While most of us were ditching work for the beach, BBQs and festivals this past summer, young up-and-comer Jackson Ryland seems to have been on a strict regiment of producing, mixing and creating.
Ryland released a podcast for HOR earlier this year, as well as a few tracks he’d been holding onto for a while, but what’s earning him a bit of attention is his 10 minute sample of roughly 7 tracks he’s been working on. Taking a cue from 2 Bit Crew, Ryland refers to it as a “mini-mix†and it serves as a solid primer for the official release. “I appreciate anyone who takes time to listen to anything I put on the internet,†says Ryland. His modesty suggests he really isn’t doing this for much more than creative passion.  “I’m not really into playing the numbers game, but I am grateful for my close friends and fellow producers who have taken the time to support some of these tracks.†One of those producers is Justin Nourha (Jus Nowhere) and together they have “a hefty slate of tracks.†The details remain under the radar, but Ryland and Nourha are “incredibly excited†to be working together.
Ryland’s foray into music began at an early age. Both his siblings were self-taught musicians and that sort of DIY approach stuck with him. “After years of observing and understanding layers and patterns to a variety of house music genres – and a significant amount of trial and error – I focused on what parts of house I liked and started producing my own material,†says Ryland. After hearing Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.,†Ryland caught the “dance music bug,†as he refers to it, and never looked back. “Until last year, I was in Orlando for the four years that I really got involved with pretty much every form of dance music.†It was that curiosity that let him hone in on house and deep house. Now that he’s living in the District, Ryland finds himself becoming more and more involved with the growing house scene here.
In an attempt to be approachable and more of “an open book†about his productions, Ryland eschews the ways of “all the enigmatic, dark, deep house producers out there†by releasing his unsigned work to the masses and his attitude couldn’t be more refreshing. “You could make the argument that I’m jaded and find no mysticism in the house production process.  Or, in a more optimistic light, I have no secrets. Like it, hate it, this is what I’ve been working on.â€
Aside from spending his time steeped in production, Ryland is also the content director for PnutButterJams, a music blog he and a few friends began back in 2010 while attending college in Orlando. PnutButterJams was created to be nothing more than a way for friends to share music, but within a year, it grew to be much more. Not only did their entire campus know about the project, but people were logging in from Mongolia, China, even Indonesia. “I don’t think we ever thought we were doing anything special, other than sharing our taste in music. I still find it astounding that certain labels and artists actually take us quasi-seriously,†Ryland says with a chuckle.
His laid back attitude translates to his vision for the future as well. When asked where he hopes to see his production and writing take him, Ryland says that his “career is a question mark.†“I can’t predict what the weather’s going to be tomorrow,†Ryland adds, “but I’ll continue to produce…and stay involved with the [scene] as long I’m still in the District.â€
Check out his exclusive mix for Blisspop below.
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