Jason Forrest is an electronic music producer associated with breakcore, IDM, experimental music and glitch. His work is built from noisy, sample-based electronica, and he often constructs tracks from digital fragments of found sound and other artists’ recordings. Much of his music is made and performed on a single computer, including in live settings.

Names and aliases

Forrest records under several names. Until 2004 he uses the name Donna Summer, and from 2007 he again uses the updated form DJ Donna Summer for dance music productions and performances. He says there is no connection between his use of that name and the disco singer Donna Summer, aside from his own interest in her work. He has also described the choice as a way of drawing attention to ideas about gender and appropriation.

Sampling and artistic approach

His recordings make conspicuous use of samples from a range of other artists, including Laurie Anderson, Joe Jackson, Elton John, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Pat Benatar. This use of sampling, together with his former stage name, reflects an interest in appropriation as an artistic idea and in recontextualising popular culture from previous decades.

Background and location

Forrest grows up in South Carolina and has lived in Atlanta and New York City. He has a BFA in Photography and lives in Berlin.

Labels and projects

He creates the label Cock Rock Disco to release his own recordings. The label later carries more than 20 artists, including Duran Duran Duran and Dev/Null. His later recordings also appear on Sonig.

In late 2008 he starts Nightshifters, a digital-only label focused on new club music from around the world. The label represents six artists, including his DJ D.S. moniker, and issues EPs at regular intervals.

Radio work

Forrest hosts Advanced D&D With Donna Summer on the independent free-form station WFMU.