Throughout his several roles in underground electronic music, one thing which Jimi Falconer keeps consistent is a commitment to sharing unique and special sounds. Whether diving deep to discover gems from unknown artists in order to surprise and captivate crowds at renowned venues like Ministry of Sound, EGG, and Pacha or providing an avenue for up and coming artists to release on his Progressive House / Tech label Plethora Muzik, Jimi has a passion for finding music that goes beyond the expected. With a DJ style that is “upfront as it is challenging” his live performance and radio mixes involve in-depth mixing played on 4 decks and crafted with tracks that require putting in that something extra in order to result in a smooth and immersive set.
Having been a guest on FRISKY on shows like A Rec, circle.Ibiza, and Artist of the Week, Jimi Falconer is now launching his own show “Plethora Muzik”. Keeping with his desire to deliver fresh and unheard tracks from a variety of labels and artists, Plethora Muzik will be showcasing all the elements of underground that Jimi has been dedicated to for so many years. Get ready by learning more below, and tune in to the premiere on February 25th @ 6 PM EST [convert timezone]. And as always, you can listen on-demand with FRISKY Premium.
What first started your passion for electronic music?
Back in the early 90’s I attended a well-known independent club in my hometown (Birmingham) which prided itself on the high profile underground DJ’s booked on a weekly basis. I was hooked from the moment I first set foot in there. The venue was small (approx. 500 capacity) and the sound rig & lighting was nothing I’d experienced before. Everyone was there to simply enjoy the music.
The two resident DJ’s were solid week after week, always ensuring that they had great track selections, whilst perfectly building the mood for the guest DJ. I became enthralled with the different styles of music & the totally different methods of mixing/blending that each DJ brought to the venue.
It was at this point my passion for electronic music truly started and I was always sourcing that special track I’d heard the week before from various emporiums in Birmingham, Manchester & Liverpool.
I’ve not looked back since. It’s not just a passion – it’s a way of life.
What was your goal when you first established Plethora Muzik?
The commitment of the label was & still maintains to be, to release high quality deep Progressive House & Progressive Tech collaborations from upcoming producers as well as established producers from around the world.
We’re not concerned about how many followers a producer has. It’s all about the quality of the production. A well thought out, structured track is high on the priority list and will always be the type of track we’d sign to the label.
Right from the start, the aim was to build a label/brand to stand the test of time & to be forward-thinking – not just a label/brand that’s here today & gone tomorrow.
We are entering our 5th year now & are extremely excited with the new projects and direction that we will be taking during 2021. All will be revealed shortly!!!
What are you most proud of with the label today?
Without sounding too obvious – securing a monthly label show on Frisky is definitely up there as one of the defining label moments, alongside signing house music legend Jose Rives to the label back in June 2018 with his popular track ‘Walking Alone Feat. Abdon’. This release still remains to be in the labels top 10 tracks on Beatport to this day.
From a perspective of label ‘live events’, the undertaking of three label launch events, in three different Ibiza venues, during July 2017, in one week, is very high up there for sure & something that we are keen to repeat again in the near future following the success of the previous live events.
What has been one of the most exciting moments in your career?
That’s a brilliant question.
Reflecting on the question has sparked some amazing memories of cities, venues, people & friends that I have met along the way. There have been so many goals achieved over the years & bigger ones are constantly set.
One of the biggest defining moments of my career which often comes to mind, for me personally & keeps the determination going – was the first occasion I had a booking to play in the Czech Republic (8 years ago). I still regularly play there and it’s become like a second home.
From the moment I first started to DJ, I always had the goal of being able to play abroad.
With gigs at some of the most renowned venues in the UK, which have been your favorites to play at?
I actually have 3 clear favorite venues & all for various different reasons.
EGG LDN is definitely a favorite.
It was the very first club that I played & regularly played at in London.
Through the years I have been privileged to see the club grow & I’m extremely proud to have being able to be a part of that growth. My set on NYE 2012 provided the opportunity to play in the Czech Republic for the first time. So, EGG LDN is a certainly a favorite for a few reasons.
Another firm favorite is MOS (Ministry of Sound).
The whole venue is brilliant from the lighting, sound rigs, to the outdoor space (where I’ve got to meet some great people over the years) whilst been so professionally ran. The various different rooms deliver their own unique DJ & clubbing experiences. It’s always a pleasure to play there – & I can honestly say, probably one of the cleanest clubs too.
The ultimate venue for me has to be Pacha LDN.
It was always a brilliant experience playing there. The booth was set perfectly, everything always worked as it should do, with no surprises, which allowed you to perfectly blend track after track. The room could be easily read from the booth allowing you to share the total enjoyment of the musical experience with the crowd below.
It was a sad day when Pacha LDN finally closed its doors during September 2014 for good. It will never be forgotten by many – that’s for sure.
Who has been your favorite DJ to play alongside?
That’s definitely a thought-provoking question & I’m not one for name dropping usually. There have been many who I’ve had the privilege to play alongside during my career, but within more recent times I’d have to say Guy Mantzur. A genuinely nice guy, brilliant producer, fantastic DJ & an ultimate professional.
I like your description of your DJing as “upfront” and “challenging” – what would you say are the keys to fulfilling that definition?
In my opinion, the keys to fulfilling the definition of my style being “upfront” and “challenging” are:
I never play the same set twice.
Each mix is totally unique and loaded with unreleased tracks. I pride myself on playing sets with new tracks that nobody has potentially managed to get hold of or even heard before.
The biggest challenge is dropping those tracks that you really have to work, the ones that are so difficult to blend, drop off beat or just shouldn’t work – they are the ones that always sound amazing.
All mixes including podcasts & radio shows are live recordings as if played in a club environment and are always played on 4 decks. It provides that opportunity as a DJ to really craft, build & add that little bit extra to a mix right from the start whilst always being consistent.
What are the most important things for you to accomplish as a DJ?
That’s a good question. To me the most important accomplishment as a DJ is for the crowd/listener to fully enjoy & be immersed in the music I play.
I take a lot of pride/enjoyment from playing new, upfront tracks that are in the main unreleased & from lesser known artists. This leaves the listener wondering what tracks they have just experienced, who produced them & wanting to hear them again.
I personally think that there is no better experience than a crowd going crazy to tracks that they haven’t even heard before. It’s important to remember that each individual member of the crowd has attended a venue to be entertained & that’s my aim – to totally entertain them with the best tracks possible.
What do you think makes for a great mix, whether that’s live or recorded?
A great mix no matter whether it’s in a club, radio show, podcast or live stream should always take the crowd or the listener on a journey. Track selection is key, followed by how each individual track is blended, in order to produce one seamless track & maintaining the momentum throughout.
When playing a set, I aim to keep the crowd or listener always wanting more!!! keeping them wondering which direction the journey is about to go with the next track.
You’ve obviously been very prolific with live podcasts in the last few years, what do you enjoy about doing these types of mixes?
Personally I enjoy doing any type of mix – whether it is a podcast or a live club mix. Each mix is given the same level of importance, effort, concentration & always played/recorded live.
Podcasts are slightly different to a club mix though. Perhaps a little slower with not so much energy, compared to the atmosphere that you aim to build & deliver in a club environment. The aim with a podcast is to keep the listener coming back time & time again to listen, where as in a club mix; you want the crowd to totally lose themselves & enjoy the moment.
Although over the last 12 months due to the current global situation, this formula has slightly changed with listeners wanting that club sound, as they are unable to have the physical club experience.
What are you looking forward to about hosting a new show on FRISKY? What can listeners expect with this show that is the same or different from the rest of your mixes?
Having a label/brand show on Frisky is something that we have strived for, for some time & we are grateful for the opportunity to showcase what we do best as a label & brand – release & play quality underground music.
With the monthly show, we aim to deliver a mix that provides the most upfront tracks, from as many different producers & labels as possible whilst providing total quality and professionalism for the listener & the Frisky platform.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the FRISKY audience?
All of us working here at the label would like to thank all of our followers, listeners & artists for all of their support with all our past projects & all the future projects planned. We promise not to disappoint.
With your continued support, we constantly strive to take the label & brand further, to provide that greater musical experience for all and become that recognised ‘constant go to source’ of upfront underground music.
