Jack Adams, known as Mumdance, has dedicated the last ten years to the periphery of UK club culture, creating a niche characterized by experimentation and risk. His work encompasses early grime blends with Novelist, powerful collaborations with Pinch, and the 2019 album ‘Proto’ with Logos, which melded sound system vitality with avant-garde electronic elements. The unifying aspect of his output is a desire to push boundaries, weaving techno, grime, and experimental sounds into unconventional forms.
As a DJ, Adams has earned widespread acclaim. His Radio Mumdance series aired on Rinse FM and NTS and grew into a platform for extensive sets featuring artists like DJ Stingray, Ben UFO, Josey Rebelle, and Nina Kraviz, showcasing the diversity of his musical style. After a hiatus from music in 2019, Adams returned three years later with a comprehensive digital archive of his previous works and a revitalized focus on the fringes of club sound.
He has since released four projects (MD001-MD004) in his signature innovative style, drawing from glacial jazz, rave-infused techno, dystopian electro, and pop-trance elements. Additionally, his label Different Circles, co-founded with Logos, has resurfaced after a six-year break with ‘Ping Volume One’, a various artists’ project that centers on building tracks around a single percussive hit as a rhythmic anchor.
Clash spoke with Mumdance about online communities, sonic exchanges, and the opportunities that arise from creating tracks without a kick drum.
—
—
In December 2022, you launched your first original music in four years with MD001, followed by three additional releases. The sound appears distinct from the earlier Different Circles material. What inspired you to revive the label now, after a six-year hiatus?
I view what I do as Mumdance and what we accomplish with Different Circles as quite different in terms of concepts and aesthetics. There is certainly overlap and an element of self-expression, but each has its own unique identity and direction. Different Circles is meticulously curated and revolves around specific ideas, whereas Mumdance is more spontaneous and erratic. I usually follow my curiosity and work instinctively, but always within a broad framework. I've consistently been attracted to systems thinking and the discipline of operating within creative confines.
The first phase of Mumdance was shaped by regional sounds I discovered during my travels, particularly in Mexico and Brazil. This phase is best reflected in Different Circles The Mixtape from 2010. The second phase was more introspective, concentrating on transforming UK sounds from my upbringing, evident in Twists and Turns from 2013.
Currently, I'm entering the third phase. A lot of my past work has had a darker tone, so I purposely set out to create "happy" music. In a sense, it feels somewhat subversive. The MD Series emerged from that endeavor. Each release serves as an experiment, delving into themes of euphoria and digital communication. Crafting happy music has proven to be quite challenging, but overcoming obstacles keeps the process engaging. This time, I aimed to enhance every aspect of the production process; these tracks are among my most polished yet.
For Feeling Feelings on MD003, I collaborated with vocalists Lisa and Flavia, and my talented multi-instrumentalist friend Oli Slack. We collectively crafted a soul track from scratch over several weeks. I then pitched it up and spent additional weeks transforming it into a loopy big-room track. The next release, MD005, follows a similar method; the “sample” was created from scratch as well. I've assembled around fifteen different iterations of the track over a year, exploring various tempos and styles. There is a significant focus on quality control, which I need to monitor, as I sometimes become too much of a perfectionist, which isn’t good for me!
Minimalism and refinement are key themes for both projects, though they are more pronounced in Different Circles, which inherently carries an austere aesthetic. I suppose it leans slightly more towards an academic tone, yet its core is designed for presentation at raves on substantial sound systems. The sound of Different Circles has been heavily influenced by the feedback loop between my radio show and its audience.
The weightless sound emerged from my Rinse FM broadcasts around 2013/14, during which I included musique concrète, ambient, noise, and new age alongside grime mixes. The mood generated by that eclectic mix became weightless. It wasn't defined by a single genre or element but was something that materialized in the spaces between them. The shows served as a moodboard, inspiring producers to submit music that aligned with that vibe. Over time, Weightless Volume One was created, and things evolved from that point. Recently, it appears that another wave and new sound have been developing through the radio show and the Discord community. Reviving Different Circles to showcase and document it felt like the
Joviale created their first album, 'Mount Crystal,' following an enlightening journey to a peak in Chamonix with producer Jkarri. We talk about the beginnings of the
Gwenifer Raymond, a guitarist from Wales currently based in Brighton, is a unique talent. In her live performances and through her two previous albums, she has cultivated a noticeably tactile sound.
Yazmin Lacey has released a new single titled 'Wallpaper'. The songwriter is admired for both her vocal talent and her powerful songwriting skills, with Yazmin Lacey
Clash will hold a special party at The Great Escape's First Fifty event on November 13th. This London event features some fantastic independent music venues.
Jack Adams, commonly recognized as Mumdance, has dedicated the last ten years to the edges of UK club culture, establishing a unique niche characterized by experimentation and