Brighton Mixtapes - Kutkh Jackdaw - Episode 029

Dec 5, 20247 min read

We're so excited to continue our Brighton Mixtapes Series. Since the success of our beloved Berlin Mixtapes Series, which has featured awesome guests so far, we are on a mission to showcase more of the exciting talent that is right on our doorstep.

Next up we welcome Kutkh Jackdaw, a Scottish producer and DJ, now based in Brighton, whose productions take influence from a wide variety of different genres, from post-punk, EBM (Electronic body music is a genre of electronic music that combines elements of industrial music and synth-punk with elements of dance music), darkwave to synth, techno and even traditional tribal music and dub. He uses a range of techniques including a heavy use of inventive sampling, combined with extensive use of vintage 80’s hardware. Not only that, Kutkh is also part of running a Brighton night Acid Reflux.

We caught up with Kutkh to find out more.

Hi Kutkh, how are you and what have you been up to this week?

I'm good, thank you. I've just been watching some football and caught up with some friends.

How long have you been DJing? I got my first set of decks (Gemini CDJ-02's) in 2007 I think. It wasn't until 2010 that I started recording mixes and uploading them online though.

What inspired you to start DJing?

I've been obsessed with music since I was a kid, and that only grew in my teens. Around 2007, I knew I had to somehow be more involved in music, but I had never played an instrument, so DJing seemed like the best option for me. At the time, I was really into the early dubstep sound, so I started off learning and practising with dubstep, dark 2-step and grime.

What sort of music can people expect when they come to see you play?

I listen to a lot of different styles of music and I'm very fortunate that I have the opportunities to play a varied selection of sets. So depending on the event, this could be anything from EBM, techno, electro, industrial, italo disco, synth, post-punk, darkwave, and bass music. One thing is for sure though, and that's that I don't like playing an hour of one sound or style. I like to throw in curveballs and surprises for the crowd.

Where was your first gig and how did it go?

My first set in front of a crowd (under my old alias) was in 2011 at East Slope Bar, the old student union bar on Sussex Uni campus that sadly, doesn't exist anymore. Me and a couple of friends had set up Sussex Bass Society and it was our first event. I was on first, so it was fairly quiet with mostly my friends sitting around listening to dubstep that they didn't care for! We'd managed to get local DJ and record store owner Donga to come and play and by the end of the night, the whole bar was packed. It was a great success, and we continued to put on parties there for years.

My first set in a proper club was later that year at Life, one of many clubs in Brighton that no longer exist. I was playing an Autonomic D&B set, opening for Klute and Nymfo, which was pretty huge for me, and also absolutely terrifying. Someone had pulled out at last minute, so I only got invited to play 3 days before the event! I had to panic buy a proper pair of DJ headphones and cram in some practice. I was really nervous, especially when SP:MC appeared in the booth during my set. But I had all my friends there supporting me, and my set went well, so it's a moment that I remember really fondly.

In terms of my current alias, my first gig as Kutkh Jackdaw was a headliner set at The Flying Duck in Glasgow in 2021, for an event called Null/Void. It was a really great night and I played a set consisting of mostly EBM and industrial.

You moved down to Brighton from Scotland some time ago. What made you make the move?

I needed a change, and when I moved, Brighton had an amazing dubstep scene, which was a big factor in my decision.

You also co-run an event in Brighton called Acid Reflux. Tell us more.

I co-run Acid Reflux with the bossman, and my good friend, DSD. Acid Reflux was founded in 2022 by DSD and Henry WP and has evolved quite a lot in those 2 years. I started off as a guest DJ at the first event, before becoming a resident, and then being involved in the planning and organisational side. We really want to give up-and-coming talent a platform to perform, support local DJs, and build a strong community. We've had some great headliners play for us too, including James Newmarch b2b Voicedrone (from legendary London venue FOLD), and Andrømeda.

We also run a podcast series on SoundCloud and plan to release a V/A compilation next year. You can expect to see our events next year too.

What has been one of your most memorable gigs (your own or otherwise) in Brighton and why?

The last Acid Reflux event with Andrømeda was a special night. Not only was my set one of my favourites of recent times, but the whole night has a really special energy about it. In terms of all time favourites, supporting Benga at Audio (now Patterns) in 2013 was a dream come true for me at the time. My favourite set that I've seen from someone else recently was a live set at Alphabet, by an italo/synth band called Nuovo Testamento, for the event Paradise Noir. They sounded amazing live, and I found it really inspiring from a production point of view.

Your bio states that you like to heavily use inventive sampling, combined with extensive use of vintage 80’s hardware. Tell us more about that and what 80s hardware do you dabble with?

When I started learning production in around 2015, I really wanted to combine my passion for electronic music with my passion for punk and post-punk. However, I couldn't play any instruments, so I started sampling guitars, drums and vocals from old punk records to use in my tracks. I still like sampling old records and obscure films, but have moved more towards using vintage 80's hardware as much as possible in my productions.

I use a Yamaha SY77 for synths and a Roland R-5 MkII and Kawai R-50e for percussion. I also use a Yamaha SPX90 for effects, and a Yamaha MT4X as my mixer. I just love the sound and feel that old hardware brings.

Where's your favourite place to just kick back and chill in Brighton?

Brighton is full of great places to chill and take some time out, it would be impossible for me to pick one!

And equally, where's your favourite place to let loose?

You can't beat a session at Volks when you're in the mood for staying out until the early hours.

Which other DJs or producers are you liking right now?

Phase Fatale, Nuovo Testamento, New Frames, Unhuman, Kris Baha, Jensen Interceptor, DJ Stingray, IMOGEN, 909distortion & AxggaA, Male Tears, Split Diopter, Human Performance Lab, TSVI, DJ Babatr, Tim Reaper, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Mars89, Trinity Carbon.

What are your go-to labels?

BITE, X-IMG, Pinkman, DKA, Mecanica, Mannequin, Dark Entries, Tresor, Dais, Avant, Of Dolls & Murder.

You have compiled our latest Brighton Mixtapes Series Episode 029 - Tell us more about your mix.

The mix is a good representation of what you might expect to hear from me at Acid Reflux. It's a techno mix, but has elements of EBM, electro and latincore influences. I like my mixes to go on a journey, rather than just represent a singular sound.

What else can we expect from you soon? What's next on the horizon for DJ gigs, where can people see you next?

Next up, I'll be playing at Alphabet for Paradise Noir on 21st December, alongside a live set from Night in Athens. I'll be playing a vinyl set of post-punk, synth, goth, darkwave, EBM, industrial and italo. I'll also be making my Belgium debut in March, but I can't reveal anything further yet, so keep an eye on my social media for information once it's ready.