Interview: IRIS

It’s been some time since we last dropped a #girlsrule feature interview and mix on the Turnstyle site, and there is no better time than now. With this edition we head across the country to Seattle, Washington to find out a bit more about one of my faves – DJ Iris! She is a very talented American Producer & DJ who has released music on so many seminal drum and bass record labels. A few you may have heard of – Metalheadz, Hospital, C.I.A., Dispatch, Commercial Suicide, Guidance, Innerground, Intrigue Music, and there are so many more! She will be headed to the RVA to play a debut area set on July 19th at Ember Music Hall for Electric Jungle 4. It’s def time to #getexcited about the drum & bass! #LFG Richmond VA!

I hit a ton of events regularly, and I know firsthand that It can be mega loud and very crazy in clubs and at raves, so it’s nice to find out a bit more about some of our favorite dj’s through their own words. Big ups to Karen (Iris) for taking time to answer our questions, and a very large up to the readers and mid-atlantic dance floor tribe! See you in the jungle soon lighter crew.
– Joanna O.

JOANNA: How long have you been a dj / producer? How and when did you get started?

IRIS: I started DJing in about 2001 with a handful of records and some nice friends who let me borrow time on their decks before I was able to finally get my own, two 1200s which I still own today. I spent a LOT of time as a bedroom DJ and didn’t play much more than house parties until about 2010 when I got more seriously into DnB. I used to go weekly to DnB Tuesdays open decks until they gave me my first gig. For production I’d poked around in Fruity Loops and Cubase a bit, but didn’t really get into it until about a year after Leigh (Quadrant) and I got married and he convinced me it would be fun to make music together. After our first track got signed to Metalheadz we figured we were pretty good working together and decided to continue on.

JOANNA: Who are a few of your current favorite artists and labels?

IRIS: This one is always a hard one to make sure that I get in everyone I love!  For labels, Sofa Sound, CIA, 1985, Carbon, play:musik, DRKMTTR, Architecture, Audio Tactics.  I’ve been hearing rumor of Quarantine coming back into action so I’ll pre-emptively put that in here. For artists: Break, Philth, Ed:it, Sweetpea, HLZ, Klippee, Homemade Weapons, Black Yukon Sucker Punch, Kemal (this feels really good to say), Submotive, Missledz, Kublai, Minor Forms, Molecular, Cern, Genic, SD, Kid Drama, Kyrist, Teebee, Calyx, Boycot and I’ll stop myself there before I get too going.

JOANNA: What equipment do you mix / produce with?

IRIS: This list is probably about as big as the list of favorite artists and labels. Bitwig has been our DAW since about 2020, we made the switch from Ableton and never looked back. Outside of that we have a whole host of favorite plugins and some hardware synths we also love playing with. For software the usual suspects with Serum (though we’ve been playing more with phase plant lately). Most of our drums are built in Addictive Drums. Anything from U-HE is a win, Valhalla DSP has the best reverbs around. I personally love Portal and Thermal as well, plus Skaka for shakers. For hardware our analogue heat usually makes an appearance in just about any track we put out, usually on the bass. Its hard to make a bad sound come out of it. Also special mentions to our Hydrasynth and Novation Peak.

JOANNA: Tell me about your best gig ever.   

IRIS: If I have to pick just one I suppose it would be our second Sun and Bass (first one is probably in second place). Sun and Bass is always an event where DJs and Producers bring out their best music and sets so it really pushes you as an artist to do the same. Our first Sun and bass we played at Ripping, but really nothing can compare to the vibes produced from the inside room at Ambra Night. It’s packed to the gills, you’re playing for all your peers, its sweaty and people are dancing like mad. It’s not a particularly big venue or room, but everyone in there is there because they really really love dnb.

JOANNA: Can I get a tip or word of advice for the younger dj’s / producers in the scene?

IRIS: The barrier to entry for both DJing and Production is lower than ever right now, and that’s great because so many people have access now! That being said the learning and development process is still a marathon not a sprint. There’s no short-cut to developing production skills, it’s a lot of work! It can be tedious and even boring at times. So if you’re going to get into it do it because you really love it, not because you’re trying.

(Photos above of Iris: Provided by Karen Caplan)

Scope this most amazing Iris Liquid DNB Mix for Riya & Collette Warren’s KOOL FM radio show:

Find out more about DJ iris at her website – IRISDNB.COM. Also catch DJ Iris headlining the next Electric Jungle RVA event at Ember Music Hall alongside New Zealand’s – KILJOY (Function Records, UK), Rubble & Ranks (Cadence, Washington, DC) & Joanna O. w/ MC J Split on Friday, July 19th, Ages 21+, 9 pm – 2 am, Advance Tickets $15 @ E-tix. Happy anniversary Ember Music Hall! Last one of the Summer!