Video: discotech promoter and DJ Jordan Diston on how it all started and playing in Ibiza
A local brand started by a group of friends in a pub which has grown to play parties in Ibiza is hosting an event bringing the sound of the White Isle to Notts.
Jordan Diston, 26, is one of the owners of discotech, which aim to put on events with ‘good quality music provided by a solid foundation of residents and guest DJs’.
The genres of music featured at their events ranges from stripped-back, minimal house to garage, according to Jordan, in the hope of hosting an ‘eclectic night’.
It started in one of Jordan’s friend’s pubs with a group of his closest friends in Derby.
And now, following parties in Ibiza and across the UK, discotech is hosting an event at the Lacehouse for the first time on Saturday (January 26) with Ibiza DJ Michael James headlining.
Jordan spoke to Jake Brigstock about how the brand grew, key influences and partying on the White Isle.
“It all started in the back of my mate’s pub with a group of lads who like to party, have a laugh and listen to good music.
There wasn’t much in Derby that offered that sort of thing and we were all DJs at the time so we thought, why not try and set up an event?
We’ve been lucky the party grew and grew in the six years we’ve put them on and we’ve been very blessed to take it around the UK.
discotech is a party ran by party people – proper underground music, a decent sound system and like minded people.
We have some really talented selectors play for us; Scott and Dave who run the night with me are both really passionate about what we do and it’s great to work with my mates.
It makes it fun, which is what it should be.
We’ve had some great DJs play for us over the years most recently including FUSE London’s Seb Zito and Rossko, Burnski, Adam Shelton, Subb-an, Laura Jones, Acid Mondays, Alex Arnout, DC10’s Clive Henry and also cult names like Nail, Eddie Richards and Inland Knights.
We’ve even managed to take it over to Ibiza and worked closely with The Zoo Project, a night run on the White Isle.
The Zoo Project came and did a festival in Castle Donington a few years ago and when they came over, they were looking for local parties and they heard about discotech.
We got on really well with them when we played there and from then, they came and did some parties over in Derby and asked us to come over to play in Ibiza.
It doesn’t get much better than that really! Safe to say it’s incredible every year we do it.
When we first started going out raving, we went to these parties in the middle of nowhere; Smokescreen and DiY were our main influences.
They were a massive inspiration for me really.
DiY Discs is a record label all of us have massive respect for and I still play a lot of them out today – they really are timeless records.
When I started going at the age of 16, there was nothing better than the rush of finding the party, getting the location on the night, finding our way to it and listening to this amazing music for days – that’s how we got into it really.
I’m into all types of music; jazz, hip-hop, funk and soul, classical… I think it’s really important to have a broad music knowledge.
Looking for music is very much a hobby of mine, I love a good dig!
I learnt to play straight on CDJs originally playing drum-and-bass; coincidentally, my friend’s older brother who is now a discotech resident got some decks and I was round there all the time mixing and getting into it.
I think I picked it up quite quickly which was a good incentive to keep doing it because I’ve tried to play musical instruments in the past and, to be honest, I was pants at them!
I thought, ey up I can actually do this!
At the Lacehouse, we’ve got The Zoo Project resident Michael James headlining, and he’s been smashing it at the moment.
Over the summer, he’s played in Ibiza for the likes of DC10, Pacha and also Carl Cox’s Game Over.
His releases are piling up too with recent support from Enzo Siragusa, iO Mulen and White Isle heavyweights Apollonia.
Tt’s the first time we’ve used the Lacehouse and the venue is great.
It’s all about having a nice stripped back venue with an intimate setting where we can come and make this our own.
It’s a new venture and we like to keep things fresh – we like to move from venue to venue to make the parties more interesting.
As long as there are good people behind the venue and the space is right, we’re up for trying it.”
