronic music around the age of 11. He wanted to expand his audience, meaning he had to learn how to spin. He bought some basic turntables and a mixer and began practicing. That began his spree of participating in a number of DJ contests. One of the many DJ contests he won was probably the most prestigious, the b2s Rookie Nights. While storming through those DJ contests, he was still producing. He took part in a few music production workshops and was studying psychology at the University of Utrecht. He then went on to win two major remix contests which seen his tracks released on AVIO Records and Dutch Master Works. With his experience in performing and producing, he began making mash-ups, which have been featured in some of the scenes biggest producers/DJs performances.

A question he is often asked is, where did the name ‘Jack of Sound’ come from? The answer to that begins with his surname ‘Oberman’. A long time ago in Germany, that was the word used for a Jack in the deck of cards, like ‘Jack of Hearts’. He removed the ‘Hearts’ and replaced it with ‘Sound’, and there you have it… ‘Jack of Sound’ was born.

Last year he signed to the widely known and respected Fusion Records and has progressed as an artist more than he could imagine. What does the future hold for this young and talented producer? Fortunately, we have been given the chance to ask him about the past, the present and what his highly anticipated plans are for said future…

Hey Chris, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us, how are you?
I’m great! Thanks!

So, in the spirit of getting to know more about you, can you tell us a bit about yourself? What do you like to get up to in your spare time?
Most of the time I sit in the studio making music or doing stuff related to that. But besides that I hang out a lot with my friends and my brothers. I have one brother in Rotterdam in one in Amsterdam and we get along great. I quit University this year to focus fully on the music so no school anymore… Woohoo! I also like long walks on the beach and crossword puzzles... Haha, ok, maybe not. ;)

What was it that inspired you to start producing? Who/what planted the goal in your head?
I can’t remember what inspired me to start producing. I started to produce when I was around 11 years old. The program Acid Pro (2.0?) was the first software I used to make music. Just by using samples mostly. That was actually how I started to make mash-ups. Acid Pro was really great for that. Anyway, it was and still is just something I like to do all day. And every time I made something new I showed it to my friends, or my Mom until she got tired of it. I’ll bet she’s happy I’m living on my own now… So it is great I can show my tracks to a bigger audience now, rather than my just my Mom! :)

But the one who inspired me to produce Hardstyle has to be Zany. A couple of weeks ago I was talking with my parents about me getting signed to Fusion. They told me when I was 16/17 it was always Zany this Zany that. I know that sounds kind of like in those ‘making of movies’ where the actor says it always was a dream to play in that movie but it has always been a dream of mine to get signed to Fusion…

Well Fusion is a great label, I can’t say I am surprised it was a dream! Can you tell us a bit more about how you were discovered?
But of course! Last year when Noisecontrollers had their event in Outland, can’t remember the exact date, I went up to Johan (from the Donkey Rollers) and asked him if I could visit the studios some time to show them my demo. He was interested to hear my demo and two months later I think, I got an appointment and went with shaking knees to the studios in Eindhoven. When I arrived I showed them my demo and luckily for me, they were pretty impressed! They liked the track “A Ghost Story” the most and I got the contract right away.

“A Ghost Story” was released back in January with “You’re Next” wasn’t it? Can you tell us more about where the ideas for these tracks came from?
With “A Ghost Story”, I thought it would be funny to put the vocal on the rhythm of the beat. Plus I like to build a good atmosphere in a track and I think the ‘spooky’ theme is just an awesome way to do that. At least I liked it very much and that’s why I made another track with the same kind of feeling, “You’re Next”.

You can check out Jack of Sound - A Ghost Story/You're Next on the Fear.FM Release Database by clicking here, along with the Fear.FM Review of the fantastic release which is located here!

Do you have a certain process you follow for creating your tracks? Once you have an idea, where do you take it from there?
With my first release it started with the vocals and that’s how I start a track most of the time. But lots of ideas about how I want to make the track come in my head just before I go to sleep. When I think of something I want to put in and I type it on my iPhone and add the idea to my track the next morning (or afternoon :P).

As an artist, do you think it’s important to experiment or stick to a tried and true style of music?
I think it is really important to experiment. Of course it is good to have some kind of “signature” in your tracks but don’t hesitate to experiment. Plus by making more diverse tracks you can appeal to a greater audience.

I think it is good to make something other than Hardstyle, to try to make different styles of music. My brother spins House music and I help him to make some tracks within that genre. I have noticed that there are other ‘tricks’ used in House music to get a good sound. So I think you can learn from experimenting with different styles as well.

So have you got any other tracks in the making you can tell us about? Any collaborations with other artists etc.?
I’m working hard on new tracks. Don’t have them completely finished yet but they’re getting there. There is a new collaboration coming though! I’m going to make a track with B-Front! Really looking forward to that. B-Front and I met years ago when I had to play at my very first DJ contest where B-Front was in the jury. Got a funny story about that; when I participated at the contest, my girlfriend I had at the time wanted to bring along some friends of hers... So when I entered the venue I had 5 girls with me! So everybody was like “Whut!? How come he has 5 chicks?!” So I won the contest obviously haha. ;) Bob tells the story every time haha. But anyway B-Front, or Bob, is a great and funny guy so I’m really excited about working with him!

While being at Fusion, how has your career progressed in terms of performing? Have you got any exciting gigs coming up?
Yes, this year besides the HMH, my first real bookings came so that’s awesome. I will play at the Fusion of Sound Tour in de Effenaar in Eindhoven. Really looking forward to that! Last Saturday march 19^th I got to play in Cherrymoon at Hardnature. Had a great time there, the response of the crowd was great! I will also play at R.A.W. in Groningen and I think that will be a great party. Plus some other gigs but unfortunately I can’t tell you more about those.

I’m sure the Hard Nature parties will be brilliant! What are you doing to prepare for them?
I will prepare some new mash-ups and will play the new track with Titan “Midnight Freaks”. We have to do some final mixdown stuff so we have to prepare that as well. Working hard on new solo tracks but I don’t know if I can finish them in time…

Have you got any extra special memories of previous gigs? What has been your favorite so far?
My favorite gig so far was playing at the HMH for Q-Dance Presents: Fusion - The Next Level. The crowd went nuts and the room was packed. I remember that I thought playing for 1,5 hour was pretty long, but I think I blinked two or three times and it was over, it was amazing.

And one time I had to play at the Lucky in Rijssen at an AVIO event. I had to close the evening so I was really excited but as it got later and later more and more people were going home. So the excitement got less but when I started the 10 people that were still there went completely nuts! So that was awesome. It goes to show that the atmosphere is the most important thing I think. Also playing at the b2s Rookie Nights and Decibel were both great :)

Check out the aftermovie of his favourite performance Q-Dance Presents: Fusion - The Next Level:

 

So what are your other plans for the rest of 2011? Have you got anything special planned for the summer?
Playing at Defqon.1! Really looking forward to that. I have always enjoyed the festival as a visitor and I have always wanted to play there myself one day, and this year it’s going to happen. I’m going to prepare something special of course. Hope to see you all there!

I'm also working on lots of new tracks, and mash-ups! I hope to release many tracks this year. Besides that I’m planning to visit a lot of festivals. I got my tickets for Solar and Melt and I’m planning to go to most ‘Harder Styles’ festivals like Decibel, and Dominator so if you walk into me at one of those don’t hesitate to say hi and we’ll have a beer (or five!).

We are seeing quite a few artists breaking through in the scene these days, you would be a great example, who else do you think we should look out for?
Well I don’t know about me breaking through but thanks! :) My man Titan! He is so motivated and enthusiastic to play and produce, he has some big gigs coming up and his new track Remember Me is just awesome! Really happy about the result of the track we made together as well!

What other types of music do you listen to then?
I listen a lot to Eminem. I think I have been listening to his music since I was 14 years old. Name a song and I can rap along. Hey that rhymes haha! I also like Jazz, House music, Minimal, Techno and Hardcore and I went to a Metallica show once. I’ve been to Lowlands a couple of times and other festivals like that which has all sorts of music. So I guess I like all kinds of music, but there is nothing better than Hardstyle!

Well Chris, it’s been great getting to know a bit more about you! Have you got anything to say to the Fear.FM Listeners/Readers?
It was my pleasure! Let’s do it again some time! ;) And thanks everybody for the support so far. It’s amazing to read or if someone comes up to me to say he likes my track or mix, that’s just awesome, so thanks!

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Where to find Jack of Sound:
http://jackofsound.nl
http://twitter.com/#!/JackofSound
http://www.facebook.com/jackofsound
http://www.youtube.com/jackofsound
http://partyflock.nl/artist/40406:Jack_of_Sound.html

You can also check out the Fear.FM Review of his most recently released track "Zany - Frequency (Jack of Sound Remix)" by clicking here!




All tracks released in FULL:
Zany - Remix Pack
Jack of Sound - You're Next / A Ghost Story
Intractable One - Dikke Bleek E.P.
Showtek - Black Remixes 

Would you like to book this artist? Click here!