With his own tracks and remixes in set rotation by major DJs, Topher Jones appears poised to turn into a major dance music producer. A Midwest native, he saw his remix of Gareth Emery’s “The Saga” drop on March 11 as part of Garuda Music’s Miami Mixes Collection.
That’s not the only recent release from Jones. As a treat for fans but also to showcase his versatility of remixing across multiple genres, the Topher Jones fREeMIX EP – ‘The Grammy’s’ came out online at the same time. The free EP includes his interpretations of songs by Skrillex, Rihanna, and fun.
Last year, Jones made a name for himself with single “Brohammer,” which was released through Ultra and landed in the Beatport top 10. Other remixes have come out on Ultra, Garuda, and OWSLA.
To support these recent releases, Jones is currently in the midst of his Hello North America tour, which began in March and ends in June with two dates at Spring Awakening in Chicago. As he does a series of U.S. dates, we spoke with Jones over email.
How did you get the opportunity to do a remix for Gareth Emery?
Topher Jones: Gareth was a huge supporter of my track “Brohammer,” and he wanted to hear my take on “The Saga” in a “Brohammer”-styled mix. He really loved it and I’m happy with how it turned out.
Why did you decide to give the track more of an electro house angle?
Topher Jones: Gareth wanted something in that style, and I felt it really fit with the track.
“Brohammer” got a fair amount of attention in 2012. How did you feel about this?
Topher Jones: I loved it. Anytime any song or show gets a lot of attention, it’s great. The support and reaction from the song has been awesome. I love how people have gotten on board with “Dropping the Brohammer!”
Why did you decide to the The Grammy’s EP?
Topher Jones: I made some bootlegs that I’d been playing in my sets, and they’ve really been working on the dance floor. I love making bootlegs of songs. It’s important to me to make sure I have a version that can fit in my sets. I love all of the original versions of those songs.
Do you have any remixes or new material coming up?
Topher Jones: I just did a remix of Steve Aoki and Anger Dimmas’ “Singularity.” Should be coming out on Dim Mak at the end of April. There are a few other things in the works that I can’t talk about yet.
Do you have plans for an album, or are you primarily focusing on new remixes and singles?
Topher Jones: I would love to do an album, but I think it needs to make sense. Hopefully in the next year or so it will make sense.
You’ve been producing for 10 years. How did you get started?
Topher Jones: I began producing in 2005 in my sophomore year of college. I just started making ideas on my laptop and experimented a lot. I was terrible and really had no idea what I was doing back then.
How has your gear changed over this time?
Topher Jones: I started out with Logic and am still using Logic. I love the program and feel very comfortable in it. The only thing that has changed is the plug-ins I’m using. They keep getting better and better.
You moved to Chicago after college. What’s your perspective on the city’s dance music scene?
Topher Jones: I moved to Chicago in 2010 right after I moved back to the States from living in England. The dance music scene here is very healthy and strong. House music originated here, so people know what dance music is all about and the roots of where it has come from. It’s definitely one of the best markets in the world!
