“When I picked records and songs for this mix I wanted to include a lot of tracks that are timeless and not trendy. Important tracks are in my arsenal of music. I don’t own CDJs so I did the mix on my 1200s. These songs kind of reflect the epitome of the sound in an underground party, from any era. I ended the mix with an old Get F*cked track, because I love that record, and it’s perfect for closing out a party or a mix. Nathan Coles and I have been homies for over 20 years. I recorded the mix a few weeks before passed and it makes the mix mean something more to me than just doing a cool DJ mix. RIP Nathan Coles, I always share the gifts you gave us in the form of music, and you will live on thru the hundreds of songs.” – Jay Tripwire
During the pandemic, Jay focused entirely on his art forms, Djing and production. ”I felt like I was training for the next level of my career, I focused on honing all my skills and it gave me time to learn new methods, try new things and add new pieces to my hardware collection”.
During this time the studio output had intensified and Jay completed over 100 works, including a new full length album for Bandcamp. He collaborated with Cristi Cons, Cosmjn, Radu Mirica, Melodie, RaMod, Steve O Sullivan, Silat Beksi, Miller, and has upcoming collabs with CHKLTE and RQZ.
Of all the projects, almost all of it has been signed, some of the labels of mention are- Mosaic, Synkroniq(a new label of Cristi Cons and Vlad Caia) VRNT, Vuew, FA>IE, REPEAT, MVM Detroit, BLKMKT and many many more.
In the past 3 decades, none have contributed to the soundscape of underground music in the way Jay Tripwire has. With 67 number 1 vinyl hits,146 top 10s, and a colossal 400vinyl releases Whether as Jay Tripwire, Mr_Barcode, or other alias names.
In the 90s Jay had a vision, to merge the vibe of stripped-down deep house with the futuristic textures of techno. As a Dj, his sets revolved around this sound that he played at warehouse parties. The transition to a mostly hardware-based studio has had a huge impact on the type of music coming out, it has a stripped down constantly evolving groove that has become a new signature sound, a sound that is designed solely for the dance floor and the DJ at the same time.
Jay is of course a DJ first and foremost and is often considered to be a DJ’s DJ. He hunts for tracks constantly and re-edits many of them to give them his signature touch. Jay has toured extensively for over 23 years but does not live in the past like many veteran DJs. He is always pushing music he feels personal, a mix of new and old, but unwavering in staying true to his Tripwire sound. During the pandemic, Jay has stockpiled an arsenal of new music and edits, ready to share with the world.
Since the pandemic began, he has embarked on becoming a successful studio engineer to many artists, mixing down their songs, helping them with their arrangements, and mastering as well as mentoring them. As a sound engineer, Jay has completed a whopping 217 tracks for various clients since the outbreak began at his home-based Teletran 2 studio.
