Hailing from Brooklyn, NYC, we’re glad to share today a bouncy and eclectic mix signed by BATTYJACK, a talented black queer artist who is also a member of the production and artist collective KUNQ. As always, the mix is available via SoundCloud, Mixcloud and for free download. It also comes with an interview of the artist that you can read below.

HighClouds: Can you introduce yourself to the readers who don’t know BATTYJACK yet?

BATTYJACK: My actual name is D’hana Perry but I perform as Battyjack and I’ve been DJing and creating spaces for queer and trans people since 2004. I got my start when I was living in Boston where I eventually met Rizzla after train wrecking my way through a set at a friend’s party lol. A few months after we met, we started a Tuesday night party called NULIFE at a tiny restaurant/bar called Zuzu!, and that was where we founded the media art and music collective KUNQ. Now we all live in New York City and the collective includes (in no ranking order) False Witness, FXWRK, Shyboi, Micah Domingo, Kilbourne, Rizzla, Studn1t, and me.

Aside from being a DJ, I do other work in media art. My primary artwork “LOOSE” is a live a/v documentary performance, and I’ve had the pleasure of performing and showing it at various universities and galleries; most recently at the Brooklyn Museum for the Black Queer Brooklyn on Film Series, shown in conjunction with the We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women,1965-1985 exhibition. This coming fall I’ll be starting a Master’s program at the Parson’s School of Design, and I also work full-time in public health with a focus on trans health access.

How would you describe your music and production style?

I would say I’m more of a DJ and media artist than I am a proper producer, but the foundation for my current sound is rooted in riot grrl, punk, indie, jungle, reggae, synthwave and top 40. With KUNQ, sonically we draw from dancehall, rap, vogue beats, regional club music, harder techno sub-genres and other genres from around the globe. As a collective, our goal was to express a more aggressive sound and stance in queer nightlife; I’d say we work in opposition to those who blindly idealize 70’s/80’s era white gay male culture. To that end, the work being produced within the group is unique, both musically and in terms of our strong socio-political messaging. It’s interesting, there is no hierarchy and no obligation to meet regularly. We collaborate when we want to, and create work individually and within the group as well. Sometimes we take breaks from production and return to it if/when we want to. By some stroke of luck, we all speak a similar language and just really vibe off of each other. Honestly, the formation of this collective continues to inspire me every day. It’s definitely a privilege to have access to a cadre of this caliber, to workshop ideas and projects.

You have shared the stage with a lot of queer artists, like Le1f, Juliana Huxtable, Mykki Blanco, and you were actually recommended to us by JD Samson. When did you realize yourself you were a genderqueer person and is it important for you to openly claim it?

It’s really easy for people to assume that I’m male identified by just looking at me, but there hasn’t been a day in my life when I’ve felt 100% male or female. I know I’m not a woman and at the same time, I’ve never said “yes, I’m definitely a man!”. So you know, my gender expression can be a bit binary, but my actual gender identity sits pretty happily in the center of the spectrum.

This can get a little tricky in terms of how some people in queer communities define what it means to be GNC, non-binary or genderqueer. Sometimes I worry about being turned away from events that are designated for women and non-binary people because of how I look. In this regard, I think the imagination we cling to regarding what a genderqueer person is “supposed” to look like needs to be examined.

“We need to rethink how queer people use the word “community”, because our borders are porous and each person’s definition of a safe space is different.” BATTYJACK

In your opinion, how can we give more visibility and offer a safe space to genderqueer people?

Well I think we need to start by redefining what a safe space is, and how it’s regulated. Often times in club culture we place too much emphasis on using exclusivity as tool to create ideal social spaces, without thinking about how to resolve issues and de-escalate tense situations. We never think anything bad will happen in a space that is designated to be safe – until something bad happens. There’s an assumption that hanging a sign the door with the rules of conduct will automatically filter out unhealthy or undesirable behavior.

Being a part of a community assumes a certain level of responsibility to each other, and we all know that we are all capable of harming others whether it’s intentional or not. Conflict also becomes inevitable as niche spaces become exposed to and then co-opted by larger audiences. So I think folks need to rethink how queer people use the word “community”, because our borders are porous and each person’s definition of a safe space is different, because each person’s boundaries are different from our own.

Recently, we learnt that Coachella’s owner is financially supporting anti-equality groups. Some artists, like LGBT advocate Lady GaGa, still perform on their stages. Have you already decided to not play in a venue by integrity? Do you think it is a useful way to support communities?

Equality backlash on this scale requires economic means to be perpetuated. Given the social climate we’re living in right now, if you continue to fuck with someone who is blatantly bigoted and anti-equality, then you aren’t an ally or an advocate for anyone.

Sometimes, supporting and offering a safe space to a community (like genderqueer people or women) is achieved by excluding another category of people. In Sweden, for instance, there is now a festival only open to women. On a personal level, do you think this is a right way to deal with this issue?

I’ll say this. I’m Black, masculine, trans, queer, raised female, and spent the vast majority of my life socializing in women’s communities, so I have no problem with supporting exclusive spaces – they are necessary – but they don’t have to be divisive. For a space to be more safe, three basic things need to happen: 1) outsiders need to have respect for designated spaces, 2) how we police intentional spaces needs to be reexamined regularly and with transparency, and 3) the venue management needs to support the event producers, and the patrons. Compassion is the key to it all.

If you had to recommend another DJ to be featured in our series, who would it be?

Ushka

Connect with BATTYJACK via Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud.

If you are a loyal reader of HighClouds, you know that we set up a mix series where we only feature female and genderqueer DJ and producer. There are so many talented people out there who don’t have the chance to get the attention they deserve because of their gender, appearance, or sexual orientation. Our guest today, JD Samson, has been an advocate for this cause for many years now.

JD Samson‘s career really started in 2000 when she joined Le Tigre. For some years, the electro-rock trio has released iconic tracks while spreading strong and necessary political and feminist messages. In 2007, JD Samson formed MEN with her fellow Le Tigre‘s member Johanna Fateman. MEN have also been addressing issues such as trans awareness, wartime economies, sexual compromise, and demanding liberties. In parallel to all those outlets, the artist has become an international and iconic DJ and we are so proud to welcome her today on our desk for a one-hour disco-deep house mix. As always, it’s available on SoundCloud, MixCloud and for free download. We also had a very interesting chat with JD Samson. Listen to the mix and read our interview below!

HighClouds: We created this mix series because we think that female artists deserve more space and attention in a male-dominated music industry. We always face varied reactions when asking women what it is to work in such a “macho club”, as Björk would say. Some producers, like Coucou Chloe, seem to be fed up with those gender-related questions while others, like Madame Gandhi, are definitely playing the positive discrimination card and embracing all the possible ways to take patriarchy down. Where do you stack up on this spectrum?

That is a great question. To be honest, I think I’m in a bit of a transitional moment with all of this. For so long, my practice was related to being overtly out. As a feminist, a genderqueer, and a political activist. I think that most of that was for the sake of visibility, but as things develop within the industry and beyond, I think I’m a bit sick of being tokenized. Put on a bill because I’m just those things, rather than put on a bill because I’m good, or because people like my DJ sound. At the same time, there needs to be more visibility within some communities including electronic music, and from my point of view there really needs to be some serious visibility to transmen and female masculinity within the electronic music scene.

Of course, we don’t feature artists just because of their gender but because we first love their music. Nevertheless, treating women of the industry with special attention could actually feed sexism in a way (a bit like having award categories separated by genders). How could we approach and address this issue with respect and progress?

I think of feminism as an umbrella concept, I think it involves including not only women but queers, POC and trans people to be involved equally or put on bills equally is the only way to go. it gives us all an opportunity to grow and build our profile, as well as be paid for once. 🙂

Une publication partagée par jd samson (@jd_samson) le 21 Nov. 2017 à 11h37 PST

Rihanna recently declared that she was not casting trans models for her cosmetic campaign as she doesn’t want to use them as a token. How can we identify and define the line between representation and tokenisation?

I think Rihanna was saying she will hire a woman, trans or cis, depending on if they are right for the campaign, but she doesn’t want to hire transwomen just because they are trans. I think a lot of times tokenization is really just part of capitalism. it is a marketing tool to make your brand “look good” be “relevant” etc. When actually we need jobs and to be treated as equals.

You have been pretty outspoken about your own anxieties on being used as a token. Which advice can you give to other artists who are scared of being openly queer and making mistakes as a spokesperson?

I think sincerity goes a long way. It is incredibly important to maintain your integrity as a human and as an artist and those are the things to focus on. Wherever your heart, mind, body and soul can come together, is where you should be.

You play in a lot of queer hetero-friendly festivals. There is now an initiative in Sweden to create a festival where only women will be allowed. This event will be organized as an answer to sexual acts of violence towards women in some Swedish mainstream festivals. How do you feel about this and what do you have to say to men who feel excluded?

Welcome to what we have felt for the past few hundred years. These spaces can be super powerful and safe for women to experience. We have experienced a lot of trauma and this space is important for us to share and come together as a community. It isn’t against men, it is for women.

Besides being known for your career with Le Tigre and MEN, you’re also a famous DJ. About your clubbing experience, what kind of evolution have you seen in the LGBTQI clubbing scene and what is made to create a safer space for everyone?

The scene is so different everywhere, and for the most part, it differs based on the promoters. Cities have such variations of Queer parties. The biggest change is that there are so many options. I often arrive and wonder what kind of music I am expected to play because it varies so much. I do wish people were more open-minded in the queer community in terms of music genre. I wish the safe space would flow to the DJ booth so that we were trusted to take people on a journey.

Une publication partagée par jd samson (@jd_samson) le 4 Sept. 2017 à 18h16 PDT

Some of the songs of Le Tigre are still being used as queer/feminist anthems. While making music together, have you felt it was going to last this long?

Yes, to be honest. Those records were magic, the shows were revolutions. And it wasn’t me or Kathleen or jo that created that. It was our entire community of people that threw their energy in together to be political and joyful and smart and angry at the same time. We loved each other and supported each other and we didn’t have cell phones.

Knowing a bit more about our series now, who would you recommend us to feature?

Battyjack (editor’s note: BATTYJACK (aka D’hana Perry ) is a Brooklyn based DJ & video artist with the KUNQ production and artist collective.)

Lastly, can you write a few words about this HighClouds mix and artists or tracks that you decided to feature?

I went deep in on this one. I just went for things I was feeling with my eyes closed.

Follow JD Samson over Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check the tracklist of her amazing mix below.

JD SAMSON – HighClouds mix tracklist:

This Is The Way- Nebraska

Listen (Original Mix)- Chopstick & Johnjon

Instant Groove- Dr. Packer

C’est Ca- Doc L. Junior

Supernatural- Marc Evans

Endless Summer (Soulphiction Remix)- Alma Negra

Everything (Timmy Regisford’s Re-Touch)- Noelle

Friends (Detroit Swindle Friends On Acid Remix)- Seven Davis Jr.

Let The Music Take Me- Patrice Rushen

On & On (Panna Mix)- Pastaboys

Peaches and Prunes (Ron Hardy Edit)- Nightlife Unlimited

Got To Have You (Whiskey Barons Re-Edit)- Joanne Wilson

Get Up (Just John Mix)- John Waynes

Nothing Stays the Same (Victor Simonelli Lost in the Groove Mix)- MDVSLR Featuring Mike Dunn

Time Keeps Marching On (Mike Dunn KenLou Trib MixX)- Jungle Wonz

Adventures In Bricketwood (Layne Fox Remix)- Mudd

Love Affair (Original Mix)- Le Babar