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BOB 2015: JASPER JAMES (BREAKTHROUGH DJ) POWERED BY 808

Best of British 2015, educated by Point Blank

OTHER NOMINEES

WEISS
ELI & FUR
TOUGH LOVE
SAM DIVINE

With a father like Harri James — one half of legendary Sub Club DJ duo Harri & Domenic — and a flatmate like Jackmaster, it’s little surprise that Jasper James has risen through the ranks of dance music in the blink of an eyelid. 

This time last year, he was a name touted about the streets of Glasgow as the next big thing following a debut release (‘Sneaky EP’) appearing on Optimo’s Trax imprint last summer.

Earlier this year ‘ZTRK1’ appeared on Leftroom alongside remixes from JD Twitch, but it’s as a DJ he’s really stolen the limelight this year. Picked as poster-boy resident for Phonox the Brixton club previously known as Plan B his weekly residency since the club’s launch this September is what’s really put him on the map.

 “This has been an amazing opportunity for me as a DJ, as I have been given the reigns for six hours every Saturday,” he tells DJ Mag. “This has given me the chance to showcase my music ability, experimenting with different genres and figuring out ways to control the dancefloor throughout the night.”

Having the right people around him has done him no harm, of course, but it’s a wealth of house music knowledge well beyond his years and a natural knack for DJing that’s marked him out as one of the UK’s hottest new talents, picked for sets at Warehouse Project, Glastonbury, and as host for Radio 1 during 2015 alone. 

Despite the temptation to move to London or Berlin, he’s still staying true to the Scottish city he calls “home”, but looking back at a year in which Best of British nominations came for the likes of The Revenge, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, Sub Club and Slam, there’s no shortage of talent surrounding him.

“Congratu-fukin-lations and big up the Glesga massive!” he quite rightly says.

Words: ADAM SAVILLE