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oni Ljungqvist, or better known as JPL, is a name that has been roaming around the EDM scene for a while now and is known to be one of the constantly rising fresh talents as a producer and right now as a DJ too! Joni is a Swedish 20 year old who started off his music composing at the age of 16 debutted into the scene of Trance music with Terje Bakke in "Fanatic, and solo wise as LNQ titling the track People I Used To Know, then his infamous A Place Called Home under his JPL guise.
TranceHits has caught up with the Sweed prodigy himself and had a nice 1 on 1 interview.
The interview went something like this:
Q1: Hello Joni, how are you doing today? Hope you had a swell vacation this year filled with inspirations and great times.
Hello! I just came back from a gig in Milan, Italy so I’m tired but I’m all good otherwise. Thank you, hope you did too!
Q2: When was the first time you got into the studio and said: “Alright! Let's give this a go!” And what were the results?
Uhm, I think I was about 11 or 12 when I first started producing. It was all about happy hardcore and distorted kicks then though haha. First time I really felt that I was on my way to get somewhere was when I was 15 I think, I knew I was on to something good!
Q3: You've tried almost all the major styles which we can see from your extensive usage of Aliases, what can we expect from you in the future?
Well, I still want to continue what I do right now, after all that is where my heart is. But I’ve been doing minimal and some housier stuff as well; we’ll see where that goes. Also, I have a side project with a friend, and we’re releasing an album with electropop music in Japan soon!
Q4: Is there a certain idea behind using many aliases when it comes to your music or is it just for label reasons?
First it was for label reasons. I wasn’t exactly sure of what the contracts said and after three different labels I sort of “found out” that I had signed exclusive deals. But since I have these different aliases now I try to work with them for different styles, although I’m making “JPL” my main one!
Q5: Out of all aliases you have used, which one do you think is more… "you"?
Definitely JPL. JPL stands for Joni Peter Ljungqvist (my name) and is closer to who I am than anything else I do. The JPL-releases are usually really influenced by what I feel in life, and that’s what I try to make those tracks reflect.
Q6: Collaborations are becoming a part of a producer’s routine nowadays. After your collaboration with Breakfast on his Sunlight track, are we to expect any new ones in the near future such as the major Bakke & Joni?
Yes, definetly. I love collaborating with people as it doesn’t quite “keep you back” and it gives different angles and viewings of a song. I’ve been collaborating with Serp, Carl B and others this year, and I’ve been talking with Danjo (from Danjo & Styles) to work on something. And there is a new track with Bakke. More news about that will come soon, so watch this space!
Q7: Do you think the future scene of trance would look back at the current scene just as we do right now for the golden years?
I don’t know at all really. Since I wasn’t really into trance during what people today call “the golden years”, I don’t have a specific era of trance music I like better than any other. I’m just into good music and that’s about it. I think that the scene will be looked back on as a good one that helped evolving electronic music in to the future, and the time when people in the scene become more than just producers and DJs, but also became an inspiration to people all over the world. So I think we’ll see these years as something positive!
Q8: How does a day in the life of Joni Ljungqvist’s look like as a DJ, producer, student, and teenager?
It’s pretty much like every other teenager (in Sweden at least) I think! Since a big part of my life now is studying that’s what’s taking up the most of my time. But I produce a lot as well. I try to keep evenings and free days just for producing and handling all the music business that are going on - it needs constant overlooking so I can’t forget about that! It’s really hard sometimes though to balance it, as this weekend I just got home from Milan, and the day after I have an exam. You have to try to combine it, studying during the trip helps out! Otherwise as a teenager, I have my cons and my pros, and I play videogames, watch movies, hang with my friends and hang on the internet. I love my life, I can tell you that!
Q9: “Colder Than You” is a new release under your JPL alias. How’s the feedback so far?
It’s very good! Ferry Corsten played it in his radioshow which is really great, and it seems more people are picking up the trend. I’ve been wanting it to get out so people can hear it, the Funabashi Remix is out of this world if you ask me. It really hits me deep because “Colder Than You” is perhaps the most emotional and personal track I’ve ever made. It was produced during a hard time for me, so I’m glad people appreciate it.
Q10: Would you say you have reached your limits as a producer? What can Joni tell us about his plans as a professional young talent?
It might sound a bit clichéd, but I’m not satisfied until I’ve made a song that good that I feel I’m “done”. And generally I doubt that there is a limit for any producer, you always learn and get better, and you get more diverse and evolve in different ways. About me? I really don’t know, something I have learned is that you can’t really plan too much for the future. But I will definitely do my best to “get up there” and make a living out of what I do – that would be a dream come true.
Q11: When coming up with melodies for your tracks and/or remixes, do you rely on any music theory or ‘whatever-sounds-good-to-my-ear’ theory?
I’ve always been self-taught, so I’m a guy who goes more with what a melody tells me and what it makes me feel, rather than constructing them with the help of a music theory. If it touches me, it’s good!
Q12: Your show, External Art, showcases productions from many rising talents in the scene as its main concept. How is it going so far? Any comments about certain uprising talents in the scene?
It’s going good I think. It obviously doesn’t have enough listeners to be an alternative to the more popular radio shows, but it has it’s fans and I’m glad for everyone who tunes in! Yeah I love how many talented new and young guys and girls (let’s not forget them!) there are in the scene.
Q13: Lately the Swedish electronic scene has risen massively with artists such as Super8 & DJ Tab, David West, SamuelZone, Eric Prydz, & yourself. Why do you think the scene there is emerging more than other nations?
I really don’t know! I could guess though because there’s a good climate for being an independent musician in Sweden. It works in other sorts of music of what I know. Since there’s no real scene though we have to make the best out of it on our own, and there are great productive and inspired people here which helps bringing it forward!
Q14: If Electronic Music were to be banned, what would you do?
Haha, really tough question! I don’t know, even the music I do which is not electronic dance music, is based somewhat on electronic music. I really don’t know, I’d play in a band or something I think. Can’t live without music!
Q15: Here’s a personal question for ya: Wine and cheese or crisps and dip?
Haha! Crisps and dip, wine isn’t really my thing.
Q16: Envision this scenario: You are spinning at the very last gig of your DJ career, and a crowd of thousands from all around the world has gathered to bid you farewell. You deliver the set of your life, blowing the minds of all your fans, though the time has come for you to step down. But before you do, one last track needs to be played out, the track that would be engraved in history as Joni Ljungqvist’s final offering to his followers. What is that one single track you would select?
It would be either the Funabashi Remix of my own “Colder Than You” (just because it’s so personal for me), or the original mix of Solarstone’s “Solar Coaster”, because it’s my personal EDM favourite of all time. But, it could also be the “best tune that I haven’t produced yet”. I think in time we’ll see!
Great stuff right there Joni! Thank you for doing taking the time do make this interview happen.
You can catch Joni Ljungqvist at his very own website @ .
I would personally like to thank Proof for helping me conduct this interview.
