Introducing: Armeria

Listening back to Armeria‘s official debut single, ‘Not the Same’/’Everyday’, it’s hard not to get swept in the dancefloor romance cultivated by the frighteningly young Leeds producer. The man behind the alias, 19-year-old Jake Norman, spins sparkling slabs of resplendent modern house; tracks full of a wide-eyed optimism that only someone as fresh-faced as the Yorkshire youngster could create. Seeing release on Toyboy & Robin‘s Cool Kid Music imprint, it’s safe to say that the prodigal beatmaker is not only milling in the right circles, but has one of the best possible supporting casts to boot.

PlanetPrime Planet: You’re still only 19-years-old, which makes us feel VERY old. Have you always been a musical guy? How did you get your start as a producer?
Jake Norman: Hah! Well if it makes you feel any better, I’m 20 in less than a month. I started learning piano at about eight or nine, which taught me to read music and the classical side of it. My granddad gave me an old guitar of his, so I really delved into music for myself then. Mainly listening to indie stuff at first, like The National and Arcade Fire. Then, a friend started showing me tunes by Henry Krinkle, Bondax, Kraak and Smaak, and the first Disclosure tunes. Which made me really want to try my hand at producing, because they were creating amazingly melodic dance tracks, that weren’t just about the beat and the rhythm. Then my mate from school, Sam Knowles, became Karma Kid. So, learning the ropes became a lot easier with his help.

PP: Over the last year, you’ve produced some sublime remixes. For you, what makes a great remix?
JN: I think a great remix is all about switching into a completely different mood; so much so that it makes you feel like you’re hearing the track all over again. I really love it when people don’t change the vocal at all, but just completely write the remix around it as if it’s another track. It also makes a massive difference when you can tell people have really thought about the artists they’re remixing and done it respectfully.

PP: When you’re considering whether you’d like to remix something, what’s the most important quality you look for in the track you’re reworking?
JN: Again, I’d say it’s all about the vocal. If it’s got a gorgeous vocal on it, things become a lot easier. Along with maybe having some nice background sounds that you could use for atmosphere. That and it’s got to be a pretty cool track to be on; one that you admire on it’s own, so that you’re properly into making a good remix for it.

PP: Your first official EP has just come out on Cool Kid Music. How did you first come to be affiliated with Toyboy & Robin?
JN: I suppose through being in the same sort of scene you get to know each other, especially when you’re trying to make friends in the area. I’d been speaking to Rob loads online and then I met him at a private gig in Sheffield. When we met I was drinking coffee behind the decks, which probably made me seem pretty tame in hindsight [laughs], and then we got talking from there.

PP: And, what can we expect next from you? Anything you’d like to tell us about?
JN: Next up, there’s a couple of remixes to come out before the end of the year. But then hopefully looking at another longer 4-track EP early next year. Full of disco-tinged tunes with the odd guitar and proper original vocals. I’m working towards that now. Then, I really want to get a live show up and running, but that’ll be next year sometime.

PP: Finally, you’re being sent into space and while there you can only eat one meal, drink one beverage and spin one record for a whole year. What do you choose and why?
JN: Wow, erm… This is pretty hard because I love so much food. Maybe some sort of really good sandwich with salt beef in it, on really tasty focaccia bread with a nice mustard and some tomatoes. Failing that, any French salad with a really nice dressing, probably some goats cheese and a little cured meat. To drink, probably Amaretto and orange juice. But I don’t think that’s wise to live off, so the chocolate fudge brownie Frijj milkshake. Spinning one record is easy: it’s ‘Dreams‘ by Fleetwood Mac because it’s the perfect blend of melancholy and danceability, and it always makes me feel good about myself for some reason.

– Alex Cull

‘Not the Same’/’Everyday’ is available now on Cool Kid Music. You can buy it here.