Finding His Balance

Brit house DJ/producer jozif (Jozif Goodwin) was destined for an artistic career, with his father a drummer and mother a ballerina. And he, too, might have become a dancer. "It's funny," Goodwin reveals, "because my mother and I used to do dance routines together to Michael Jackson and Prince and Madonna."

The Londoner has mixed the first volume in a new Balance series that will see him tour Australia this month. He describes the spin-off Balance presents... as a counterpart to Global Underground's defunct NuBreed. "They're giving the new fellas a bit of a go at it," says Goodwin, a fan of James Holden's Balance 005. Balance Music's Tom Pandzic allowed him total freedom, the one proviso being that he stick to a single disc. That freedom was crucial. "I quite like the idea that everybody should just be able to do whatever they want," Goodwin says, "'cause, particularly when it comes to DJing stuff, for me it's all about that moment. I don't have one sound or one set of records that I play."

In the middle of the enterprise Goodwin lost a friend. He abandoned his "funky, disco-ey, party-type of set" for something deeper, groovier and more downbeat. "I'm a very emotionally connected person," he says. Goodwin considered not disclosing the sad back story, but he's too honest. For him, the mix's key tracks are Charles Webster's Butterfly and Steffi's Sadness, yet he also mixes in tunes from Silicone Soul, Ian Pooley and himself.

Goodwin has "always loved" Webster's output and, coincidentally, the two played together in Amsterdam a few months back. At dinner, Goodwin was impressed by the deep houser's wide knowledge, Webster discussing London's architecture. Most "DJs", Goodwin says archly, tend to chat about their latest debauchery.

Though a young Goodwin busted moves with his Royal Ballet dancer mum, Dad wasn't keen on their children entering the tough-going music business. He'd worked as a drummer-for-hire from 15, eventually quitting to run a music shop. Goodwin Sr encouraged his three sons to attend university. "I wish that he'd taught me how to play drums when I was a kid!," Goodwin laughs. "I wish I was learning drums rather than doing dance steps to Thriller." 

The High Wycombe native, now nearly 35, was initially obsessed with aggressive electronic dance genres – techno, drum 'n' bass and "broken beat stuff" like The Prodigy. He began "messing around" with turntables, borrowing acid techno records. By the late '90s, Goodwin was a pro hard house DJ. (He was booted out of uni along the way.) But he tired of the music. "I got to a point where I was just like, All these records sound the same!" At a party, Goodwin heard a DJ spin US house and garage in the lounge – and was converted.

Thirteen years on and Goodwin, a We Love... Space resident, has aired music through Wolf + Lamb, Crosstown Rebels and Culprit. He also presides over Fist Or Finger with Tyrant's Craig Richards. Their label is wholly DIY – with no fixed schedule. Goodwin admits that releases have been scant but FOF has around four "ready to go". Meanwhile, he has other upcoming projects, including a contribution to a ten-year anniversary comp from Silicone Soul's Darkroom Dubs. There's even talk of him collaborating with Sasha. "We were gonna do some stuff a while ago, but he then started doing the Involver thing." Goodwin, who cites Sasha's GU 013: Ibiza as another favourite mix package, admires the progressive house pioneer's ability to reinvent himself – and innovate. However, like Richards, Sasha has an "old school passion" for playing records. 

Goodwin is not so much as dismissive of as bemused by newer (superstar) DJs caught up in the "hype" – or party lifestyle. Recently big name DJs have been accused of pre-programming sets – which bewilders Goodwin, who privileges crowd interaction. Such shortcuts are surely self-defeating, he says. "To me, the most important thing is just making sure that everybody has a good time."

Jozif plays:

Friday 19 April - New Guernica, Melbourne
Saturday 20 April - Lady Red Boat Party, Brisbane (day)
Sunday 21 April - Abercrombie Hotel, Sydney (day)
Sunday 21 April - Illawara Hotel (night)