LA transplant by way of the UK, Jacob Plant has become an exciting name in the world of electro house over the past few years.
With a series of EPs and remixes that have been played at clubs and festivals around the world, his energetic sound has attracted fans and labels alike. Represented by Three Six Zero, a music management company owned by Jay Z’s Roc Nation, his success is well supported.
Jacob sat down to discuss living in LA, his take on the new sounds in EDM, and his recent single “Ice Cream,” recently released by LA’s own Dim Mak Records.
How long have you been living in LA?
For about four months.
What neighborhood do you live in?
West Hollywood at the moment, but I’m probably going move around. I’ve been going back and forth from the UK so I’ve been trying out different places, seeing what I like.
Do you have any favorite local restaurants or venues to play at?
I really like that Italian spot Jones on Santa Monica Blvd. and Urban Ramen has the best noodles. I played Avalon and loved it and recently played Hard Day of the Dead, which was incredible.
You’re from London originally. Was it hard getting used to driving on the other side of the road?
Yeah, it was! When I first came over and I was driving it was pretty weird because of the traffic and because everyone drives really differently here.
It must have been a shock. What do you miss most about London?
Probably the general attitude, the amazing music scene, and my friends.
Not everyone knows this but you’ve been producing for over six years now. Did you always know you wanted to make a career out of music?
I wasn’t always doing my own stuff. I did music for TV and radio until things just kind of picked up. I did a lot of remixes and a couple of originals, but it all picked up from the remixing. Before that, I was taking whatever came my way and doing whatever I could to advance my career in music. Even at 17, I was always playing shows around London.
I did my research on you, Jacob, and found a video of you singing and playing keys for your old track “Essex Girl” for BBC at Ravensbourne College.
(laughs) Ohhh man! Don’t bring that up!
You had a nice voice. Why don’t you sing on tracks anymore?
I’m actually going to, and have been bouncing around some ideas—nothing confirmed yet though. I am quite open to the idea, but right now I’m making more purely instrumental club music. I’m moving forward at the moment working with some vocalists.
You started out producing mostly dubstep and then made a transition to electro house with heavy tracks like “Shakedown” and “Louder.” Now with your most recent single, “Ice Cream,” you’re shifting to the emerging future house scene. What’s prompted these transitions to new sounds?
My music has always taken on a variety of styles and genres. A lot of the time, when you make a certain sound and you keep doing it and keep doing it, sometimes it becomes quite boring to a producer or it makes you feel quite trapped in what you can and can’t do.
I always loved trying new things and getting out of my comfort zone. When I first started making dubstep, for about half a year before I stopped making it I was thinking, “I don’t wanna make this anymore, I’m not enjoying it.” I think it’s important to enjoy producing and doing what you do.
Speaking of future house, that’s been pioneered by guys like Oliver Heldens and Tchami, do you think future house is here to stay or is it more of a passing fancy?
When I first heard Oliver Heldens’ tracks, it reminded me of electro that I used to do when I was 15 in the UK. There were tracks that sounded like that kind of vibe that were in the charts. That sound has come before, but guys like Oliver Heldens did their own take on it and made it popular. I do think a lot of it is a passing phase type of deal.
The good news is that there’s some really exciting people come out from it. The big room sound is at its final stage and I’m not sure if it’s really evolving that much anymore. Future house is exciting to people and it’s coming through much quicker.
The thing is with dance music, everything comes in cycles. When I was younger I was growing up with dance music in the UK and it wasn’t very big anywhere else apart from the UK. Now dance music is so big around the world, there’s much more pressure for everyone to be making exciting things and keeping it fresh because it’s watched so much. Back in the day, genres would last longer. That’s the one thing I’ve noticed—there’s always a new cool thing every six months now.
When you decided that you wanted to release “Ice Cream,” how did you pair up with Dim Mak Records for the release?
The relationship was already there. I had another single come out on Dim Mak awhile ago. This time I wanted to put another single out at the beginning of the year to get the year started with a great track right away, so I sent it to Steve Aoki last summer and he played it in Ibiza quite a lot. When they said they wanted to sign and release it, I was surprised because it’s quite different from the usual Dim Mak sound.
You’ve been playing it a lot, making your way around quite a few festivals, from Leeds to Lollapalooza to Hard DOTD. What’s it like playing massive shows? Do you enjoy that setting or do you prefer a more intimate club setting?
I just love it! I love playing out. The other week I was in Mexico and I did a huge festival and then next week I’m in LA doing the Roc Nation Grammy party. It’s just amazing being able to fly around the world and do what I love to do. I never thought it would happen. I thought I’d always just be in my studio the whole time making production music for a commercial. I didn’t think I’d ever get a gig abroad or especially come to America. That was always a dream of mine as a kid so it’s awesome to be living it.
The first CD you ever bought was Lincoln Park’s Hybrid Theory. What other music were you into growing up?
I listened to a lot of metal bands, a lot of rappers and then rave music. In terms of dance music, when I was younger I used to listen to bands like the Prodigy and Pendulum, which are kind of drum and bass, UK bands.
I used to play my guitar a lot. When I was younger I always wanted to be in a famous band. I don’t know why I never played in a band. I guess I just evolved into being a one man band, I suppose.
What’s next for you?
I have some really big news that I’m excited about that I can’t talk about at the moment, but it will all be revealed in time. I do have a song coming out on Calvin Harris’ label, Fly Eye Recordings, with Tujamo called “All Night.” That’ll be coming out in March.
After that I have another song which is currently untitled, we’re just getting a really cool vocal on it at the moment. It’s coming this summer.
Buy “Ice Cream” HERE.
