Munich born artist and producer Jerome Isma-Ae, is a sure shot when it comes to delivering “music food” that satisfies every progressive house lover’s appetite. That being said, it’s not often that I am unable to do diligence when it comes to properly research an artist before attending one of their performances but in the case of Jerome Isma-Ae, I must admit I hit the much appalled “writer’s road block”.

Although the information was scarce it did not prevent me from wanting to discover more about this mysteriously alluring artist, I knew I could shed a different and intriguing perspective about his work once I had the opportunity to listen to his set and meet him. So, while everyone else in “the 6ix”, was venturing off to more familiar, Saturday destinations, my rebel musical soul gravitated to the unknown, unexpected, and perhaps to the true definition of the “underground”; that being un-chartered and unfamiliar territory, no matter what the electronic music sub-genre.

“I should be an octopus, then I could work on many projects in the same time, or at least I’d be good food.”

Jerome Isma-Ae has one of the most “sui generis” progressive sounds today, he is owner of the label “Jee-Productions”, and has successfully managed to span the spectrum of music diversity throughout the decades. His work relentlessly pushes boundaries and explores where music can effortlessly take people. Another appealing quality about this Anjunabeats artist is the fact that his roots are deeply and firmly entrenched in EDM history, connecting him to such artists as Above and Beyond, Way Out West and Paul Van Dyk.

Jerome released his first 12” record at the young age of 18 on a German techno label called “Delirium Records”. Later in 1995, he added the popular house music project “Future Funk’’ backed by Marcel Krieg, to his music repertoire. And if that wasn’t enough, his “Underwater Love” was voted Best Chill Out Track for the Beatport Music Awards in 2009 and was named breakthrough artist of the year by Armin van Buuren.

So, with minimal knowledge about such an incredibly captivating artist, I willingly made my way to Toronto’s “underground music castle”, that being Coda. Not really knowing what to expect. I had some wild music butterflies that needed to be tamed or at least guided to proper electronic music synchronicity and as I grabbed the heavy double doors to the palace of sound, I was instantly hit with the “WOW” feeling once again.

Jerome brought forth adept abilities to take any seasoned EDM devotee, on an unforgettable music journey, making us second guess our initial and undisputed understanding of EDM culture and experiences.  Throughout his set, we were tranquilized by his grounding and high vibrationally aligned tracks, he reminded me of the importance of having an open mind when it comes to electronic music. Anyone who ventured into Coda that evening was pleasantly surprised and captivated by this artist’s uncanny ability to expose listeners to a sound and style that is powerful, unique and sharp.

Then it happened, I was in the presence of the artist himself. When security tried to shoo me off, Jerome quietly signaled me to sit next to him. I felt a sense of calm as I made my way next to him. I took a deep breath and began my quest to demystify this musical enigma’s persona. I asked him about his greatest music influences to date, and without hesitation, his response was, Maceo Plex. I learned that his deepest love is his son, and that he has an insatiable desire to create a sound that defies typical electronic music expectations. This inevitably led me to inquire about the lacking in his biographical background on the world wide web, his very words, “That’s good no?”. My interpretation of this bold and truthful rejoinder is simply this, “to be mysterious, is to be secretly desired”. Perhaps this is the true mark of a seasoned electronic music artist, to go boldly beyond what is basic and popular, in order to remain elusive and intriguing.

Jerome continues to unequivocally reinvent and redesign electronic music expectations, his sets build, combine, release and securely hold onto a continuously crisp sound, fit for both timelessness and current demands of dancefloor society.