Today I reach across the pond to talk to JODA, essentially a supergroup (superduo?) of Jonathan Grant — 1/3 of Above & Beyond — and Darren Tate — film composer, and producer under the name DT8 among others. They're also both label heads, Jonathan of Anjunabeats and Darren of Mondo Records.
JODA is their side project born out of the pandemic. Maybe a bit of restlessness from not being able to tour, and maybe tapping into the collective energy that led so many of us to feel like it's time to try something different. The record blends modern electronic production with 80s synthwave sounds, courtesy of the guys' extensive and growing collection of analog synthesizers.
We talk a lot about collaboration. How they were able to give each other space to experiment and also keep the project moving forward. And about how the tools of the trade (analog synths in this case) influence the output of the final product.
Dig in and then check out the JODA album here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5KS3RbR9m98HkNQzJy7dZJ?si=9kKti9hKT8aCmpeqdZdfkA
And the JODA Selects playlist for a sampling of some of the music that influenced the record: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7vqcCIUpiVOOz5GBcQjtNl?si=a219e12d638140a6
Mix Engineer: James Soriano