Well kiddies, Christmas is coming early this year, ‘cuz this week’s guest DJ on Beat Soup, and the subject of our interview today, is none other than the mistress of dirty booty tech, J. Phlip!  That’s right . . . freak out . . . jump around, scream and shout . . . y’all done?  Ok.

It’s hard to find anyone these days that aren’t singing the praises of the dirtybird crew; J. Phlip is a huge reason why.  Known for blending elements of house music and hip hop in her tracks, Jessica Phillippe isn’t confined by genre lines.  You can search Beatport from top to bottom and you won’t find a genre listing for Booty Tech, or at least not yet, but that’s how she labels many of her sets & tracks.  The dirtybird sound is Big n’ Round, like a Big Ass Party Hat, and that’s how they like it.  Fortunately, so do the rest of us.

Personally, anyone who names their track “Droppin bomz on your momz” is 400% USDA choice AWESOME in my book.  Boo ya!

Check out all of J. Phlip’s tracks on beatport.

Listen to her new mini-mix on Beat Soup!!

POCKET:  Hiya Jess!

JP:  Hi guys!

POCKET: Well, let's jump right in!  dirtybird is known for their big round booty bass sound, you could say it’s kind of old school bass fused with new school production and mentalities. What drew you to this sound to start with and how do you feel you fit in / vary from what the rest of the crew is doing?

JP: I was drawn to the dirtybird sound from the very beginning because I had never heard anything like it.  I loved the bass, the beats, and the funk… perhaps I somewhat connected with this because I was a big hip-hop head.  I loved that some of the records would actually have me laughing out loud and just being like what the f!@#$%???   I remember playing "Peanut Butter Jelly Time" for the first time and having the greatest time ever watching the dance floor’s reaction to this crazy hilarious record.  Mainly, I like fun…. dumb nonsense laughing till you cry freaking out screaming jumping up and down retarded fun.  And that’s exactly what dirtybird is.  I was also a huge fan of the melodic meets tough sound that Justin Martin has been the master of since his first record Sad Piano.  And in general I am a big fan of when a record gives you a natural high. 

I was even more drawn to dirtybird when I met all the guys.  Barclay, Justin, Worthy, Christian, Fernando, Sammy… and pretty much anyone that was somewhat connected with this crew…. They are all just some of the coolest, most down to earth, positive, life loving freaks I have ever met.  It felt like home to me.  

How do I differ????  hehhhh, I'm sexier????  LOL!!!  Uhhhh….. Sometimes I wanna be a badass ghetto house music gangsta ho…. yet I’m actually just a lovely and sweet young lady…. so people say hehehe….. nooo really I am  :)   

Besides that it's hard to put into words exactly how I differ from the rest of the crew.  We all have different vibes in how we DJ.  We all have different influences.  And we are all constantly drawing inspiration from different corners of the universe… and putting a dirtybird stamp on it.  Or sometimes even straying from what you might call "dirtybird" sound… and that’s what makes each of us unique as well.  Its hard to keep up with what direction all the other dirtybird artists are going in at the moment, especially since I am living in Europe and they are in the States, and everyone is all over the place and so freakin busy!  Also, right now I am going in about 20 musical directions at the same time and I don’t care.    

POCKET: You’re living in Berlin now, how has being there affected your production as well as your club vibe?

JP: I don't think it has affected me any more than anything else necessarily.   I have a unique ear and I always strive to sound different.  I don't really care what is going on in Berlin.  I will go out and get lost in the clubs and parties here listening to all different kinds of electronic music…. It is the clubbing capital and so many different sounds are thriving here…. I MIGHT go home influenced by something new one week, but I can't pinpoint how I have been affected in general.  I can say that I do notice some trends here from time to time….…. and I usually run the other direction from what is hyped at the moment.  I want to introduce people to music they never knew they loved.

POCKET: And how would you describe the club scene over there as compared to the U.S.? Do you think that people are listening differently?

JP: Every city is different.  Every scene is different.  Every party is different.  But in general underground electronic music is bigger in Europe.  There are electronic music magazines in every shop and restaurant here, posters with DJ's names plastered on every corner.  You can read Groove Magazine highlights on the UBahn trains in Berlin.  Even small college towns are raving their faces off to international DJ talent until the sun comes up.  

Being a club DJ is actually a respected profession over here.  If I was trying to rent a flat in San Francisco and I told them I was a house DJ or whatever, they would probably say "huhhhh??? House music???" or laugh or assume I must be a drug addict or drug dealer even.  Here in Berlin I would probably just list some of the clubs I have played at and they would let me sign the contract … hahahha. 

But… that doesn’t really matter.  It doesn't mean I like playing over here any more than I love playing in the States.  North America is going off too… in its own way.  Maybe a bit less "in your face" I guess.  And the dirtybird sound is really strong in North America…. our fan base there is unreal at the moment…. and its really fucking cool!  I love coming home to DJ… the dance floors over there know me and trust me more.  It gives me the confidence and freedom to really go where I want to in my set.  But that is just how the scenes differ for J.Phlip at the moment.  I am no expert on the subject of dance music anthropology.

POCKET: Of all the people producing right now, is there anyone out there that you feel is particularly inspiring?

JP: I want to tell you but then I will have to kill you.  There is this one guy…. he is totally rocking my world at the moment.  (And I have to thank my friend Kris for showing him to me)  This guy isn’t mega popular…. and right now I'd like to keep him sorta secret.  Ha!  Sorry!  However, I put one of his tracks on my mix for you guys *hint* and I will be playing several of his cuts on wax at the party :)  Train-spot if you wish!

So I will list all my other favorites at the moment:  James Blake, Lando Kal, Justin Martin, Kink, Kris Wadsworth, Breach, Pearson Sound, French Fries, Aquarius Heaven, Eats Everything, and Catz n' Dogz are on some ILLLLLLL shit lately!!!  These people are all gold… and besides dirtybird…. the labels Rush Hour and Clone are putting out some insanely hot records.  And there is certainly a bunch of other dope shit I forgot to list.  Music is so crazy right now!!!!!!!  So much dopeness!!!!

POCKET: Let’s get technical for a sec., what does your studio rig consist of?   

JP: Doesn’t matter…. its about what you make, not how you make it.

POCKET: Well played madame, well played . . . On average, how many marriage proposals do you get per gig?  

JP: Hahahha…. a lot of people think they want to marry me when they are drunk.  I started telling some of them that I am a lesbian…. doesn't always work hahaha.

POCKET: Some of us were lucky enough (myself included) to catch you and the rest of the db crew at Burning Man this year, how many times have you been? Do you plan on returning? How did it feel to play out in the open desert?

JP: That is amazing!!!!!  I hope you saw us at nexus on Wednesday!!  That was one of the best nights/mornings of my whole life.  

I have been to burning man 3 times.  Justin took me for the first time in 2008.  Nexus '08 was my first gig ever at burning man and I will never forget that night…. DJing out there…. facing out towards the open playa…. lasers shooting into outer space… the dance floor folk dressed in their craziest desert clubbing attire and ready to rock it like there was no tomorrow… and an automatic car door opener keychain in my hand that controlled the flame throwers over the dance floor while I played.  Unreal!  Burning man is on a level where nothing else will ever be.  I will be back next year!!!!!

POCKET: As will we!  Any new releases coming out that you might want to let us know about?

JP: I have this remix coming out on the 13th of December.  Digital first and then vinyl (slow to get the vinyls pressed and distributed these days)…… this remix is a side of me that people haven’t really heard yet.  ummmmm ya….. not gonna say anything else just have a listen and see what you think.

POCKET: What is the strangest situation you’ve found yourself in either on your way to, during or after a gig?

JP: It's a weird world….. and even weirder in clubland.  Thank goodness otherwise I might get bored!  The more strangeness I encounter, the more it actually seems to be the norm….. so ya …. there are many stories I could tell ya…. 

This one isn't really a fun story…. I got detained at customs in the UK for 5 hours and that was pretty freakin strange!  They confiscated everything from me, even my cell phone, and held me in a small white room with the chairs nailed to the floor.  I was completely powerless with no sense of how much time passed….. or how much longer I would be there…. or where I would be sent …. etc…. this was a really strange place for me.  I ended up getting let in for the night and had to sign something saying that I would not dj….. but of course I did!  Essentially I got rejected from the UK. 

Another strange time was DJing in Brussels…. there was a nudist guy who is a regular at the club!  I was scared he might try to dance with me so I hid in the DJ booth!!!!!

POCKET: So, Woogie Nights on December 16th is going to be your first gig in the states in a little while, what can we expect to hear from you?

JP: YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!  A lot of times after my shows people ask….. what do you call that sound?????  What genre was that???  So I guess expect to hear a lot of OMGWTFBBQ between the bpms of 122 and 130!@#$%^&*

POCKET: I understand that this night is kicking off a US tour, where else will you be playing? 

JP: Really excited for the tour… check it out!

Dec22 - Detroit @ Beautiful Machine
Dec23 - Denver @ Bar Standard 
Dec29 - Milwaukee @ Notte
Dec30 - Chicago @ MID w/CVS
Dec31 - SF @ Sea of Dreams  
Jan01 - Seattle @ Electric Tea Garden 
Jan13 - Portland @ Groove Suite 
Jan19 - Austin @ Kingdom
Jan20 - El Paso @ TBA
Jan21 - Sante Fe @ The Lodge
Jan27 - Calgary @ Habitat 
Jan28 - Edmonton @ Level 2 
Jan31 - Orange County @ Focus
Feb03 - DC @ U Hall
Feb04 - Charlotte @ Dharma 
Feb10 - SF @ dirtybird