ISOLATOR

Isolator is a local duo who enjoys playing Techno, Minimal Tech, and Tech House. They play live online as a duo project Isolator, on Twitch.tv (Isolatorsf - Twitch). For the show, they have a long format interview for an hour or so, then that guest DJ plays a set and the show finishes with a set by one, or both, of them after that. Claire Evans-White and Peter B. Clarke, welcome and thank you to the both of you for granting Azarakh this interview. I'm a huge fan of the Isolator format and content! I thought I'd like to help spread the word about your project so the world can get to know a bit more about this project and the duo that create it.

What is your name, DJ handle, and how long have you been playing out at clubs and/or parties?

C: DJ Clairity and 27 years.

P: Solo >> “Peter Clarke” (14 years) — and as half of the “Isolator” Duo (7 years).

Where did you grow up?

C: North Bay.

P: Eastern Oregon

How long have you been DJing, and what brought you to it?

C: 27 years. I got into it from going to raves in the late 90s. I've always been into playing instruments and collecting music so it seemed like the right move.

P: In clubs for 14 years, but I dabbled for a few years before that. Got into DJing in middle school via mix series such as DJ Kicks and Fabric.

What genre(s) do you choose to play and focus on with your DJing, and how did you decide on that one?

C: I started playing hard techno then minimal techno and now crunchy Euro tech house. I got into techno after I went to a multi room party that was all techno. I was hooked after that.

P: I tend to live mostly within House and Techno. I prefer groovier / smoother stuff, sometimes it’s fun to get rough though.

What genres would you say are your 'strong suits'? Is it the same or different from genres that you enjoy playing right now?

C: Minimal techno, tech house, Detroit techno

P: For non dance music, downtempo and jazz.

If you have a passion for the genres you are exploring currently (to listen to or to play out), which are those? Who are your current fave artists and/or producers in this genre, and why?

C: Gaiser (Soundcloud - Gaiser) is my all time favorite in the genre I play. I like his style. He plays techno, with a bit of a bass heavy groove, and not too close to house music.

P: Getting more into IDM over the years.

What got you motivated and involved to become a livestream DJ?

C: The pandemic.

P: Been playing around with streaming since I was in middle school. The pandemic lit a match under me to get better at it.

You both got into Live Streaming around the pandemic. Was it always something you wanted to do? Or was it a sudden decision to stream because there were no, or just a few or no, other opportunities to play during the Covid shutdown?

C: Yeah basically the pandemic happened and we were like “we need to do something”. And immediately we are like “We have to do something or we will go crazy.”

P: Yeah we were all cooped up but since so many people were streaming, we made our format with an hour long interview as an introduction to the guest DJ for that show. Versus a broadcast where the DJ has a microphone and will talk over the music. I’ve always dabbled with streaming ever since I had an internet connection. Lockdown actually pushed me into streaming as my full time job. Since we are all locked up with nowhere to go, Claire and I made the quick decision to start a weekly stream. To stand out from all the other DJ streams, we went with a format that included an interview before each set to introduce the DJ and provide some context.

C: It’s really fun to meet in person and learn about people on a deeper level.

P: The stream has introduced me to people I really may not have met otherwise.

C: Even people out of the Bay Area

P: And if they are not in the Bay currently, the DJ’s always have some connection to this area.

What is your favorite type of media to collect music on, and why?

C: Online websites such as Beatport and Juno. I find it to be easier to deal with.

P: While I do enjoy the experience of physical media, lossless audio files make the most sense at the end of the day.

OK now we will switch to your project: How did Isolator SF start, what was the impetus?

C: When I was finishing Pulse Generator, we just started DJing together, and then we had some tag team action then we decided to play as a duo.

P: Claire and I always love getting together for a good jam session. After a few years we decided to form an official name for getting booked. We compiled a large list of technical/musical words, and both landed on Isolator. The name comes from isolation of sound, not being locked up during a pandemic. ;)

Do you two find that because of your connections and overlapping interests that it naturally drew you two to work together?

C: We had so much in common musically, and I think we have made our own style, so I know as an individual that our sets are pretty different.

P: Yes, we hold a bit more structure when we play together. Alone I play pretty freeform. Our vision and direction as a duo is different, it keeps flowing in a direction we both enjoy. Claire was booked for MNML:-FUN and I started attending Pulse Generator. So the cross-pollination was there from the beginning. And also yes, because having both thrown our own nights at Underground SF (Underground SF: UGSF), and Vinyl Dreams (Vinyl Dreams), we definitely have an overlap of friends. We enjoy the same sonic elements that get the dancefloor moving.

Tell us about the inspiration you both had to throw a club night called OnSet recently at Underground SF, in San Francisco. We heard it went well, any plans for the future? If so please tell us a little more about your goals for OnSet, and what artists you are looking to book?

C: It was the desire to do something in real life, it had just been too long.

P: Interestingly, our first few events were at Vinyl Dreams, then it made sense for us to start an actual regular club night. Previously I ran a night with Zita Molnar and Dan Turner called MNML:FUN. I also did a weekly happy hour for a few years with Steve Fabus, Steve Kuzmic, Eli Wilkie, Scott Carrelli, Jonathan Hart, and James Trout. Also I want to give a shout out to Randy Mariani who was a part of the duo GhostSkript with me.

Can you tell us a bit more about some of the projects that each of you have worked on before that inspired you to do a club night together?

C: I have thrown a lot of different club nights, definitely thought Pulse Generator would take off more. Then there was Ghostship, then there was a sense of loss and it didn’t work out. I am at the point now where I want to bring it again.

P: The only night I did was in addition to MNML:FUN, I just feel the pandemic changed things so drastically. I had a crew of players, people that in the pre-COVID era were. WISH, I miss WISH, I would do random one off house nights there. I do think it's nice to see new events starting to get out there again. In the new year I want to support more local DJ’s and promoters. You can only keep up online for so long. I do think that promotion is going back underground, and away from social media. For me our most memorable gig was playing a Mioli party right before lockdown. Packed room full of many characters, little did we know what was coming a week later.

What has been one of your most memorable performances so far? What made it stand out?

C: There have been a lot of those for me, I mean I have been DJing for 27 years, so, I have played at big venues, and I have had pretty good crowds. About a year ago I played at the DNA Lounge (DNA Lounge), and that place IS a venue with a strong connection to younger people. At OnSet we also had younger people in the crowd, and their faces were exciting to see on the dancefloor.

P: For me, our most memorable gig was playing a Mioli party right before lockdown. Packed room full of many characters, little did we know what was coming a week later. There is a really interesting when larger than life people,

What percentage of music you play DJ sets from is vinyl?

C: 20%

P: 30%

How do you discover new music? On the internet or in real life at events, clubs, etc.?

C: Both

P: Both

On what websites do you discover new music?

C: Soundcloud, Beatport, and Juno

P: Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Juno, and Youtube

What is the approximate breakdown of your complete music collection by media type? (Example: 40% vinyl only, 25% vinyl and digital, 20% digital, 5% cassette, 5% CD and 5% other)

C: 20% vinyl, 40% CD, 40% digital

P: 60% digital, 30% vinyl, 9% CDs, 1% cassette

When playing a set, at what point do you depart from your pre-determined set tracklist? Or do you tend to stick to playing the songs you anticipated to play, as if it is a story to be played through to its finale?

C: It is totally crowd dependent, if people seem to be digging it or NOT liking it, that will make me change course. When people are dancing I will adapt to what they seem to enjoy dancing to.

P: When practicing for a particular gig, we tend to come up with a batch of tunes that we know work together. I tend to drop in a few new tracks on the day of the gig, to keep things interesting. Recalibrating during a set to realign with the energy in the room, then keep building that energy.

Now, before this interview I had a few questions, and your answers to one of those questions intrigued me and I want to expand further in our interview. Now, you both have Techno as the overlap, and specifically Claire you said you like to play Minimal Tech, Tech House, and Detroit Techno, whereas Peter you said House and Techno. Do you tend to morph from one sub-genre to the next within a particular set? Or do you like each set to have one overall cohesive feel to the music in terms of playing within the sub-genre. Another way to say it is, when do each of you like to stay true to style, and when, if ever, do you like to play other genres mixed into a set?

C: I usually stick with one genre within a set. When Peter and I play I will morph my style into tech-house because Peter likes to house it up a bit.

P: For Isolator I lean more into the “Techno” side of things. However, I always end up dipping my toes into some form of house. For a personal set, I go all over the place. If I do House, Claire tends to refer to it as “Swampy” - a good example might be deep resonant basslines. Obviously, I won’t drop vocal house, so I definitely try to stay within our lanes. But if it is a personal set longer than a couple of hours, then I will ramp the mix up to dance music tempo over the course of an hour or so. So if it's a longer set I can explore more genres. That is something I want to focus on more in the future,to get around to organizing my digital and physical library into an ordered state, where I can easily spend my time on being creative.

C: It is super hard to organize it all! There are so many formats. I just went through my CD’s and it was a huge project.

Peter you have said sometimes you like to play smoother, groovier dance music BUT occasionally play it rough, and whereas Claire, you referred to your alternate departure from minimal tech and tech house, to be delving into the crunchy sounds. What do those terms rough and crunchy mean to each of you?

C: Well crunchy, means heavy bass, kind of distorted, with muffled vocals and that kind of stuff.

And starting with those descriptions, rough, or crunchy - I would love to hear more from you both about what types of producers or performers that you think are producing those edgeworthy sounds, that don’t fit squarely in the genre of minimal tech or tech house.

C: Gaiser (https://soundcloud.com/gaiser_official), but I have been playing Ambivalent (https://ra.co/dj/ambivalent), NeuroAct (https://soundcloud.com/gastuzeine-records/neuro-act-tronic) too. Just those guys, who are growing and changing as well over time. It is hard to find music I really like, a lot of people are making out of control anthem breaks right now.

P: In elementary school I’d always come home and listen to an Acid Jazz station on Windows Media Player. I remember one song in particular, Good & Bad by Povo, was always in rotation. This introduced me to artists such as De-Phazz, Jazzanova, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, and AIR. Once I was in high school I’d also start getting into more traditional artists such as Miles Davis, Gene Harris, Chick Corea, Milt Jackson, and Thelonious Monk.

How do you maintain your creativity and passion for DJing over the years?

C: Sometimes it is hard to keep the passion alive that is in this music. It is harder to get motivated by newer stuff, gigs keep me positive and looking to newer releases. I definitely like OnSet for that, self-motivation is the key. Working with Peter is really helpful to get around a corner.

P: For me, it is not a solo journey, that feedback and inspiration and loop keeps going. Speaking of that, if I can tie my music into another art form, like my photography. Both of them would feed each other. One of the most important habits is to always have a space with gear ready to go. The moment I need to start moving things around or plugging in cables, it’s too late, the moment has passed.

What do you think makes a DJ successful beyond just technical skills? And how do you both define a successful DJ? I mean do you have specific goals you want to attain with playing music for people?

C: Well I think that being a successful DJ is to know your music, so if you have to pivot during a set you are not going to be thrown off. Playing for the dancers, and the vibe - not just hearing snippets of a track and throwing it in there for a set. As far as being successful, you have to social media, and support other people’s nights. You have to let people see your face.

P: A successful DJ is someone who is kind, patient, and always thirsty for growth. I personally feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. My only goals are to keep an open mind, and practice on a more regular schedule. It is so easy to get success and once you have it your whole life changes. I am jaded about the music industry, there is a lot of toxic energy and greed. The successful DJ’s don’t fall into those traps. Then success can be whatever you want it to be.

C: That’s a good point, so you can’t let success go to your head. I have seen it, lure people in and become manipulated.

What do you think the future of DJing and electronic music looks like in terms of innovation and audience experience? And where do you see yourselves in it?

C: To do a successful night again, to get gigs again. I am just being super realistic, I would like to play a couple dancefloors.

P: Same, to get back into a regular cadence with the stream, and club nights. For me, it has gone back to the foundational work. I think as virtual parties on the internet evolve, I see some technologies taking off. I think that it provides an alternative. Everyone loves to complain about the sync button. By the end of the day, I don’t care what tech is being used. I do think someone into DJing for the long run should be familiar with all formats. As cringe as it might sound, I do think Algoriddim’s Djay app for the Vision Pro is a glimpse into something new.

Where do you see yourselves artistically and with your Isolator SF Project in the coming years, what are some hopes and dreams for the project and yourselves?

C: I want to focus on getting more gigs.

P: I look forward to getting back into a regular cadence for the Isolator & Friends stream. And of course, more gigs in 2025!

What are your visions of the future of your DJing? Any specific goals you are working towards, either personally, or within any community affiliations that you would like to share with us?

C: To hopefully keep doing events.

P: Definitely not following a linear path. These days I really enjoy playing music at a friend’s place, with the occasional (small) gig here and there.

Where can people listen, and buy, more of your music? And if you want to say, what is your booking availability & contact info?

C: Stream on Soundcloud. And I’m totally available to book gigs. Email: clairity27@gmail.com.

P: Hoping to start recording more regular mixes on my SoundCloud. Soundcloud - Peter Clarke

Do you have any other PSA's or upcoming gigs to tell us about?

C: Hopefully a stream on Isolator & Friends

P: Excited to get back into a groove with the Isolator & Friends stream. Hopefully another onset date soon. ;)

Do either of you have any closing comments?

P: Thank you for having us! I look forward to seeing Isolator grow, and all the creative projects that will accompany our journey.

Well thank you both for the interview today, I know you are open to being booked for DJ gigs, so I am including your contact info at the end of this interview article. Azarakh thanks you for your time and energy in joining us here today. We wish you well in all of your individual and collaborative efforts.

~ Aryana Farsai

Isolator Interview Links:

Isolator Twitch.tv - https://www.twitch.tv/isolatorsf

Soundcloud Mix for Azarakh & the world: https://soundcloud.com/isolatorsf/012625-studio-mix

OnSet Live 8/30/24 - https://soundcloud.com/isolatorsf/83024-onset-mix

Claire’s Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/clairity

Peter’s Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/peterbclarke

Ambivalent - https://ra.co/dj/ambivalent

NeuroAct - https://soundcloud.com/gastuzeine-records/neuro-act-tronic

Gaiser - https://soundcloud.com/gaiser_official

Underground SF - https://undergroundsf.com/

Vinyl Dreams - https://vinyldreamssf.com/

DNA Lounge - https://www.dnalounge.com/

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