21-year-old Justin Jay announces his Momentum EP, via Catz’ ‘N Dogz’ Pets Recordings. Nine months since his last EP, Instincts, on dirtybird, this Los Angeles native delivers a soundtrack from his last semester at University of Southern California to show just how much he has matured over the last months, both personally and musically. Challenging himself to always take things one step further, Justin Jay continues to grow as an artist with sophistication, and expand his knowledge as a producer/DJ.Produced in his college bedroom, Justin Jay’s Momentum EP begins with hat tip to Motown’s Gladys Knight & The Pips with “How I Knew,” a hypnotizing deep house number with evolving bass lines, on-point percussion, and recognizable vocal sample. “Momentum,” his second collaboration with fellow dirtybird, Kill Frenzy, follows to showcase the pair’s affinity for driving, warehouse-ready techno with subtle intricacies. Closing out the EP with his buzzed about Mixmag Lab set opener, “You Give Me Butterflies,” leaves listeners with carefree vibe driven by a smooth and dreamy house groove, accented with layered, mood-elevating synth work.Justin Jay describes his Momentum EP in his own words:
How I Knew: I don’t have much to say about this one. I made it in my bedroom, and spent my fair share of late nights working on it pissing off my roommate who was trying to get rest for his midterms… (sorry Ulf!)
Momentum:Producing “Momentum” with Kill Frenzy was a really cool learning experience for me. The idea for the song came together while Seb and I were kicking it on my living room couch playing weird sounds off of our lap top speakers, just having fun. When we sat down to properly produce the track, I kept on trying to add unnecessary ideas and overcomplicate the track. Sebastien helped me realize how simple an 8 minute song can be without getting boring – it’s all in the details, although that’s easier said than done. Finding the subtle changes that actually work was a long trial-and-error experience for me. It was ultimately super cool to hear how simple, yet satisfying the song was for us.
You Give Me Butterflies: As I’m finishing up an incredible last year of college, and getting to do all of these amazing things in music, it’s felt good making happy, lighthearted songs that really capture my mood these days. I’ve spent a large part of the last year exploring darker sounds and textures. I definitely want to continue experimenting in that direction, but I wouldn’t want to neglect my goofy, cheerful side either. “You Give Me Butterflies” is a carefree day at the beach, spent with your friends, acting like 8 year-olds.