Profile: DJ and producer Maya Jane Coles

The multi-talented tech-house queen visits Musika

This article is from 2011.

Photography | Jennifer Iliffe

She’s been producing since she was in her mid-teens nearly a decade ago, but for young Londoner Maya Jane Coles the years since have provided a steep learning curve. Her real breakthrough track was last year’s ‘What They Say’ on Real Tone, a song which married a techy minimalism with a stark, whispering drum machine click and a garage-style vocal groove, but that’s only one element of a career which spreads itself across multiple genres.

Of mixed British and Japanese descent, and with a set of influences which stretch from hip hop in her early teens to drum ‘n’ bass, electro and finally house and techno, Coles’ tech-house solo work (she’s a big fan of Radio Slave and Steve Bug) has included some high profile releases, among them this year’s ‘Focus Now’ on Ralph Lawson’s 20:20 Vision and ‘Beat Faster’ on Anja Schneider’s Mobilee. It’s also earned her a bunch of best breakthrough artist nominations and the like.

More than this, however, she’s also one half of electronic dub outfit She is Danger alongside musician and singer Lena Cullen, with whom she’s produced and remixed the likes of Massive Attack, Gorillaz and Ellie Goulding. Then there’s her other project, dubstep guise Nocturnal Sunshine, a gig which has seen her earn praise and plays from the likes of Joy Orbison, Skream and Scuba. It’s a workaholic’s CV, but one which suggests Coles is an artist who knows what she’s doing, and in whose hands we’ll be safe.

Musika at Liquid Room, Edinburgh, sat 8 Oct.