snakebite_616 / Nathan Jones
DJ | Producer
On the Irish techno circuit, he’s commonly known as Nathan Jones but the seasoned DJ and producer is now moving on to a new alias; snakebite_616. Although it’s a change from the name he has been playing under for ten years now, Nathan’s drive to produce and discover visceral sounds remains the same.
Since his teens, Nathan enjoyed sharing music, particularly dance music, and the feelings a certain track can evoke in an audience, so it seemed an obvious choice to try his hand at DJing. In a complete chance occurrence, he landed his first-ever gig at the renowned Electric Picnic (EP) festival at the age of 19. To give some context, a booking at the Stradbally-based event is a milestone for any Irish artist so the fact that Nathan managed to get his first gig there proved a sure sign he was doing something right. Wracked with nerves in the Forest Rave booth, the set went down well and marked a turning point for what would follow.
It’s down to Nathan’s ear for buoyant and euphoric techno combined with cosmic, spiralling melodies in equal measure that have given him longevity in the scenes of Dublin and Berlin, where he spent the latter residing before relocating back to Ireland. Since that first blessing at EP, Nathan went on to play at Berlin’s ://about blank, the now-defunct Griessmuehle and almost every club in Dublin to support Jeff Mills, Blawan, DJ Pete, Adam X, Sunil Sharpe and many more along the way.
If you already follow snakebite_616 on Instagram, you’ll have seen Nathan heaving kettlebells and showing different ways to move and engage the body which is a huge part of his daily life. This type of exercise and Nathan’s love for an assortment of techno might seem far removed from each other, but the two are intrinsically linked. Nathan explains more about his approach below, alongside a memory of an infamous night in the depths of Christchurch in 2016 which caused a storm of controversy at the time…
Photo: Aisling Lauder
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
This photo of me playing was taken at a Vision Collector party in an 800 year old crypt hidden beneath one of Ireland’s oldest churches!
I chose it not only because it was such a memorable night and the perfect setting for a dark, sweaty techno party. But because the poster itself (below) caused a lot of controversy and challenged the status quo of the Church of Ireland. The poster presented sexual images of a homosexual nature which ended up receiving a report in the Irish Times newspaper as well as a public apology from the Dean regarding the images.
I feel art and self expression can be a great way to push boundaries and create change in society, especially when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Really, the imagery in the poster was meant to inspire rather than offend and could have served as a great opportunity to bring the youth of today and church together!
Artwork: Natalie Keville
How have you found the last couple of months, lots has been going on…
Although I could find negatives in something like a lockdown, I choose to focus on the positives as I know something like this is not forever and can only be an opportunity to grow. I love what a change of pace does for my creative flow and self development. I have also had the time to work on lots of new music.
Has the pandemic affected your connection to music in any way?
At first I felt a bit lost without the possibility of clubbing for inspiration, but so many dance floor memories are attached to tracks for me. It only takes a moment to play a record and close my eyes to remember the moment I first heard it played it in a club to bring me back to that inspiring feeling. I use this technique to harness that creative energy and to transfer it to my productions and mixes in the studio.
What has been a surprisingly positive moment for you throughout all of this?
A positive moment for me has been reconnecting with friends this weekend after 3-4 months of no physical contact. I felt overwhelming gratitude and appreciation for this! I have also finished new music for a brand new record coming out this year under my new alias called snakebite_616 as well as releasing new podcasts for collectives such as RLSD, FOURFOUR and Prospekt.
As someone who incorporates a lot of movement and physical training into your daily life, do you have any advice for those who are struggling to move around or lacking any motivation to exercise during this time?
Absolutely, movement and exercise is a really big part of my life. I feel it grounds me and acts as an anchor for the DJing. I also love unconventional training and what it does for my body and mind. I've found that teaching your body to move in new ways does great things for your brain's cognitive functions. It helps you think in new ways too which is a big benefit for anyone creative.
Animal movement and kettle bells would be my weapons of choice right now!
Listen to Nathan’s latest podcast for RLSD (under his original Nathan Jones moniker) here and follow him below: