Jesusdapnk is a talented deep house producer and DJ. His music is characterized by its atmospheric soundscapes, deep basslines, and intricate rhythms, drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, including jazz, funk, and soul, and incorporates these influences into his music to create a unique and distinctive sound.
He has released several successful tracks and EPs on various record labels such as Robsoul, Nervous Records, Too Many Rules, The Basement discos, Miura, Hustler Trax, Brobot and Honne Music, while his music has been supported by numerous established artists such as Simon Dunmore, Disclosure, Mark Farina, Phil Weeks, Steve Bug, Cinthie, Demuir, Junior Sanchez, Channel Tres, and more.
He is known for his electrifying live performances and remains humble and dedicated to his craft, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in deep house music.
His debut album Summer Heartstrings – an eight track collection of heady grooves, mesmerising vocals and intoxicating atmospherics – is out now on Brobot, the respected US record label founded in 2013 by DJ and Record Producer Junior Sanchez.
Can you share some of the challenges you faced while producing your new album and how you overcame them?
Some of the challenges I faced were related to motivation. As bad as that sounds, these last two years I have been feeling very discouraged about how the music industry, particularly the electronic music scene, operates. I am an artist who puts a lot of love and passion into all my work. I make sure everything sounds fine and top-notch in my production, but lately, I’ve been feeling demotivated and unsure about how my music career will continue.
The music industry is no longer about the talent one has, the records they have released, or the record labels an artist signs to. Now the industry is about who you know, whose back you can scratch to get something in return, social media presence, and who can kiss ass better to get somewhere in the music industry. Before, the scene was about delivering quality music. The artists were appreciated, recognized, and supported for their unique sound and music. But I fear those days are long gone. Now it’s promoters who only support artists who benefit them and gatekeep others. This has created a gatekeeping culture that is ultimately toxic.
Additionally, anyone can be an overnight artist or producer now due to pre-made loops or using AI in tracks, which unfortunately lowers the value of those who actually put in the work. I’ve seen many people with no musical skill release music that sounds quality in a course of a month using pre-made material. This was a bit of a challenge while working on this album, making me question if it was even worth it, if it would get anywhere, or if people would appreciate the work I am doing. But in the end, I pushed through the insecurities and anxiety, and the thought of caring what others think or if this album will get me anywhere. At the end of the day, this is my work and my passion. It’s for me and all those who have supported me in my journey as an artist.
Which track on your new album holds a special place in your heart and why?
A track that holds a special place in my heart is “Dance With Essence.” I love this track because it is very raw. Just a TR-8 with a TB-3 and my Roland JD-Xi jamming over it. It’s a pure house track in a world of overly digitally compressed music. This track is mostly hardware-based, and its essence brings back the days of house music in the late ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s, when house music was raw, with feeling and emotion. I had a blast creating this track just with hardware, as it allowed me to put more feeling into the acid bassline and melodies. It was a solid live session that made the cut for the album.
What drew you to Brobot Records for the release of your new album, and how has the experience been working with them?
Brobot has always been amazing to me. Since I first signed with Brobot in 2015 with my track “Baked,” they have been there for me and supported every step in my career. Brobot gives me a home to release music and makes me feel loved and appreciated. I’ve released multiple EPs and singles on Brobot Records, and the support they give me is amazing. Brobot also delivers quality music and works with quality artists. Junior Sanchez and Alejandro have always made me feel at home with Brobot. They’ve allowed me to release more chill tracks that might be a risk to other house labels, as many labels in house music depend on generic club mixes. So, when it came to making an album, I thought Brobot would be an amazing label to release it, as Brobot has been there for me since my music career started. I signed with Brobot when I was 21 years old, and I am grateful to have been with them for almost 10 years now. Brobot makes sure the album is taken care of and provides amazing quality guidance with the release, as well as getting the album into the hands of fans and artists.
How do you think Brobot Records aligns with your musical vision and the direction you wanted to take with this album?
Brobot Records aligns with my views because they always prioritize the artist. Brobot makes the artists feel welcomed, loved, and at home. They deliver nothing but quality and respect. Brobot allows me to be more open with my music, and they are open to even calmer, smoother, jazzier tracks rather than just basic house music. I have more indie electronic tracks on Brobot, such as my tracks “Under Your Skin,” “On & On,” and “Tender Love,” featuring my girlfriend Ivonne Calvillo on vocals. These tracks wouldn’t have been supported by other house music record labels, but Brobot always has an eye on quality music and admires music that stands out and is outside the box. They have been nothing but supportive to me and the development of the album. The guidance, respect, and care Brobot, and specifically the label manager Alejandro, have given me is amazing. It’s a quality family vibe. Brobot respects the vision of the album and encouraged the risks and support this album takes, as it has a bit of every genre mixed, from jazzy house to acid house to electro to indie electronics. Brobot Records supported it every step of the way.
What role do you think your cultural background plays in shaping your music?
Not much, really. I don’t think my culture or race has much influence on shaping my music. Most of my music is created or shaped simply by the emotions or state of my mental health I feel at the time of jamming out and recording. I am a producer who just lets my mind flow and my fingertips do the talking on my synthesizers, drum machines, or sampler. I don’t necessarily depend on my culture or race to get to that point. In a way, I could give my parents credit for always having quality music playing since I was a kid. All disco, rock, soft rock, and ’70s love songs have been big influences on the music I make.
How do you stay motivated and inspired to keep creating fresh music in the ever-evolving deep house scene?
I stay motivated by putting myself first and staying away from the scene unless I get booked to perform. It’s important to block out what others think and how the scene moves or evolves. Music, after all, is a communication from the artist to others. For me, I produce a lot as a form of natural therapy, and if the song is good, I’ll send it to labels and release it. Music is always unique and stands out when the artist expresses and showcases their passion in their work rather than expecting something in return.
Taking care of my mental health is also important to stay motivated in music. This includes taking breaks from music production and the industry, changing the scenery of where and when I make music, and not rushing projects but returning to them with fresh ears and a fresh perspective. Another tip I would recommend is surrounding yourself with people who genuinely appreciate who you are and the music you make, and who want to see you succeed rather than fail. Surround yourself with people who talk highly about you to others behind your back instead of trying to take you down.
There are many factors to staying motivated in the electronic music scene, but simply taking breaks and taking care of both your mental and physical health are key. It’s important to have a balance with the industry, making time for family, loved ones, music, work, gigs, your health, and yourself.
Can you talk about your experience collaborating with other artists and how these collaborations have influenced your work?
When I collaborate with artists, I have to make sure I vibe with them. There needs to be a natural feeling of making music together, where you click with the artist right away. I collaborate with people who put in an equal amount of work into the production. I’ve learned that it’s important to take care of your skills and sounds and not just work for free with collaborators who are not putting in equal effort or care in what they do.
In the past, I’ve had people show up to collaborate, but all they do is bring folders of pre-made loops and drums, which I’m not about at all. I like to jam on a keyboard, sampler, or drum machine, and not have my music depend on pre-made loops or material. A solid collaboration involves taking turns jamming on a keyboard, adding unique musical elements from each person, and creating a track that stands out and showcases the unique talent of both artists.
I collaborate with artists I know will contribute their share of the music. Recently, I’ve been collaborating a lot with my girlfriend Ivonne Calvillo. We simply vibe and pump out tracks with the foundation of just enjoying the process and seeing where things go. When I collaborate with artists and feel that we vibe, we usually collaborate more often, sharing our production tips along the way.
I once collaborated with a group of musicians, but the vibe felt off with one of the members who wanted to produce in his own way and wasn’t open to how I work. We ended up making a dope track, but the vibe and love weren’t there, so it didn’t work out. It’s important to work with people who appreciate your work and respect you as an artist. It’s also important to collaborate with people who respect your time and presence in a session. For me personally, it is not easy to get days off to make music, so if I agree to collaborate, it should be common sense to respect the time of others.
How do you balance running your label, Good Luck Penny, with your career as a producer and DJ?
It’s key to balance things in life. The number one priority is not being overwhelmed, burning yourself out, and taking care of your mental health. As of this year, I took a break from releasing on Good Luck Penny in 2024. There have been no releases on GLP this year as I had so much on my plate and focused on production and the album mostly. This year, I focused more on releasing music on quality labels because if my music gets out to more listeners from quality record labels, those listeners will eventually see that I have a record label and start exploring the catalog I have on Good Luck Penny. The music industry is not a race, and you need to focus on the quality that you are going to deliver.
In 2025, I am thinking of solely releasing on GLP and managing and owning my own music. So this year, I’ve been thinking of ways to freshen up the label and continue delivering quality. Breaks are extremely important and essential. Managing my career as a producer, as I’ve said, making music is natural therapy for me. I don’t have a deadline or a specific goal for where the music goes. If my mind expresses quality music, then I’ll share it.
With DJ bookings, I try not to play consecutively as I also work in an Urgent Care facility and need rest for my mental and physical health. I used to play extended sets three days consecutively after working a full week at Urgent Care, and my body and mind were depleted. When I DJ, I always want to make sure I am at my best and provide quality so that the listeners and party-goers will go home remembering my music and my set. Even if I get to the point of living off music and DJ gigs, I would probably just want to play 2-3 times a month and charge a decent fee. I don’t want to overwhelm myself, especially in the electronic music industry where there is a lot of drug influence and late nights.
What are some of your favorite tools and software in the studio that you can’t live without?
I would say my TR-8 is always an essential tool for my tops, drums, and snare rolls. I would also mention my Akai MK3, as it allows me to make music wherever I am, instantly. I think being able to make music portably or on the go is key, as sometimes when I make music in a studio, I feel stumped for ideas. I like going to my local brewery, sitting by the patio with my headphones, MacBook, and MK3, and just jamming out. I have constant fresh ideas because I am in an environment that’s not a locked studio room. I am in an environment that’s free and always gives me new ideas, sometimes just by observing the outside of the brewery patio or people walking by. Something always sparks an idea versus forcing my mind in a studio room.
Another key piece of hardware is my TB-3, as it allows me to pump out dope acid basslines on the fly, and my Kawai K3 synthesizer for whenever I want to find dope retro Japan-style sounds, chords, pads, etc. I use Logic Pro as my main DAW, and to be honest, to this day, I mostly use stock plugins. I often use Ultrabeat for additional drums, fills, and grooves, or crash layers, and Logic’s Remix FX plugin, which is amazing for delivering effects on pads or vocals. Some software plugins I bought that I like to use are Effectrix, Sylenth, and—though this may be controversial—I absolutely love the Endless Smile plugin. It works wonders on effects, vocals, and breaks.
How do you approach creating a setlist for a live performance, and what factors do you consider to ensure it resonates with the audience?
I often don’t create setlists for live performances. Instead, I prepare stacks of tracks I love and let the vibes of the gigs guide my play. It’s important to know how to read the room and let the event’s atmosphere direct me. I like to mix like a movie or a story, starting calm and grooving, then gradually building to a climax, always guided by the vibe of the gig.
It’s not about playing one banger after another, it’s about reading the crowd and creating a memorable experience. To this day, I play with six USBs, some as old as 2011, and just vibe. I’m used to playing extended sets of 4-8 hours, so it’s crucial to know your music. I label my playlists by year and jam. The playlists on my USBs range from 300 to 500 tracks, ensuring I have plenty of music and vibes ready for any event or gig, delivering a top-notch musical experience for partygoers.