Fascinating answers from a fascinating musician. Jakke is the (relatively) new moniker of L.A. alt-rocker Jake Goble, best remembered for his 2018 indie-pop rock project 'Enjune'. Goble has spent the past two years transforming into 'Jakke', gestating what has now become his re-debut EP, titled "How Do You Love?"
"How Do You Love" rose very organically out of this new artist known as Jakke. At first, none of the songs written were conceptualized as part of a unified release, but four songs into the nascent process, it became clear that there was an inspired relationship between the tracks." Whether it’s self-love, intimacy, lust, dependency, or love for the natural world," says Jakke " these songs touch upon a variety of ways in which we can feel and experience love. Take that and wrap it up with some rocking guitars and vibey beats and this trippy, impassioned world is created"
The name of the EP itself is poised not as a rhetorical query but as a call to action for the listener to take that question and run with it as they listen to the songs. " Is our love authentic? Is our love healthy? Is our love conscious?” is the reflection that Jakke hopes we can take into our hearts thanks to his music.
So how *do* you love? how can anyone get to love?
I’ve read that in Sanskrit there are 96 words for love; in ancient Persian, 80, in Greek, 3, and in English only one. Yet, in English, we are still able to define love as multi-dimensional. I have always viewed and experienced love in a plethora of ways over my lifetime; to name a few:
-Family love -First love -Self-love -Deep divine love -Creative love -Pure (Unconditional) love -Love for nature -Altruistic love -False loves: Toxic love, Lust, Addiction
For me, there is no direct approach or path to love, but what I’ve come to realize as I’ve grown older is that all the best forms of love stem from practicing unconditional love for yourself, followed by the world around you and its connection to the life force by which we all exist.
It is when we love ourselves and accept who we are, for all our flaws, for all our mistakes, and for all our unlimited potential that we can then share love meaningfully and find acceptance and purpose in the rest of the universe for allowing for such a miracle.
Isn't music a form of love? If so, aren't musicians then lovers first and artists second?
I believe the act of creating anything is a form of love, and as long as our intentions are good, that process can be admirable. I also believe we can show artistic grace in the ways in which we love that fall outside of the typical “creative” outlets.
How we hide a note for a significant other to discover Driving a long, unfamiliar way home to see new scenery Arranging our prayer or workspace with scents and candles to create a vibe
Artists and lovers are thus one in the same in my opinion. Our ability to borrow from one another in our pursuit to love and to create only multiplies our power in doing either.
It took three years to put this EP together. What are your sober thoughts regarding this long journey?
I think my biggest takeaway revolves around the idea that, as an artist, nothing will ever be 100% perfect, so just give it your best attempt, put it out when you can, and move on to the next thing. The pandemic aka lockdown / quarantine was a really weird time for everyone; Myself included. I had felt that if people weren’t able to fully experience music in all the ways they were accustomed to because of the inability to go about their normal lives, it would be better to wait to release the type of music and energy of this EP. But at a certain point, I had to just push myself to tie it up and let it fly into the ether.
My biggest goal now is just to continue to write as much as I can so I can release consistently.
I get the impression that maybe you're taking your music in a new direction. Do you feel like that at all? if so, what direction do you think that is?
After finishing recording the EP, but before releasing it, I began collaborating with Nick & Nick of Jackets, an electronic pop duo based in LA. These writing sessions introduced me to a whole new sound for my project, where I got to lean into my electronic & dance tastes. As someone who has always felt very involved in the dance scene, attending ecstatic dances & music festivals, and a veteran of Burning Man the last decade, it’s surprising I hadn’t released something in this vein already.
By the time How Do You Love was released, I had written a bunch of new songs with Jackets that captured this new sound and that I felt was important and super representative of my true artistic persona. So I decided the best route was to remix all the songs from the EP, to serve as a bridge between those previous alt-rock songs and these new sounds I’ve been developing.
After a few months of back and forth, I had 10 producers and DJs from around the world pick their favorite songs to remix, and now I’m stoked to release the first single from a double compilation of remixes (11 tracks total). I’m very excited for all these songs to be out! I know people are going to dog them :)
Listen to the first single, Sugar Tide (Nuage Remix) here
Eventually, this new sound will bring a brand new, live element to my live performances as well, as I transition from a 5-piece, full band arrangement to a more compact, danceable, tourable setup with just myself and another bandmate. I’ve tested my unreleased dance music out a few times, DJing events, sometimes singing and playing electric guitar in tandem, and so far the response from people has been awesome.
As no parent can say their favorite child, neither can musicians proclaim their favorite song in a release. But which of the songs has a special meaning, story, or sound that makes it stand out for you?
I’d say Sugar Tide easily has the most meaning to me of all the songs on the EP. I was inspired to write it shortly after entering a romantic relationship with my partner, Krizia, and being absolutely overwhelmed by the magnitude of love and intimacy she shared with me. For me, the song represents our ability as conscious beings to surrender to the limitless potential we are capable of, in terms of our devotion and connection in an intimate relationship. The idea never gets old to me and the song will always serve as a reminder to remain lost in the depths of my partner’s love.
Listen to the first single, Sugar Tide (Nuage Remix) here
Which song has gotten the biggest feedback from the people and why do you think that is?
It seems like Waves has had the biggest impact on people since its release. I think that since it was a new style as compared to my old material and was my first release in a few years, it was a bit of a nice surprise to people. The messaging behind the song is also an anthem for breaking out of toxic patterns and bad habits in order to rise and overcome, so I think that really resonated with people coming out of being locked down and struggling during the pandemic.
How would you describe the process of going from Enjune to the Jakke of Today? What's changed the most?
Enjune was a project that was born out of multiple instances of loss and the processing of that emotional trauma as a result. Through that process, I truly discovered myself as an artist for the first time. Having moved past the pain I had held and overcoming the self-destructive habits I had developed as coping mechanisms, the creation of Jakke as an artist moniker was all about rebirth and refinement as an artist. No longer did I feel bound by my past experiences. As I continue to pour more into myself from the standpoint of diet, exercise, sleep, and emotional communication, anything and everything has felt achievable, the possibilities are endless. I hope people feel this shift for me through my music as it continues to evolve as I continue to grow as an individual. I’m putting all of it into my work gracefully and I couldn’t be more proud of what’s to come.
What's the next step for Jakke after this EP?
With this upcoming remix compilation album just around the corner, I’m excited to introduce these new sounds and reimaginations of songs from the EP as I allow new fans and demographics of people to learn of the various and, until now, unexplored realms of my musical offerings and experience the sonic worlds they live within. Making these remixes with producers from around the world has opened up so many doors for me as an artist. I’ve already written a handful of original music with several of them since completing the remixes.
My main mission for the next 12 months is to just write as much music as possible with as many different people as I can. At the same time, I’ll be continuing to work on strengthening my voice and vocal range, as well as pushing myself to develop a new live hybrid electronic set to be able to play officially. It truly feels like all the right pieces are finally coming together in a divine sense and I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to lean into these opportunities and push forth into the void of uncharted creativity and expression.
Listen to the first single, Sugar Tide (Nuage Remix) here
All photos by Claire Lejeune
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