Jauzas the Shining is a French electro aficionado, DJ and producer, currently based in Ibiza. For the past two decades he has been actively working in the music field, releasing music on labels such as brokntoys, Label In Disarray and New Flesh, to mention a few. Within the years devoted to music, Jauzas the Shining participated in various creative collaborations with Victoria Lukas, Umwelt and many others. Take a peek into his fruitful musical journey.

A classic start of the conversation would be asking how are you doing. But whereas I’m talking with producer, let me ask: how does your nowadays sound like? What is your most-used synth or drum machine at the moment?

I have set up my studio in Ibiza for 3 years now and I also live there. It’s near the city but still in the countryside, I have a lot of time at the moment to devote myself to music, so the studio is ON every day. At the moment, I still use my fetish synths: CS 80, Sem Oberheim, JX3P, JX8p, 808 and the SH-101. But the day is rather dedicated to the nature and its elements.

It’s always interesting to peek at the starting point, retrospectively. What inspired you to take on music and when did it happen? Maybe it was a record you heard or a cultural action you wanted to be a part of?

I think that groups like Face, The Future Sound of London, Simple Minds, Kraftwerk, The Cure, Dead Can Dance, Fad Gadget, Fashion Dispatch rocked my childhood, from around the age of 10, thanks to the music we listened at home. But the urge to create music came from Drexcyia, Keith Tucker and Juan Atkins.

And what music sounded at the parties of your early youth?

In the mid-90s I started doing house, techno, electro, drum and bass evenings in clubs and free parties at the same time.

Your first album ‘Dependent’ (Transient Force) saw the daylight in 2010. This year Label In Dissaray released your mini album on tape called ‘Inbetween Days’. Let me ask, what has changed and what stayed the same in your approach to music? Considering that album creation process could be a very delicate and dense experience.

Talking about what has changed and what has not changed in the approach to music... I improve myself over time but the same love to music stays. I never do any concessions, despite the times and the trends are changing.

Also, you fell in love with cassette format?

Casette format is cool, yes. Very vintage, from my 80s era. Also it‘s pretty as a decoration.

French school of electronic music definitely has its uniqueness. Do you notice a certain French tradition in music production? Herewith I’m aware that not every artist appreciates the localization of their work.

I think that each country brings it‘s own touch and musical particularities.

Performing live is definitely a way of storytelling. How much improvisation is there?

When I play live, it's generally quite framed but always with an element of improvisation, where no one knows where we will go. It depends on the mood and the people.

Short twist to the cinema world. ‘The Shining’ in your name… did it came from Kubrick?

Kubrick is my favorite director and Shining is a reference to Stanley Kubrick's film. Also to the gift of telephatic sense that the young movie character has.

Electronic music in the age of technology already makes albums. Maybe artificial intelligence will become the new feat in your upcoming releases?
Artificial Intelligence doesn't speak to me, sorry.

Within the years of being in the scene you had plenty of collaborations, meetings and probably B2B’s. Which of them turned into a fruitful creative collaborations?

Yes, I had a great collaborations and meetings. The main ones would be with Victoria Lukas, Gerald Donald, As1, Umwelt, Alek Stark and Foreign Sequence

What are you working on now?

At the moment I work for a few labels. A lot of beautiful things are coming.

Summer starts. Did the creative resources run out or increased during the quarantine? What inspires you right now to make music, enjoy the process and living in general?

There has been no change in rhythm and creativity from my forties. Rhythm might even intensified. The place where I live and the people with whom I share and I make music inspires me.

Thank you, Jauzas The Shining!