Palms Trax

Under the name Palms Trax, British producer and DJ Jay Donaldson has developed since the early 2010s a personal approach to house music, informed by the sounds of Chicago and Detroit, clear synth melodies, and a strong taste for analog textures and direct basslines. Originally from the UK and later based in Berlin, he gained attention with a series of maxi singles on the London label Lobster Theremin, which placed him in a space between raw house, acid motifs and brighter atmospheres. His subsequent releases on Dekmantel extended this blend of firm rhythms and simple harmonies, opening his writing to disco, italo and occasionally Balearic influences that also appear in his sets. Active mainly as a DJ on European club scenes and at festivals, he developed a night format in which house coexists with synth-pop classics and rare dance-track gems, shaped with a spirit of progressive storytelling. At the same time, Donaldson founded the CWPT label as a platform for his own productions and those of close collaborators, enabling him to pursue an aesthetic geared toward direct yet melodic dance music — between club energy and more introspective tones.