Counting Up: Jackmaster's Numbers Night Reach New Heights

Jackmaster is a busy man. Not content with being part of the team behind Glasgow's established bass-heavy club night Numbers, he runs his own record labels, and in recent months has produced some incredible mixes and podcasts for magazines such as Vice and FACT. Not bad for a 23-year-old who modestly admits, “We created our night for friends to get together, play anything and have a laugh - all the rest came by accident, it's a bonus.”

The bonuses Jackmaster is referring to could include Numbers being awarded the accolade of second best club in the world by Mixmag magazine. “I was so surprised by that. We were up against a lot of good clubs. It's really good, especially if you take into account the first placing was a venue, not a club night. It's really quite humbling that people are noticing what we're doing.”

“The success we've had has been quite surprising. We started the club as a small, 100-capacity event. A lot of the buzz we've created has came by accident. We started doing well, which I think is also to do with the fact there is a general buzz about the Glasgow club scene worldwide just now. Rustie, Hudson Mohawke - we're all friends with each other and we all bounce off each other.”

Jackmaster is right at the heart of the scene that's been dubbed 'wonky,' releasing his pals' records on his own labels. “Point.One started as an electro label, with Rustie's first stuff under the name Voltaic. It's subsiding as the other labels take over. Dress 2 Sweat has always been a party record label, to release not-serious music that's quite disposable, quite cheeky - 'Act like an idiot, dance about'.

“Wireblock is a bit more serious. It has that image. Wireblock is, loosely, a techno label. Everything has a techno edge to it. You can have techno at any speed, it doesn't have to be hardcore floor stuff.”

This unconventional and original approach to music and DJing is perhaps why he is one of the few DJs who have been asked to spin records at Optimo, as well as recently playing at London's Fabric. With such high credentials, what can we expect from his set at Rock Ness? “Everything from hip-hop right through to techno, with a bit of rave and b-more as well. I try to bring as many different danceable genres together as I can in a house party vibe.”

“In a live situation I just react to how the crowd react before me. I try different things in my set and see how the crowd reacts. I never go into a gig with a pre-determined set.”

There is plenty of hype around the Glasgow scene, but Jackmaster remains sceptical about just how far it can go. “The kinda music we like - there aren't that many artists could fill a venue like that. I've been thinking I would like to do another set at The Arches,” he says, referring to Numbers' February extravaganza with Modeselektor.

So, no major plans to take over Scottish electronic music? “There is one plan which is top secret, but I can't discuss it,” he teases. “We've got big plans ahead for 2010. Something super-duper massive - the biggest thing for Numbers. There's a few things pending - if I was to tell you I'd have to shoot you.”

Jackmaster oozes enthusiasm for what he does. When asked what he's looking forward to about Rock Ness, he talks about other acts such as DJ Feadz, who he's excited about seeing, before coming on to the subject of his own plans. He laughs off high praise and celebratory comments, remarking, “It's nice to know people are talking about us like that - but if you put the future of music in our hands then it'd be doomed.” Don't be so sure of that.