Jacob Husley (WetYourSelf!) at Fabric
Hard as it is to remember now, but there was a time in London when clubbing on a Sunday was very much a niche pursuit. Alongside parties such as Secretsundaze, WetYourSelf! at fabric (or WYS! to those in the know) has since become a staple at the Farringdon institution, so much so that its residents’ careers have quickly developed in tandem with the night’s reputation.
One such key player is Jacob Husley. A native of Denmark, he moved to London in the early 00s, and has since carved out a reputation alongside fellow resident Peter Pixzel as a true underground hero, with a discerning taste for all things house and techno. Jacob was also kind enough to supply us with a live mix recorded at Fabric London we sat down with him recently for a quick chat to see what he’s been up to…
Can you tell us about your background and how you got involved in the music industry?
I was working for a café in Brick Lane called 1001 and went from DJing there to programming the calendar. I also got a job as chef for a record shop in Camden called Vinyl Addiction, it was owned by Finger Lickin’ Records. I got to meet lots of artists there and started booking them at events at 1001 and illegal warehouse parties.
How did you become a resident DJ at Fabric and what was your experience like?
We started WetYourSelf! at a club called Aquarium and it became the best Sunday night party in London with a very unique diverse crowd. fabric approached us tomove it to fabric in 2009 and we did every Sunday night after that for the next 12 years, now we do WYS! 4-5 times a year. But I still program all the nights and play once a month.
Can you talk about your role in the growth and success of the Sunday nights at fabric?
I think Sunday night has been a very important part of fabric, as it was not focused on headliners but pushing smaller record labels and artists on the platform. I also work on another brand at fabric called Love Child that takes place on Saturdays, focusing on showcasing artists for the queer community.
Jacob Husley playing at Fabric - by Shkelzen Kerna
How do you approach curating your sets and selecting tracks for your performances?
Being a DJ and collecting music for more than 20 years I like to go though my records and digital old playlists, select a few old goodies and mix it up with new releases, promos and my own music.
Can you discuss your experience as a music producer and your creative process in the studio?
I have three kids now so my studio is now at home and I mainly make music when everyone is sleeping, it can be hard to get into the vibe sometimes but I generally start by listening to promos that has been sent to me and get inspired from that, I also voice record myself during the day when I get ideas, can be spoken word stuff or a melody.
Let’s chat about the mix: can you talk us through some of the key tracks and moments on it?
As a live gig, this one was quite spontaneous, it starts of with one of my own live jams more jazzy vibes, warming the floor for the people coming in, a good warmup is playing different flavours so it goes through minimal, breaks electro and more pumping house towards the end, there is quite a few three channel mixes in there; some are maybe a bit out when listening back but works in the moment!
How has the electronic dance music scene changed since you first started as a DJ?
Firstly, going digital was a massive change, it took me a long while before I embraced CDJs and the sets changed as DJ’s started looping tracks in and out, and creating more boring parts in their sets especially with DJing of Tractor etc.
Also, the smartphones and people’s need to constantly share pictures of everything destroyed moments on the dancefloor, but this is slowly changing back now; fabric and many other clubs are now doing no photo policy and you can really feel the change on the dancefloor. In terms of music, nothing has changed - old tunes are still good and lots of great new music coming constantly.
How do you stay current and adapt to changing trends in electronic dance music?
I think staying true to your music taste, and not pay too much attention to trends is how you stay current. Craig Richards is still on top of his game for that exact reason.
Can you share any upcoming projects or collaborations that you have in the works?
I will release three EPs this year all on WYS! Recordings. More information on them soon!
What advice would you give to aspiring DJs and music producers trying to break into the industry?
Go out to loads of gigs to get inspired, become a regular at your favourite club you want to play at, make music every day, get it out and move on to the next one.
…and finally, what’s your favourite mix of all time and why?
You know, I can't really say as I love so much different kind of music but I’d say my most played mix of all time is probably Kruder & Dorfmeister DJ Kicks, 1996. It’s my go to mix when I need to chill.