Watching the creative growth of Overlook (Jason Luxton) has been a great pleasure for all of us. In a short space of time, he has become a respected and renowned producer with a unique sound and releases on most of the labels he had been aiming for. Since our first meeting, when he was still a 19-year-old newcomer, his impressive passion for music and dedication to the creative process have only grown stronger. From the very beginning, he attracted the attention of Loxy and Trace, who supported him and inspired him to continue working on the unique sound we all know so well. Alongside another young talent, Clarity, Overlook has become, without exaggeration, one of the most interesting figures on the contemporary drum and bass scene, with a rapidly growing army of fans. Dancefloor bangers with his trademark deep bass are what Overlook is known for, as is his broad love of the history of different musical styles.
Presha conducted a short interview with the musician to find out what drives Overlook. The occasion for the interview was his mix for the Samurai label’s podcast series and the release of a new single on the imprint alongside Loxy & Resound.
Presha: So, this is our second interview over all this time. How do you explain that, or do you simply prefer to let the music speak for you?
Overlook: To be honest, I don’t explain it at all. I’ve always been a very quiet and reserved person, which is probably partly why things have turned out this way. It’s much more important to me that my music, which has a voice of its own, speaks for me.
Presha: You started making music at a relatively young age and have already released a substantial number of records. What do you think this depended on? Tell us about your background, and how you managed to build the right reputation so quickly?
Overlook: I was, and remain, a huge fan of drum and bass as a style, and of music in general. My main driving force was the desire to express myself creatively and leave behind something that other people might enjoy. When I had just started writing tracks, I wasn’t very concerned with how my music sounded. I was rushing ahead of myself. More recently, I realised that I shouldn’t hurry with music. If I were asked to give advice to beginning musicians, I would say: “Don’t rush; send a demo to a label only when you are genuinely sure about it. The track should be released there—it shouldn’t come back to you.”
Presha: You and Clarity became known at a young age, and you’re 23 now. Can you feel how quickly these five years have passed?
Overlook: Haha, yes, we’re getting old. Time flies very quickly, and sometimes it’s hard to believe. I’ll put it this way: I’ve only been happy with my work for the last couple of years. I rushed my first releases, and they don’t really represent what I now see as the essence of music. I’m sure other producers could say the same about their earlier work. At the same time, I’m genuinely proud of what I’ve achieved in such a short period of time. When I started making music, it was important to me simply to take part in it somehow. And now I’m where I wanted to be!
Presha: Bournemouth isn’t the kind of place where people make such deep and immersive music. Do you think your sound is a response to the environment around you?
Overlook: Yes and no. Bournemouth isn’t known for much, but it has a certain atmosphere that helps me.
Presha: You absorb different styles like a “sponge”, and there is also a clear influence from cinema. Did you get that from your parents?
Overlook: My family was always open to experiencing something new, any kind of art. From childhood, I understood that genre doesn’t matter at all. What matters is what you find around you, if you want to find it, of course. My father is probably to blame for my love of cinema (laughs). He had a video library where I spent a lot of time as a child. It influenced me and the music I create now.
Presha: Where does a track begin for Overlook? What idea comes to you first?
Overlook: Ideas for tracks can come from anywhere. It could be a film I’ve watched, the weather, or my mood. I usually start with the atmosphere; for me, that’s the most important element. Everything else in the track is built around it.
Presha: You’re a big fan of samples, especially fragments from films. Do they help establish the mood you plan to create in a track before you even start working on it?
Overlook: Of course. In most cases, that’s exactly how it works. I enjoy using things in a new, creative context. Music is essentially a mishmash of everything. To create it, I take ordinary things and simply give them a new life.
Presha: How did your collaborations with Loxy and Resound come about? How do you begin working with other musicians?
Overlook: Loxy had supported me for a long time, so it was only a matter of time before we made a track together. He liked the demo of “The Lodge”, so I asked him and Resound if they wanted to bring it to its final version by working on it with me. They agreed, and it was really cool. As for the second track on the single, Loxy already had the basic idea for it, so I built it out and added the necessary elements myself. The main thing when working with other musicians is my openness and lack of fear when it comes to creating something new and unlike what I’ve done before. It’s all about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and working together on tracks is a great reason to do that.
Presha: I actually “slept on” “The Lodge”, despite receiving the demo straight away. I regretted it later. That was in February 2013. The track is already quite a few years old, and I think it’s one of the best tracks you’ve ever had to work on. Are you proud of it?
Overlook: Of course! I completely forgot that the idea for the track was already very old (laughs). I was happy to work with Loxy & Resound, since these guys had influenced me more than anyone else from the very beginning. And I’m very glad that the track saw the light of day.
Presha: What goals have you set for yourself, and where do you plan to go next musically?
Overlook: My main goal is to finish work on my debut album. But I won’t say much about it, since work has only just begun. Otherwise, I’m happy to be doing what I’m doing. I’ll continue moving forward as a musician.
Presha: What kind of mix have you prepared for us, and what is its mood like?
Overlook: I simply wanted to present tracks by the artists I like most from the drum and bass scene. I didn’t plan the tracklist; it came together spontaneously. You’ll also hear several of my still-unreleased tracks in the mix.
Original: Samurai Music Group blog (samuraimusicgroup.com), Samurai Music Group Podcast 24. Translated from the Russian translation by Rustee / SkyLabCru, 2015.
