Jason was one of the first people I spoke to when I entered the music industry. It can be tough not having many connections and daunting to reach out to people, but Jason was so welcoming and happy to engage which I think says a lot about his character.
Jason is a DJ and producer from Carlisle, currently based in Leeds which is in the north of England. From releasing music on labels like ConcreteKin to remixing a song by Le Youth, he's definitely achieved a lot over the last few years so I was keen to hear more about his story.
Keep scrolling to hear from Jason and to listen to some of his music.
Socials: @Jasonmcmullenmusic
Can you set the scene Jason, where are you in the world right now and what projects are you currently working on?
Last year I moved up to Leeds, England after spending a bit of time down south. It was quite a big move with changing jobs and meeting new people but I think I'm now ready to crack on with music and I'm starting to feel really inspired again.
Over the last year I've been working on some vocal tracks. I have a couple of new ones with Kryptic and it's probably time to get them finished up and released.
What motivates you to keep learning and producing music?
Seeing the people around me like Leossa, Veha and Jope playing shows and releasing music on such iconic labels that we've spoken about late at night in the past, this is something that pushes me to keep going and working on my own sound.
Check out Jason's song 'Afterlife' released by Le Youth's Prgrssn Records:
"I was trying to push myself too hard to consistently reach the same level and I started drifting a little from the sound that got me to that point"
What’s been one of your biggest challenges so far within music?
Last year was definitely my most successful year of producing. Being asked by Le Youth to remix one of his album tracks on This Never Happened was something that I didn't think would ever happen.
Following on from that I was trying to push myself too hard to consistently reach the same level and I started drifting a little from the sound that got me to that point. Realising this I took a big break from producing over the last 6 months and started travelling around Europe, visiting new places with friends, and I also took up golf.
I get a lot of my inspiration for music from experiences and being outdoors so golf and travelling has definitely been so helpful in getting me inspired again,
I'm now looking forward to getting some more tracks out there towards the end of the year.
Here is his remix of 'If Only' by Le Youth and Ocula, released via This Never Happened with vocals by Nathan Nicholson:
"My brother has played a big part in asking about my music and reminding me to be proud of what I've made so far"
Who has helped or inspired you along your journey?
The whole reason I make music today is because of Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso (aka Swedish House Mafia). They were my biggest inspiration when I was starting out.
Then throughout Lockdown Le Youth and the team behind him are really who helped me get to the next step. The guidance from someone who is so successful in the scene has been invaluable to me and I'm so happy to see him touring around and playing sold out shows everywhere.
Most recently (and he may not be aware), but my brother has played a big part in asking about my music and reminding me to be proud of what I've made so far, especially on the days where you're not feeling so motivated.
What advice would you give to somebody who wants to pursue a career in electronic music?
When you're starting out, it's good to listen to other artists to learn what kind of sounds they're using. You can create your own mash ups, and don't be scared to try out new sounds to see what works for you. This can help to find your own sound.
Once you've found a sound that you like, don't be put off if labels don't sign your songs straight away. Be patient and push on with developing your sound and continue to be creative. Hopefully they give you some feedback, but if not then reaching out to other artists is another way to gain feedback. Remember to try not to be put off if they don't reply though, after all they are very busy and they're normal people like you and me who may not be able to get back to everyone.
My last big of advice is if somebody wants to listen to Lane 8 (for example), they will go and listen to Lane 8. When someone listens to your track you want them to know it's yours and listen to it because you made it. Success doesn't come overnight so keep going and working on your own unique sound.
This is Jason's latest song called 'Quiet' released by ConcreteKin:
And finally, what song are you listening to most at the moment?
I've been listening to the new Swedish House Mafia song 'See The Light' recently, I'm looking forward to seeing the new direction that they're going in now and how they always find ways the break down barriers and constantly evolve.
Three Takeaway tips
It's good to push ourselves to achieve our goals, but like Jason says sometimes we can put too much pressure on ourselves. When this happens to me I often find it useful to go and do something else for a while, to take a short break and come back to it later with a fresher mind.
It's always a team effort, even if you're mainly working on something by yourself. Le Youth's team and Jason's brother have both played a role in helping Jason get to where he is today.
If somebody want's to listen to Lane 8, then they will listen to Lane 8. This is a great quote from Jason which shows the importance of being yourself and pursuing your own sound and identity when it comes to making music.
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