J-LAB - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Over the past 3 years, word has been spreading about J-Labs improvised live performances in clubs and parties both in the capital and abroad. Finally in summer 2005, the guys at the After-Dinner net label got him to stay out the clubs long enough to complete the Bout Time EP on www.adrecordings.com. Jon Dickens, the man behind J-Lab has been making and performing music since he was a teenager. In past lives he has played bass, graced bills with the likes of Underground Resistance and Chemical Brothers amongst others, co-promoted free parties, co-ran a studio and label, remixed and worked with media celebrities. ....But there was so much bollocks involved.... So Jon cut loose to rethink and rediscover what inspired him in the first place, working solo and rediscovering the like-minded people who also still had the passion for the music. The resulting J-Lab sound floats in a territory that sits between detroit, minimal and electro, informed by a deep love of dub and funk. 2006 has seen a further live release on www.adrecordings.com, and J-Lab's 'Ghostwalkin' track appeared on Metroline's downloadable compilation album 'Metro Buskers Vol 1' (www.metrolinerecordings.com). There is also a live set available to download at www.runsounds.com, recorded live at Run in London in January 2006. There will also be a track on the next Aesthetik records various artists EP, to be followed by a full EP in summer 2007. One day there will be the launch of a website at www.j-labmusic.com. Jon has also been contributing bass guitar to some of Katzo's recordings. Following a winter's break in India, which included a live set in Goa, Jon has been hard at work on new tracks. March saw the release of the 'Radiophique' EP on the Motronic netlabel. After a summer of gigs there is now a track available on the latest various artists release from alt recordings. Entitled 'Not Another Netlabel Vol2', you can find it at http://www.deletetechno.com/alt.html Anyone interested in bookings can message me at this page. Meanwhile, you can download a couple of live tracks here & listen to various other new stuff as it evolves....

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/23/2006
Band Members: Jon Dickens
Influences: Magma, Juan Atkins, Drexicya, Miles Davis, Kraftwerk, Can, Led Zeppelin, Charles Mingus, David Bowie, Jeff Mills, Fela Kuti, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, Killing Joke, Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Kate Bush, The Clash, Moodyman, Lee Scratch Perry, Sex Pistols, Theo Parrish, Japan, Underground Resistance, Mary Lou Williams, The Bays, Super J Lounge, The Specials, Hue Jah Fink, AC/DC, Bass Communion, Public Enemy, Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown, Funkadelic, Dabrye, The Mars Volta, Herbert, Beastie Boys, Ritchie Hawtin, Derrick May, Riccardo Villalobos, Octave One, Radiohead, Pheek, The The, Talking Heads, Magazine, Jan Jellinek, Cabaret Voltaire, Al Jourgensen, Warp Records, Tresor, Einmaleins, Clever Music, Studio One, LaMonte Young, Bill Hicks, Brian Haw, Iain Sinclair, Derek Jarman, East London, Berlin, US rustbelt, India, travelling...
Sounds Like: He's having fun! - Try "James Ruskin meets Drexciya","Basic Channel on crack" or "Minimal techno with it's foot on the gas" to quote 3 reviews. Hard for me to describe, others have said a bit like Juan Atkins, Underground Resistance, some of the Tresor stuff, you know the score...
Record Label: Aesthetik, After-Dinner, Metroline, Motronic
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

A name...

So... me & Alex Fisher have a name for the new thing - debuting live @ Run on the 8th March. It's SST. Work that one out...I'm playing live next Friday (29th) night @ MISsTAKE @ The Edge in Commercial...
Posted by J-LAB on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:32:00 PST

A NEW PROJECT... LIVE!

Hi People,For a while now me & After-Dinner's Alex Fisher have been talking about doing a project together, what with our shared love of Detroit, minimal, obscure French jazz-rock & THE FUNK! Not to m...
Posted by J-LAB on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:40:00 PST

Not a gig as such, but... ...& a date change

Hi People,Just to let you know, I've been invited to participate in the Sonic Wargame, in a team alongside Dr. NoJoke. Devised by Xavier van Wersch, it's part sound installation, part performance. If ...
Posted by J-LAB on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:00:00 PST

New tracks!

Hi People,Greetings from Berlin, yep it's almost as wet here as in Blighty. At least that gives me some time to catch up my backlog of tracks. I've put 2 up for your delectation & delight. The first i...
Posted by J-LAB on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:26:00 PST

Gig & news

Hey people,Happy new year!After a seemingly long silence, I'm back gigging again on the 8th February in London. I'm playing alongside Dubuddha & Madelena at the MISsTAKE party, which is taking place a...
Posted by J-LAB on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 02:21:00 PST

New tracks posted!

...something else!I've finally posted a couple of new mixes up on my page for your pleasure...Enjoy!Peace & Love,Jon J-Lab
Posted by J-LAB on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 01:37:00 PST

Another J-Lab net release!

Hi People,I have a track on the new Alt Recordings various artists release. Entitled 'Not Another Netlabel Vol 2', it also features Audio Dependent, Joe Ellis, Mr Smith & Tone Def. You can download it...
Posted by J-LAB on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:15:00 PST

J-Lab live on the radio...

Hi People,There's a broadcast of my live set from the Freerotation Festival online to listen to at:http://kreislauf.org/v10/?p=100Many thanks to Mogwai & the Kreislauf crew for this slot. This set wil...
Posted by J-LAB on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:03:00 PST

Netaudio Berlin... the aftermath!

Well, I'm recovering from the Netaudio07 festival in Berlin & some thanks are due:Firstly, to the organising team - Raimund, Tea*more, Don & Antina in Berlin & Andi Sparks, Chris & Hanna in London. Fe...
Posted by J-LAB on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:46:00 PST

Preparing...

Hi People,I'm currently underground (literally), honing my set through a 4kW rig in a secret location in London before flying to Berlin tomorrow for the weekend's Netaudio07 festival. You can check ou...
Posted by J-LAB on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:12:00 PST