038: JOSE MANUEL
“All the works I make are difficult to categorize in a specific musical genre. There are a lot of contaminations and musical influences such as world and folk music combined with the electronic...”
When you delve into a production or dj mix by Jose Manuel, be prepared to enter an immersive environment. Jose’s productions possess the qualities of ancient rituals; exotic chanting and organic drum sounds pique the imagination, channeling the mysticism and primordial yearning for spiritual meaning. Jose fuses modern technology with the primitive; deliberately forging the past with present to awaken the soul to its animist potentialities. Just take the title track (below) from his 2019 album “Janara” on Optimo Records as an example.
An Italian native, Jose used the traditional dances of Southern Italy, known as pizzica salentina and tammurriata, and the folklore of Benevento, as a foundation for the album, revolving each track around the tambourine and tammora with his own lyrics to connect the sounds and stories of the region’s people.
This one album, however, does not define the sound of a man who has become known for his diverse musical tastes. Jose started his DJ career as a teen in Turin, and began making music in the mid 2000’s; a digger of music of all genres, his record collection runs deep, he earned respect for his fusion of world music and electronica in his productions and by the 2010’s landed releases on esteemed labels like Eskimo, Kill the DJ, Tusk Wax, Kinfolk, and Music for Dreams . He’s also run his own labels such as Black Pepper tapping into the cosmic sound while referencing rare cuts from New York’s early Garage house music. He’s a rare artist on the underground dance scene who can’t be pigeon-holed into a single category, refined and elegant in his approach.
Jose’s productions have a stunning quality that comes from years of digging for obscurities. His digging has provided him a clearer understanding of the connective tissue between disparate genres demonstrated in each of his dj mixes and productions. Most recently, Jose compiled a collection of tracks from 1988-1991 for Berlin’s Harmonie Exotic that highlight this point: the compilation moves from Arabic tinged New Beat to proto balearic house and much more. While the double vinyl is currently sold out, you can pick up the digital copy on bandcamp. Here is a cut from the comp.
Needless to say we were excited when Jose agreed to put together a mix for Over&Over®. Given his range, we didn’t know what to expect and weren’t about to ask. We were surprised to hear the mix and discover the tracks are selected only from the early “golden” days of house; but don’t expect anything tired or oldschool, these tracks are handpicked and livened through Jose’s storytelling. The mix oozes sleaze from every orifice… repetitive TR-808 drum loops and provocative vocals are at once steamy and hypnotic. Hot July weather is the perfect compliment to Jose’s feverish jungle of the exotic and erotic. Plug into the mix and be swept away into the hour long aural fantasy of this master of mood.
JOSE MANUEL LINKS
*Jose is currently on holiday, so we will interview him about the mix and his most recent work at a later date. Stay tuned!
