James Millen Mayne: to listen to latest mixes and radio shows featuring James go to http://newcitysound.podomatic.com
Style:
Intelligent, sophisticated, gorgeous, chic, sexy, deep house. Melodic music to take you up or ease you back down.
Profile:
I know its a terrible cliché, but music has always been a huge part of my life – the archetypal Rob from High Fidelity (although sadly without the record shop). I remember sitting in class at school with 2 of my best friends writing lists of the records we owned and wanted to get in order to inspire (or ridicule) each other. I always wanted my list to be the most diverse and eclectic.
I was lucky enough to learn several instruments through school and play in concerts etc. I played in an orchestra that rehearsed on a Saturday morning, until I started skipping rehearsals to go to the Record Fairs that came one Saturday a month and spending all my pocket money on expanding my list... I realised that for all I loved playing music, exploring and listening turned me on even more.
I was an innocent victim of bad timing. My new-found obsession coincided with the circa ’88-’95 musical explosion that came out of the true ‘80’s pioneers (New Order, The Fall, The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys) into the early ‘90’s Madchester and ‘live music’ scene, all with a mesmeric underbelly of the acid house scene and the rave scene. One minute I had ‘Now 10’ and Stock Aitken & Waterman, the next I had the Stone Roses, Andrew Weatherall, K-Klass, Shades Of Rhythm, Moby, The Orb. Everything was happening and everything seemed so inspired. Everyone wanted a Carl Cox bootleg. James and Brian Eno could release a stunning album purely of improvised jams. Music for the Jilted Generation blew everyone’s day-glo off. I couldn’t get enough.
While at Uni I worked as a music journalist for the local press. This had the huge perks of a box of free CD’s every week and free concert tickets, but also taught me the skill and importance of listening to music, not just hearing it. The foundations to DJ’ing began to form in the shape of constantly recording compilation tapes for mates of the new music I was given to review. I didn’t have the facilities or skills to ‘mix’ them, but I loved the process – working out which tracks deserved to be heard, which worked well with each other, moving across different genres, and then programming them onto a 60/90min tape.
I flirted with DJ’ing at Uni and more recently with software like Traktor DJ. That led me to want to learn the art ‘properly’ so I enrolled on the DJ Academy course. Another cliché, but my life hasn’t been the same since. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to learn or improve DJ skills. I came through the Academy practising like mad to learn the new skills we were taught every week – enough so for the tutor Matt Johnson to invite me to play an early-evening slot with New City Sound. One led to another and another and now I can never wait for the next! The talent and diversity across the New City Sound team is unreal. Check out the mixes, the podcasts, the radio show, and any gig you can – all stunning stuff. I feel privileged to have the challenge of adding my own flavour.....
Influences change every week/day/hour, but a quick A to Z (that still leaves out far too many important ones!) would be:
Ryan Adams / Booka Shade / Chemical Brothers / Death In Vegas / Estroe / Faithless / Goldfrapp / Husky Rescue / Ilya Santana / James / Kaito / Little Barrie / Moby / The National / Beth Orton / Stephane Pompougnac / Quantic / Royksopp / Saint Etienne / Turin Brakes / UNKLE / Venus Hum / Charles Webster / Xavier Rudd / Yo La Tengo / Zero 7.
I've now emigrated to Perth, Western Australia, and can’t wait to unleash the New City Sound vibe on the city. Plans are afoot for both ‘up’ and ‘downtempo’ sessions as well as continuing involvement in the New City Sound podcasts and radio show. Stay tuned!
