a mix series brought to u by Peach. DJ mixes from all over the world.
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Jay Duncan and I met sometime after I moved to London in 2016. We met at Corsica Studios, somewhere between the smokey dancefloor of room two and the green room. A few years later, we put out a track each on Midland’s label Graded - it was very early in both of our production journeys which brought us closer. It’s safe to say some of my earliest memories of being in London at raves and listening to music are with Jay, and it’s carried on that way over the past 10 years.
Jay and I are very close - she is someone I refer to as “my sister” and she knows me better than some of my family. Our conversations revolve around everything best friends speak about, music being a very important one.
Truthfully, she is what I would consider one of the most underrated DJs in London - in the last 6 months she has seen more gigs and touring, and has released records with the iconic label Trule and Erol Alkan’s label Phantasy. She is a resident at London’s queer party Adonis, and she has forthcoming music on their label, as well as a collaborative EP with myself later this year to be released on my label Psychic Readings. In 2021, Ricardo Villalobos did a remix of one of her tracks from the Phantasy release.
Jay’s musical output is something really special. She has this very specific sound which is always completed with many congas. Her tracks are textural, rhythmic, and soulful, and ride a line between minimal, tribal & techno but also often embodies the ethos of house. It’s hard for me to describe but I find her endlessly inspiring and this mix is no exception to this.
This is the first live recording in the Sixth Sense series and I’m not sure it will be something I regularly do, but in this case, I felt it necessary. I was in the crowd for this recording and I thought the entire time that it was one of my favourite times I’d heard Jay play. Her selection throughout it carries a pulse which feels deep, sexy and yet pumping. I felt really thankful that [redacted] of [redacted party] allowed this to exist on Sixth Sense, and Jay felt comfortable enough to put it out with me - (you’ll read in the interview below more about this). I wanted to highlight this about the mix because you don’t always walk away from or walk into every set feeling 10/10 and that’s okay. I think that’s something that every artist should be reminded of - not the feeling of it, but knowing we all have those moments.
To me, there is an importance in keeping certain spaces sacred and special for certain groups of people - this party being one of them. It is very easy for things to catch fire and lose that specialness for a group of people who deserve a space for themselves, and I hope you understand that I chose not to share the name or the location of the space to protect their community.
That said, I’m proud to present you with a mix from my sister, Jay Duncan. As always, I have listened countless times and I hope it brings you as much joy as it has brought me.
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Peach: Hi Jay :) Thank you for being part of the Sixth Sense mix series. How are you?
Jay: Hello Serena! Thanks for having me, I’m doing fab thanks just decompressing after a hectic 4 days of the new year and all.
P: What was going on over New Year for you?
J: It was definitely my most chaotic and busy new years run of shows to date. I opened up at londons new spot ‘lost’ on shaftesbury avenue, a phoneless maze that reminds me of how 90s new york would have been, full of goth kids, weirdos and artists. I don’t typically spend my ‘new years moment’ in the club but it was kind of perfect this year because me and my best friend didnt know what time it is, and we just realised it was happening at an empty bar together. I managed to get some sleep and head off to my set at Adonis in the morning, the NYD parties are legendary and it was full of friends in the morning light. After that i hopped on a flight to Berlin to meet some friends and have a nice dance at a party called ‘climate of fear’- it snowed in berlin and i had to catch a flight the next day to Amsterdam to play at the 72 hour Isburning… party at Tillatec for the adonis takeover - i was delayed by 7 hours, managed to miss my set, swap with grace sands, got in and played straight away and it was maybe one of my favorite parties to play, ever!
P: Where are you based now?
J: I’m based in South London in a tiny flat with my best friend. I have been here for 7 years now and i love it
P: You and I met somewhere in London in 2016. What is your memory of our first meeting?
J: We did, I think I remember meeting you at corsica studios for the first time- I was like, who is this wide eyed canadian girl!!!!!!!! After that I remember us bonding at freerotation during DJ Bone’s closing set and we’ve been best friends ever since!
P: Yes and then we proceeded to bond over being Chapter 10 regulars. Some of the best memories I have of London to be honest. That time was deeply inspirational for me, did you find it inspiring too?
J: Yes, I fondly remember chapter 10 as a wide eyed, confused party girl finding my way in the london scene, i went to every party, i felt i became a part of the (gay) furniture - it was a very important time for me, for self discovery, and feeling comfortable to come out, hearing and discovering incredible djs, meeting new people, specifically chapter 10 orientated people - i still meet people who were also regulars there so its was always this special hub at that time. I remember one night when eris and maya were playin and I was looking around me and i could really see and feel the raw electricity in the room - its moments like that i never forget, but also in those moments i remember that it doesn’t last forever. I then played chapter 10 a couple of times, and was given the highest honour to play their final party where i played b2b with Ok WIlliams. It was a surreal night, but i guess those hot nights at bloc will stay with us always.
P: When did you start DJing?
J: I’d always kind of been obsessed with playing music, ever since i was little i used to que up disco music to play when my dad got home from work, like i would time it so specifically from watching him walk to the door to running to the cd played to turn it on the moment he opened the door and to make sure the volume was right…haha. As a teenager i would be playing all the music at house parties off my ipod classic and when i got to uni, i started properly going out, going to fabric every weekend. I found a pair of turntables on the street in Brixton where i lived at the time and started practising to mix, i didnt have many records at the time so i would just hop between random house, disco and like my burial records, but i think this limitation really gave me the confidence to jump around and mix in different music to each other which i’m grateful for now, i think limitations are always going to strengthen you in creativity. After that i started playing at spots like rye wax and squat parties with my records which was also a big learning curve.
P: What are you passionate about other than music?
J: I’ve recently started exploring different forms of film, an assortment of older digital video formats and vhs - I’m really interested in documentation and archiving and I'm starting to grow my practice outside of music to different forms of art which i’m really excited about.
P: Could you recommend a film you think everyone should watch? Maybe a documentary…
J: I mean i’m no film buff, despite my new obsession for film formats, maybe thats why it feels so fearless for me but my favorite film is boogie nights by paul thomas anderson, i love the soundtrack and cast and everything really its my perfect film.
P: You’ve been making music for a while now. What is your favorite track of your own that you’ve made? Why is it your favourite?
J: Its been a while, and I still have to admit that I've probably made the best song I could ever make. It's actually unreleased, it's called ‘Never Ending Life’ and thats gonna be coming out with you on Psychic Readings for our new project!!!!
P: It is amazing. I’m so excited to put it out. Would you like to share more about our forthcoming collaboration?
J: Wow yes, i mean we spent all day yesterday working on the tracks, they’re sounding great - like they sound a bit like housey doingz if housey doingz were super gay. I’m not sure we are properly going to announce our project name yet? What do you think? But its exciting, feels like we will make music semi regularly and build up a nice alias together which will be so refreshing for us i think.
P: Do you have any forthcoming releases you’d like to share?
J: Yes I have just finished my new EP ‘Diva Syntax’ which will come out on London Freak party label Adonis’s second vinyl output! That should be out in the next few months, and i’m super excited as its a a lot different to my usual darker,dubby abstract steppers - I wanted to make a diva house record, which had a modern touch and it was just a really good practise of keeping the beat going and the beautiful simplicity of house music, not only that , but an ode to a lot of the kind of music i play at adonis - as a resident i really hear what will standout on the dancefloor there, so to pay homage to that 90s diva house sound was something i wanted to make sure was part of my output as an artist.
I’ve also got more Trule releases coming out this year, alongside a handful of remixes and some more ambient abstract stuff too.
P: What are your dream labels to release with?
J: Hmmm, well i think as a producer, when i was starting out, you always fantasise about these labels that release your music, or like the ‘dream’ one, and after many years of talking to different labels and artists about my music i found it interesting how my ideas changed for who and where I wanted to put my music, I can honestly say i’m actually with my dream label because i love Trule, and i love working with Al [Wooton] because he gets it fully and it aligns so well!
P: Since this is a live recording, tell us how you were feeling stepping into the set that day. Was there any inspiration or intention regarding what you brought to the club that day?
J: Haha, it's funny because I actually felt awful that day. I packed a bunch of records, and had planned to start with lots of diva ambient. I am a regular at this party so I’m often thinking about it way ahead of time, so when i get there it just clicks because i know exactly what i want to do - despite feeling awful, i received such a warm and amazing reception after my set, but i was feeling so in my head and slightly unwell - its funny how it can work like that isnt it? I think it easy to forget that like someone going into something with a certain mindset or set of emotions, if you’re sad, or confused or have some real shit going on in your life, like stepping up to play is the ultimate release of that. I think its not seen so much where someone is like ‘ i felt awful when i recorded this mix, life sucks, here is my mix’ and often the most real output you are going to see from someone is when they are at their most vulnerable.
P: That is sometimes the way and I think its important we share that! Not every set can feel like the most positive experience but it can result in something beautiful. Can you share about the venue/party this was recorded at?
J: In the nature of the underground, I'm keeping this party underwraps - it's a semi-regular party at a small venue in South London where I'm a resident. It's really a coming together of all of our friends who really enjoy proper deep, soulful house music on a sunday, it feels like a tradition at this point with everyone i love. Hands down is my favorite party going on right now .
P: Who are your favourite DJs and producers at the moment?
J: I’m really thankful to be surrounded by so many talented friends its hard to pin point - I’m excited by EXLRUTH output as a artist and producer, her forthcoming cassette + book on Accidental meetings is really exciting. Amaliah is also someone who is just making such great music and she has a great ethos, very down to earth, it's nice to connect with her about the music world. My dear friend A Psychic Yes is an incredible talent, his new EP will be out soon (with a remix from me hehe).
As for DJs, I’m really always impressed by Craig Richards, i love his style and ease. It's always lovely to see him play in room 1 [fabric]. I also adore Paul Mcgann, I’m like ecstatic when I know he is playing, i adore him with all my heart, he runs Avalon [Cafe] and has been intrinsic in starting DIY spaces in London where I have met and grown with a lot of my friends - He plays the freakiest, fabbest house music and is a real underground legend.
P: Can you tell us where we can see you DJ over the next while?
J: Yes! You can find me playing at London's new queer clubhouse Roses of Elagabalus in January + February and i’ll be joining Cait in Dublin for a b2b for her residency at Tengu! I’ll be making my debut at Openground in Wurrpetal in March as well which i’m very excited for!
[Jay Duncan did not provide a tracklist but you can @ her on soundcloud and beg for the IDs]