- An inventive exploration of slower tempos.
- If you're looking for a primer on Yasmina Dexter's work as Pandora's Jukebox, you could do worse than check her first NTS show. She uses the ice-cold abstraction of Pan Sonic as a launch ramp for slowed-down minimal techno, in this case a Sandwell District-era Function cut chugging at a glacial 100 BPM. But we enter stranger territory when, without causing commotion, we pirouette into an FKA Twigs edit—just the first of numerous unlikely but gracefully executed blends. Then downtempo Plastikman leads us to a string of industrial and post-punk cuts (think D.A.F., This Mortal Coil, Throbbing Gristle). There's even a mix joining Romanian minimal maestro Petre Inspirescu with Arca.
This slow-paced but diverse approach is also reflected in Dexter's gigs. She appears on underground bills like Beneath's NO SYMBOLS party or alongside Toulouse Low Trax at Salon Des Amateurs but also opens for bands like of Einstürzende Neubauten and HTRK. More conspicuously, she also DJs for the like of Rick Owens. The last point is telling—Dexter's background is in fashion, and her mixing style and sense of musical theatre begins to make more sense picturing the catwalks' slow moving fantasies. RA.701 further crystallises her approach, using lower tempos to reveal the common energies joining the likes of Coil, Mika Vainio and Kinlaw.
What have you been up to recently?
The highlights from last month or so have been playing at Centre Pompidou Paris for Rick Owens and HTRK new album launch at Fold playing alongside Trevor Jackson, Anika and Ossia was awesome. I collaborated with Bohinc studio on the soundtrack for Lunar House furniture exhibition and lets not forget my monthly NTS show.
How and where was the mix recorded?
Mix was made in Forest Hill on Ableton live, as I like to work on remastering, re editing, layering textures and loops, perhaps repitch etc.
Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?
The content and sound structures are unpredictable, but it has to feel intimate.
It's a sound to enjoy in solitude, or to listen to with friends, setting the atmosphere for all sorts of conversations.
So, I guess the plan is to be magic and, primarily, to have fun making it.
Your website showcases your sound design work for various short films. Have you ever considered releasing full productions?
Stay tuned.
How has your experience playing art and fashion events impacted your approach to DJing?
When it comes to music I've always been unbiased and have no boundaries approaching new projects. People are people whatever the scene, it's always been in my nature not to limit myself.
That taught me how to feel diverse scenarios and how to woo each in unique way, not only art / fashion but also for example, playing in the darkroom in a fetish club or playing for GAF x Extinction Rebellion on the pink boat docked in the centre of Oxford Circus was pretty surreal and emotional, to Dusseldorf's Kunstakademie graduation party, where students collectively chipped in to pay for my flight and their tutor gave me his art piece in exchange for my set. We had a moment, you know?
The unexpected and very personal. I like it like that.
What are you up to next?
I'm working on a remix, also this month playing I'm playing in Berlin, Madrid, Stockholm and LA.
Tracklist51717 - ?????
Alva Noto - Prototype 06
Karamika - TON 2.1
Jeff Pils - Montiert
D.A.F. - Ich und die Wirklichkeit
Parris - Puro Rosaceaes
Tessela - Helter Skelter
Rrose - Cricoid Pressure
Deep Dimension - Audio Space
Bogger - Mineral
Clara! - Acero
F1K - B1
unknown
Yello - Heavy Whispers
Alix Perez - Poison Ivy
Emma DJ - Ende Uotro
Minor Science - Naturally Spineless
Renegade Soundwave - On TV
Ago - Deer Dub
Coil - Blood From The Air (Early Instrumental)
DJ Neumann - Rare Appearance
Alva Noto - Prototype 03
Biosphere - Kobresia
Bambounou - Handd
Kinlaw - Rake
Jonathan William Scherk - Oh softer
user48736353001 - 5 jap flute energy rave
Katsunori Sawa - Strange Hell
Jonathan William Scherk - You Make (Leave) Me Speechless
Emma DJ - Hit the Credit
Karamika - TON 2.2
Ø - Vastus
Jon Hassell - Blues Nile