Before The Buzz: Jessie Marcella
Some producers chase a sound. Jessie Marcella waits for it to arrive. ‘Aventurine’, the Leeds-based producer and composer’s new single, began life back in 2022 as an excited video of a lead synth line, played on a borrowed Moog Mother-32. Years of reworking followed, along with a studio session with Bicep that deepened its synths and earned the duo a production credit, before the drop finally matched the force of the build.
The result is her most physical release to date. Where her '11:11' EP set delicate, neo-classical textures against dancefloor-ready night versions, ‘Aventurine’ pushes that second side into huge, euphoric walls of sound. Its inspiration is the ocean, though, as Jessie tells us, the sea only appeared once the track was already taking shape. It has since been given a rolling, jungle-driven rework by Tim Reaper, who joined her for the single’s launch party during ADE.
Here, Jessie talks us through the track’s long journey, her pull towards nature and spiritual symbolism, and what the leap into the unknown looks like on the next chapter of her music.
'Aventurine' started in a studio session with BICEP. It took a few years for that session to become a finished record. Was there ever a time you thought the song might not be released?
I actually made the earliest version of 'Aventurine' back in 2022! I found a video the other day of me being so excited about having just made the lead synth line - I’d borrowed a friends Moog Mother-32 and it was pretty much the first thing I’d created using it…but yeah it’s been a long time coming, it was one of those tracks that just kept evolving over time, it took a while to crack getting the drop sections to live up to the energy of the build. But once it did it was so sooo exciting. In the session with BICEP, we re-recorded some of the other synth parts through their kit, which added so much more depth, they had so many synths to play with; it was a whole different way of working compared to what I was used to. I always knew it was going to be released - it was more a case of waiting for the right time.
Tim Reaper has also reimagined the track. What has his remix done to the song that you didn’t see coming?
I’ve loooved atmospheric jungle for years, so having Tim Reaper remix one of my tracks is a massive honour. I absolutely love what he’s done with it. My version has this really driving, euphoric, wall-of-sound feeling, whereas his has this really slick slightly more minimalistic but with a really cool groove to it. He’s added this new vocal section that I’m completely obsessed with, as well as this synth and such a fun bouncy bass line that gives the track a whole new energy. His drum production is so distinct and rolling, and it brings this amazing momentum to the remix. I love where he’s taken the track.
Photo credit: Matthew Henderson-Newbury
You’ve spoken about nature and atmosphere as constant inspirations, with 'Aventurine' paying homage to the mystery and power of the ocean. Why do you think nature keeps pulling you back as a source of inspiration?
Because it’s just so insane! I’m definitely more of a nature person than a city person. The ocean alone is so mind-blowing; it’s basically home to its own universe. The fact that we know more about space than we do about the ocean is so inspiring to me. My music often sits somewhere between the familiar and unfamiliar, beauty and mystery, the real and the otherworldly, and I think all of these things are reflected in nature.
I also looove the textures of the sea - opalescent shells, translucent jellyfish, the water, bioluminescence… the list goes on. There’s so much detail and beauty in the natural world that you could spend forever exploring it and still only scratch the surface.
I think I’m at my most content in places that make you feel small, because they remind you that you’re part of something so much bigger than yourself. That feeling of wonder, mystery and connection to something beyond what we can fully understand is something I naturally find my way back to in my music.
How do you turn something as huge and unpredictable as the sea into a drop? What does a wave sound like when you’re building it from scratch?
For me, it’s more about the energy of it - the force, the power and the chaos. Aventurine has these huge wall-of-sound moments that, to me, mirror the energy of a crashing wave.
My creative process actually works the other way around, though. When I start making a track, I never have a specific concept in mind; I just make whatever it is that wants to be made. As it develops, my mind’s eye starts creating these images and feelings, and that’s often where the visual side of it comes from. With Aventurine, the connection to the ocean came through that process rather than me setting out to make a track about it.
‘Aventurine’ is named after the crystal associated with luck and new beginnings. Are you someone who carries crystals or lucky charms, or is it more of a creative metaphor for you?
My first ever job was actually in a crystal shop in Avebury, so I think I’ve always had a bit of an innate love for crystals! I love the way they look and their textures, but I’m also really interested in the different properties and meanings associated with them.
I’d say I’m quite a spiritual person, although it’s not necessarily something I’ve consciously chosen to be. I think it comes more from an innate belief in energy, the idea that everything has an effect on something else, and concepts like manifestation. I’m fascinated by the idea that there’s so much happening around us that we can’t necessarily see or fully understand.
Because my music is so focused on energy and the way sound can make you feel, I think I’ve naturally gravitated towards these ideas, and they’ve become intertwined with my creative process. So, with 'Aventurine', I think the crystal is both a personal reference to something I’ve always loved and a metaphor for the energy and intentions that can exist within music.
Photo credit: Matthew Henderson-Newbury
What new beginning does the track mark for you?
For me, 'Aventurine' is about creating your own luck. It has this feeling of not holding back and just going for it, throwing yourself into things headfirst rather than waiting for things to happen or letting fear put you off. I think sometimes you have to take that leap without knowing exactly where it’s going to lead, and trust that things will fall into place along the way.
I guess that’s what the new beginning represents for me: having the confidence to take a chance on something, embrace the unknown and see where it takes you.
After the delicate, neo-classical textures of '11:11', ‘Aventurine’ is a lot more high-impact. Was that a conscious push or something that happened naturally?
I think the night versions of '11:11' are actually a really important part of that story. There were day and night versions of each track on the EP, and the night versions were much more high-energy and dance floor focussed. This felt like a nice progression into 'Aventurine' - which is also part of the quartz crystal family ('Quartz' being one of the day/night pairs on '11:11'), so in that sense it feels like a really natural progression from that project. But I’ve always loved having that contrast in my music, from really delicate, atmospheric moments to these huge, euphoric walls of sound.
You’ve played Glastonbury, The Great Escape, and ADE. Which stage taught you the most about how your music affects a room?
All three of those shows hold a really special place for me for different reasons. Glastonbury was so, so fun, but the first time I played The Great Escape was actually my first ever live show, so that one will always be particularly special. It was one of the starting points for everything that’s happened in my career since really.
My live show moves through quite a big arc, starting with really sparse, haunting moments and building into much higher energy. It takes you through a lot of different emotions, which I think reflects me as a person because I’m quite an emotional person haha. I love being able to take people on that kind of journey and seeing how they connect with it.
The release is described as a glimpse of where you’re heading next. What can tell us about what’s coming?
'Aventurine' is part of a project that I can’t wait to get out there. There’s a lot more to come, and I’m really excited about the world that’s been developing around this music. I feel like 'Aventurine' gives a little glimpse into that next chapter, but there’s still so much more to share. I can’t wait for people to hear it all come together.
