Cahl Sel is the alias of Jasper Sharp, a producer and DJ based out of San Francisco. His father, Jonah Sharp (Spacetime Continuum) founded Reflective Records, which championed ambient-techno in the early 1990s. Performing live on his minimal hardware rig centered around the Roland TR-606 and SH-101, Jasper’s output is rooted in his father’s tradition of live improvised performance.
His debut, Every Moment EP (2022) marked the relaunch of Reflective Records, drawing together elements of ambient-techno and house in a raw but delicately produced record, earning a place on Phonica Records’ “Best of 2022: Singles”. His sophomore release, Blue EP (2025), deepened his sonic palette while retaining the rawness of his debut, and was selected for Bandcamp’s “Best Electronic Music” roundup at the time of release. His debut album, Traces (2025), represented a more experimental turn in his production, more closely reflecting his approach to live performance. It appeared on Pitchfork’s “30 Best Electronic Albums of 2025” and Phonica Records’ “Best of 2025: Albums”. This summer marks his first live performance outside the United States.
Questions and Answers
3 FACTS
1: First musical inspiration – James Brown
2: Last live show I saw – Cabaret Voltaire
3: Favourite toast topping – Marmite
11 QUESTIONS
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
I think what inspires me most when I’m writing music is a sense of discovery. Maybe that’s why so much electronic music has drawn on themes like space travel and technology. Sometimes I fall into a routine with my equipment and I can just sense that I’m treading water. Trying out a new technique or adding different elements into my music keeps the process alive.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
My introduction to producing electronic music started with sampling while I was in high school. My parents had turntables set up in the living room so I was able to go through their collection and experiment with sampling. Over time, I started recording and sampling my own sound sources (synths, drum machines, etc) rather than sampling from vinyl. This mindset of sample based production is still central to how I make music.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time? (yes we know it is difficult).
This list changes year to year but here are some albums that I keep returning to:
The Black Dog – Spanners
Model 500 – Deep Space
rEAGENZ – rEAGENZ
Theo Parrish – Parallel Dimensions
The KLF – Chill Out
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
It’s difficult for me to not immediately associate Berlin with music culture. I was too little to have any memories of it myself but I did go to Berlin with my family in the early ‘90s while my dad played there. Growing up on the stories of the city and knowing it through the records played at home, that association has basically been there from the beginning.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Probably Haight Street. I have very early memories of the whole neighborhood (upper and lower Haight), particularly of going to Tweekin Records and Open Mind with my dad. When I started going out to buy records on my own, Amoeba Music and Vinyl Dreams (both on opposite ends of Haight Street) became my own spots where I was able to discover new music. I still do most of my record shopping there – definitely worth a visit if you’re in town.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Give up my worldly possessions and walk the earth.
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listened to?
My most recent purchase was “Yolo” (2005) by Tetsu Inoue – very detailed and complex compositions, really inspiring.
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
It’d be great to write music with someone who plays brass or woodwinds.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
My dad took me to see Kraftwerk when I was about 12 years old. Seeing live electronic music performed on stage like that was really striking. I feel really grateful to have experienced that at such an early age.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Technology has allowed me to experiment with sound in a way that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to. The tools don’t totally dictate the musical output, you still need to write the tracks and have your own ideas. At the end of the day, technology is a means for me to generate sounds and record them.
11. What can we expect from your concert at Kiezsalon in Berlin?
I’ll be trying out some new equipment as well as some of my trusted Roland staples. Hope to see you there!
