Introducing Jeremy Haines and Sammy Rubin, better known to New Yorkers in the know as cult electronica outfit Project Jenny, Project Jan.

Its 9pm and I’m sat in the living room of a Brooklyn brownstone apartment explaining to my host the intricacies of the UK television licence fee, and how it sets me back somewhere in the region of £10 a month. “That is harsh, and a lot of money just for watching TV,” says Sammy Rubin. As we talk Jeremy Haines emerges from the fire escape where he’s been smoking a cigarette; “That is wack,” he says, evidently having listened to the conversation whilst freezing outside. While the pair seem interested in the issues surrounding the TV licence fee, that isn’t the reason for us meeting.

In little over a year, Jeremy and Sammy, better known to New Yorkers in the know as Project Jenny, Project Jan, have beaten a new musical path, and pioneered a sound which borrows as much from the Big Apple’s prestigious punk heritage, as it does from techno, breakbeat and house. No surprises then that when we meet they are preparing to play at the birthplace of New York punk and spiritual home of the Ramones et al, CBGBs. But don’t let the punk moniker put you off.

Rubin’s well crafted beats and melodies, ranging from technoesque baseline ball breakers to high floating melodies that would make Mylo proud, Project Jenny, Project Jan’s music is complimented and added to by the rapturously raw lyrics (ranging from tales of homemade porn to nervous depression) and vocals of Jeremy Haines, who is a real live wire performer, and really has to be seen live to be believed. Unlike many electronic acts, Project Jenny, Project Jan come into their own when they play live, putting on a fantastic show, with Haines taking centre stage.

Before I saw the pair play live I asked a bartender how he would describe their sound and his reply was ‘the Scissor Sisters with balls.’ But the pair is a little more prosaic when it comes to describing their sound. “It electric karaoke,” says singer Jeremy, “because when you sing karaoke you can do what you want, how you like, with a song.” I don’t know where Americans go for karaoke, but I’ve never heard karaoke sounding this good before. “What I mean is I like to mix it up a bit when I sing live,” he adds.

“I think what you mean,” chips in music maker and producer Sammy, “is that there’s more to our music than just beats and riffs. Jeremy’s vocals add to our sound." But Project Jenny, Project Jan aren’t some lame indie singing pop star wannabes, when I ask the two what people can expect from them live the answer, unreservedly, is “to dance, man, to dance.” And when I saw them play at a small club on Manhattan’s ultra-hip Lower East Side, I did indeed see plenty of that.

The pair met through mutual friends while at University and began collaborating on material in January, 2005, when the two crossed paths again after independently making their way to New York. While the duo has built up something of a cult following with a string of successful gigs and parties, they have yet to be signed by a major label. But despite no mega bucks from a major record label, it is not uncommon to hear Project Jenny, Project Jan tunes being played by eclectic DJs in bars and clubs across town; such is the buzz surrounding the two. And what’s more, they sight UK acts as heavily influencing their work. “I love the Streets,” says Sammy triumphantly, “I like what he does. It sounds fresh and new. He makes some good beats too.” The pair also sight UK acts as diverse as Aphex Twin, Basement Jacks, Leftfield and the Prodigy as having influenced their work.

But, I hear you hardened clubbers out there yell, what’s the New York club scene like? “There are some really good clubs and bars in New York, if you know where to look. Dance music isn’t as mainstream here, so you have to look a bit harder to find good music,” says Jeremy. “I was in a small bar last weekend on Avenue C in the East Village and the DJ was amazing, playing a lot of Soul Wax, 2 Many DJs type stuff. It was cool.”

“For good techno I’d recommend the Subtonic Lounge,” says Sammy, “it’s pretty small, but the music is great. For good, no nonsense house I’d head for Club Shelter on W39th street. The party doesn’t get going there until about 1-2am though, but it goes on until midday! The big name DJs like Fergie, Eric Morillo and Roger Sanchez play at the Crobar, which is a big superclub. I tend to stay away from the newer clubs in the trendy Meatpacking district as they tend to be the kind of clubs where you have to book a table and spend a week’s wages on cheap vodka while listening to some over-hip DJ playing pretentious driffle.”

Interview by Texas Pete

For more on Project Jenny, Project Jan and to listen to their tunes visit: http://www.projectjennyprojectjan.com

New York Club Links

http://www.clubshelter.com/ - Club Shelter

http://www.tonicnyc.com/ - Subtonice Lounge

http://www.crobar.com/ - Crobar

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