Metronome #089: Just A Gent

Insomniac’s Metronome series features mixes from some of today’s fastest-rising electronic stars, as well as championed legends. It takes listeners deep across a wide range of genres, movements, cultures, producers, artists and sounds that make up the diverse world of electronic music.

At age 8, I was playing with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and riding my bike for fun. Just A Gent, née Jacob Grant, was diving into the world of production. When the young artist finally came up for air eight years later, his native Australia was at the forefront of dance music, and he was ready to take his place as one of its leading figures. It’s not hard to understand why one of his earliest records, a remix of American Authors’ “Best Day of My Life,” racked up over 1 million plays and landed a coveted #1 spot on Hype Machine. The musicality Grant expressed in just under five minutes conveyed an emotional depth many artists spend their entire careers chasing after.

With his musical idols now converted to his most dedicated supporters, Grant has since toured the world, rapidly amassed global fans, gained commercial radio support, and expanded his catalog of official remixes and originals that ooze sexy note for note—all while still attending high school. As his star continued to rise, he found himself at a critical crossroads. He decided his career in music could not wait, and he took the dive once again—this time trading textbooks for top hats and festival stages.

Currently on tour, the debonair dealer of lush sounds explores new ground on his recently released Stories to Tell EP, a sentimental ballad through luscious bass and future beats, which he lovingly dubs lovetronic, lovetrap and lovestep. Likewise, on his Metronome mix, Just A Gent traverses the full range of human emotion and beyond.

Your dad was a singer-songwriter. How did his influence help establish your own sound?
I played my first-ever DJ sets under dad’s business name for weddings and parties, and he really helped me get some more experience in the live music world. He also used to help me write my own lyrics when I was a kid. He was never a huge fan of electronic music, but I’ve slowly converted him.

You started playing at clubs long before you were old enough to legally attend them. How much of a shock was club culture to you at that young age?
It’s just as I expected, although I wished more people went for the music [laughs].

You left high school to pursue you career in music. How did you decide that was the right choice for you?
I always loved high school, mostly just for the social aspect; some of my classes I really enjoyed, like multimedia, etc. When I realized I could do music full-time, I just knew it was the right call. Even my mum told me I shouldn’t think twice about it and just do it, so I did.

Are there things you feel like you missed out on as a result?
Many things—lots of parties, lots of bonding. Here in Australia, we have a thing called schoolies, and all the graduates go and party on the Gold Coast; it’s pretty loose.

Your version of Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘n’ Nite” is spectacular. How did you conceptualize the whole idea, and how did it take shape?
I knew I wanted to redo the track, so I just ripped the acappella off somewhere online and went hard at remixing the track. Once I had a basic idea, I sent it off to the vocalists, and they were hyped. We jumped in and rehearsed and brought along some strings, and wham—it was ready.

Newcastle is about 100 miles away from Sydney. How do you think the lockouts there have affected the music scene?
Lockout laws are killing the scene. It sucks a lot, but there are so many people trying to fight them, and I don’t think it will last forever. I never got to see Sydney without the lockout laws, but I know it’s a totally different place. Even since I started playing clubs around three years ago, so many venues have closed, and fewer and fewer people are heading out into town.

Why do you think people have gravitated toward future bass so much recently, especially considering its depth of emotion when compared to other forms of dance music?
I think because the genre is so enjoyable, both at home and in the club—like how it was in the progressive house boom—whereas other types of dance music are way more club-orientated.

Track List:: Just A Gent “Pure Imagination VIP”
Just A Gent & Kasbo “Sovereign”
Point Point “All This”
Mr. Carmack “Solutions”
Alison Wonderland “U Don’t Know” (Just A Gent Remix)
isqa “Fluster Fuck”
Patrick Reza “Take Me Away” (isqa Remix)
Flux Pavillion “I Can’t Stop”
Flux Pavillion x Ekali “I Can’t Stop” (Just A Tune Edit)
Vincent “Her” (Just A Tune Flip)
Kid Cudi “Day ‘n’ Nite” (Just A Gent Remix)
Kehlani “Gangsta” (Vincent Flip)
Marshmello “Alone” (Xan Griffin Remix)
Clams Casino “I’m God” (San Holo Remix)
Skrillex “VIPs” (Gent & Jawns Remix)
Kill the Noise & Feed Me “I Do Coke” (Topi Flip)
Just A Gent “Art Department”
Just A Gent “Warlock Masquerade”
Seven Lions “Cusp” (Just A Tune x Last Heroes Flip)
Stormzy “Scary”
Noisia “Voodoo”
Buji “Back Like I Never Left”
Just A Gent “Heavy as a Heartbreak VIP”