Optic Eye / Optica – Jake Stephenson Tribute EP

this is next level stuff. the print out with the text, description and foreword was very much appreciated. happy to stumble across this record, Jake's work, Optic Oye work, in a record shop in athens during a 2-night bender with friends. world connects us in strange ways. long live the beat !

So the story goes:

Harking back to the CHILL OUT! compilation in 1993 where I first heard "Dolcevita' and Jake Stephenson's name under the Optica project. Those that know Jake's work (and you can see from his huge discography) he was a very busy producer through the 1990s. Silas, Jake's brother and I had a nice conversation on the phone recently. Silas said Jake was a record guru of the upmost. Always knowing the latest and coolest music coming out through the late 70's and 80's. Telling me he was very similar to John Peel in that way and told me about his love for dub records. I firmly believe this kind of well experienced knowledge of music is the background to why his productions have this vibe that is so timeless to me now 30 years later. Silas shared with me about the untimely passing of Jake and that tragic day. I appreciated him sharing those personal things with me. Silas was very excited about this opportunity to pay a tribute to his brother and wrote a very nice paragraph in the insert. Brian Trower his project partner also wrote some kind words on his music partner and friend Jake as well. To me it was vital to get their blessings and their kind contributions to this project. Over the past near 30 years I have shared his music with friends and could best describe it in telling others he was like a psychedelic version of Robert Leiner. Mixing trance and ambient in a techno way. A special artist I am thrilled to give a small tribute to

Releasing this music is a dream come true for me. Jake was taken much too soon.

Jake Stephenson - 20 July 1962 - † 22 January 2005