By Tim Savchenko
DJ Clap — a name you probably haven’t heard before. A guy from Arizona, also known as John Luke, with no obvious connection to Chicago, who stumbled into the EDM genre called footwork through a friend, opened FL Studio, and started making something nobody asked for — and nobody expected. His EP “Bliss”, released in 2013, sits at a strange crossroads: it sounds like footwork, but only just. The rest is something that wouldn’t have a name for years. This is the story of a release that arrived too early, in a genre that was about to lose its king, DJ Rashad — and what that release means when you listen to it today.
Tim Savchenko introduces Arizona-born footwork outsider DJ Clap
Interview with Dj Clap
Tim: Okay, so, if I am not mistaken, you were born in Arizona. If that is correct, please tell me: how did you manage to discover footwork in a state so distant from Chicago?
Dj Clap: Yes I am in AZ. In answer to your question. Luckily I have friends who introduce me to good music.
Tim: And how old were you then?
Dj Clap: 21/22ish?
Tim: Cool! Now I would like to talk about your work. I remember the day when I first came across your debut project – DJ Clap. It’s so impressive that it’s hard for me to put into words; However, compared to the footwork I’ve listened to before, your music is noticeably more electronic, I hear a lot of hyper-pop in it, it’s really impressive that you’ve sounded so many years before the genre was born while still staying within your genre. You also sample vocals in a completely different way than in classic footwork. Could you tell me – what or who inspired you, or did you develop this sound yourself?
Dj Clap: 1/ Dj clap was something I really sunk my teeth into. I was making so much music of different genres and styles and under many names. Reminiscing about all of this now I can see a through line where I really gravitated to repetitive fast music. I liked the rhythm of footwork and juke and the simplicity of it. So I tried to make it myself. I started out by just throwing samples in Fruity Loops and using stock drum samples. Most of those samples were from American pop music. I was also making it faster at 170bpm. I didnt even know most of the footwork/juke was made at 160 or less. I was just using my ears and having fun. Then I started sampling kpop/jpop and that’s when everything developed to what it is now. Because it has such a unique production that my ears gravitated to I just kept going with it. I also don’t speak the languages so when I am sampling I hear the musicality of the vocals/song rather than the words or meaning behind them.
It just keep going. Evolved overtime and the songs developed naturally out of whatever samples I was using. I never really go in with an idea I just play with the sounds until I get something I like.
Tim: You mentioned that you made music in different genres, do you have any other side project in the public domain, but in a different direction?
Dj Clap) There may be some stuff on media fire somewhere lol I’m not sure. But most of it was on MySpace and I played a lot of shows for friends and house parties.
Tim: Aight next one. In 2013 your final album under the pseudonym DJ Clap was released, after which you released nothing for a full four years. What were you occupied with during that interval, and why did you cease releasing music under your former pseudonym?
Dj Clap) Finishing school. I would play a gig here and there. Even threw a rave in a warehouse and 2 people showed up. I was working on different music too. Classical piano but music mostly
took a back seat while I also started acting school.
I stopped releasing music under DJ clap because I just wanted to change my name to something that resonated more with me.
Tim: In almost all of your works, I noticed a recurring detail: the presence of flowers, which is present in both of your projects. Does this have any special meaning for you?
Dj Clap: They are so beautiful, that’s it.
Tim: What electronic music do you prefer to listen to? Favorite genres or artists?
Dj Clap: Really anything and all things. I’ll go through seasons of genres. nowadays I like listening to music that makes me feel uplifted… and heavy metal. But I find a lot of great music by browsing peoples likes on SoundCloud. That’s a great way to discover new music.
Tim: The last question for you is – do you planing to release an album or something else in near future? I couldn’t ask it but last album was released 7 years ago!
Dj Clap: Yes, new music on the way.
A short review of DJ Clap’s track, ‘Luv’.
