We are excited to be back with our first guest mix and interview of 2025 and we're kicking off the year with a super talented artist that has been producing exquisite records for quite some time.
This month we welcome Jim Rivers to the Berlin Mixtapes catalogue with a history of over 40 releases on labels like Bedrock and Global Underground as well Steve Bug's Poker Flat recordings.
Not only that, Jim has also released on Carl Cox's Intec label plus having toured the world sharing stages at clubs and festivals with everyone from Coxy to John Digweed to Laurent Garnier, who he’s played epic back to back sets with on his home turf after the French legend became a big fan of his work and the pair became friends.
Lots of super interesting topics to chew the fat over! We caught up with Jim to find out more.
Hi Jim, how are you and what have you been up to this week? I’m good thanks! I've been busy at work and playing some golf. I work in the horticultural industry so we are seeing the early signs of spring, which is great after a long cold winter!
You have been producing for quite some time now with an impressive catalogue of releases. Are there any standout tracks that hold special memories for you?
I've made music at different times in the last nearly 20 years and in each season of creating I've had different moments where I really feel like things have come together. Earlier on I would say a track I did called ‘We Can Do This All Night’ on Carl Cox’s Intec imprint made some moves for me and still has a killer groove now when I play it.
I also loved the focused period I had creating music under my alias Copy Paste Soul. I was fusing house, techno, garage and drum and bass and really loved the freedom it gave me. A couple of personal faves would be track called ‘ Blurred’ on Exploited and a couple of tracks on my own label 2Swords, one called ‘The Push’ and another called ‘The Fall’, which also had an amazing remix by my fave French dude Laurent Garnier.
More recently I think my feel good record ‘Cosmos’ on Laurent’s brilliant COD3 QR label was a good moment.
You also had a new release out on 28 February on Steve Bug's label Poker Flat. Tell us more about that.
Its great to be back on Poker Flat and I feel very privileged to be releasing again on such an iconic underground imprint. I was actually making a chart of all may fave Poker Flat releases recently and I’d forgotten just how many amazing tunes they have released down the years. Such consistency and quality that has really stood the test of time!
My two new tracks ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Salix’ are somewhere in-between house and techno. Both are simple in some aspects but have subtle details in them to keep it interesting. ‘Magnolia’ has a bit more funk and ’Salix’ thumps a bit more but they both have some warmth which I think is key to a lot of my work.
You also had a fantastic compilation release on Global Underground's Nubreed Series a few years back, which is a compilation we love very much here at Berlin-Brighton. How did that come about?
Yeah that feels like a loooong time ago now! I was releasing music on labels like Saw, Bedrock and Renaissance back then and GU approached me to ask if I'd be up for relaunching the Numbered series.
To be honest I was a bit shocked as it's a really strong and iconic series that amazing DJ’s like Danny Howells, Satoshi Tommie and Anthony Pappa had really made their names with. I’d never done anything like that before and it was a real challenge, but one that I enjoyed. I haven’t listened to the mixes in years. I hope some of it still stands up now!!
Your Soundcloud profile also states "Back after a hiatus" - Did you have a long break from producing and what has inspired you to get back into the studio?
Yeah I stopped making music for about 5 or 6 years. I had just got to a point where the joy and excitement had gone. It had become a job that I wasn’t really enjoying anymore. I had a young family and just needed to try something different. I kind of phased it out over a year or so and then just stopped as I pursued other interests. I was mentally fatigued with it all and a bit frustrated with where the industry was and just needed a break.
A few years ago I bought a new computer and started putting some ideas together just to see if I could still do it. When Covid hit I had a bit more time but I didn’t do much, a couple of compilation releases I think. Then one night in October 2022 I was playing football and I snapped my achilles tendon. I was faced with a long time off my day job as a landscape gardener. As I was recovering I knew I didn’t just want to watch Netflix and play video games. So I started writing again and in the few months I was off, I made about 15 new tracks and decided to send some out and see if anyone was interested.
I ended up signing all of them including my first EP on Poker Flat and I have kind of continued from there. I've enjoyed doing it again and I've actually found that not doing it full time has kind of allowed me to just make what I want, when I want without too much pressure. It’s been great and I think I'm making some of my best music now.
What else can you tell us about your future releases, anything exciting in the pipeline?
I’m currently in the making new music and waiting to hear back from labels phase! Always a slightly fun and anxious time. Hoping to have some news on that soon. I've got some gigs lined up through the summer and I’m hoping to travel and play a bit again as I do miss that.
My main aim is to just keep writing music I’m happy with and then if other people like it, then thats a bonus! Im thinking about setting up my own label again, but I’m not rushing into anything yet. Im enjoying the process I’m in at the moment.
How did you first get into electronic music?
I think someone bought me a Ministry of Sound Annual compilation when I was in my early teens. I loved some of what I heard on there. Then I started to explore a bit more and my musical life changed when I bought Homework. That was a game changer for me. I started buying records and then my 1210’s, which I still have now 27 years later! Once I was old enough I was in the local clubs and I was hooked.
Where was your first gig and how did it go?
My first proper gig was at a party called Empathy in Bristol. The promoter who I barely knew but I had been hassling for a few months had a DJ pull out and I filled in. I played first and there was hardly anyone there. But I loved it. I saw how the party developed through the night and knew I was going to do whatever to get booked again.
Gradually I played a bit more and I became a resident. That promoter went on to be my best man and best mate! Shout out to Stu! Without him giving me a shot I might have given up. It really gave me a platform and I got to warm up for some big names and really learn the art of DJing. Then when I started making music I was testing it at my residency and then I started to get booked more and started travelling abroad. It was a fun time!
What DJ's or producers are you enjoying right now?
My fave DJ is Laurent Garnier. He’s the best as far as I’m concerned. I love working with him and he’s such a dude. He plays differently from most DJs and I love that. Producer wise I’m loving what Qess is doing at the moment.
What are some of your go-to labels?
COD3 QR are consistently brilliant and also release a real variety of stuff. Of course Poker Flat, with such heritage and still being relevant is huge. I really love the stuff thats been coming on Bondage of late.
Always keen to hear what R&S are putting out as you never know what you are going to get! And still always checking labels like Ovum, Cocoon, Klockworks, Shall Not Fade. Im discovering new music all the time and there is so much out there now!
You have compiled our latest Berlin Mixtapes Series Episode 067 - Tell us more about your mix.
Really enjoyed putting this together. I wanted it to have that vibe of housey techno. I love to have deep vibes in there and moments where the groove is just locked. There are some great records on there and I really got into the flow when I was playing. Hopefully you can hear that when you listen!
Thanks for spending some time with us, is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
It’s lovely to be asked, so thanks for the opportunity. I’m just very happy to be making and releasing music again, so if some of you like it thats a bonus!
Quick-fire round:
Genre: Housey
Favourite colour: Black
What do you put on your chips: Burger sauce
First record ever bought: Laurent Garnier - 30
Apple or Android: Apple
Can you juggle: In my own mind, yes
Weirdest/Coolest Item of clothing: Training top from the Fulham staff from the UEFA Cup Final
If you could have a superpower, what would you choose? Teleportation
What was the last thing you looked up online? The name of one of my old records for this interview
Do you collect anything: Not really now, used to be vinyl
What is the most useless talent you have: I can mimic the sound of paper tearing
Favourite place to hang out: Golf course
Favourite club: Space Terrace
Favourite beer: Cruzcampo
Favourite place to eat: Local curry house
Weirdest thing you have eaten: Raw cow intestine in Japan
How do you like your eggs: Im obsessed with eggs. I eat them in all the ways possible. Poached is my fave
Coffee or tea: Coffee
Favourite football team: The mighty Fulham FC
Favourite track right now: Qess - featuring AEB I Keep Coming Back (Qess Dub) (Ovum)
Favourite word: Thaaaaaaaannnnku
3 words to describe your mix: Groovy tech goodness
Tracklist
Phonique feat. Erlend Øye - Casualties (Dessous/Zatar)
Dilby - Stay True (Sublease)
Steve Kelley - With You (Bondage)
Marco Weber - Fading Echoes (Bondage)
Steve Bug & Hervé Solar - Lift Off (Sublease)
Lisa Moorish - Divine Chaos (Steve Mac's Jack Dub) (Jack Said What)
Danny Howells - Stereodrama (Seledor)
Qess - featuring AEB I Keep Coming Back (Qess Dub) (Ovum)
Jim Rivers - Salix (Poker Flat)
Qess - featuring AEB I Keep Coming Back (Ovum)
Copy Paste Soul - The Fall (Laurent Garnier Remix) (2Swords)
Voltaire - Detune (COD3 QR)
Victor Santana - Jitter All Day (COD3 QR)
Jim Rivers - Magnolia (Poker Flat)
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