Anything Acid & Techno

Archive for the ‘DJ Focus’ Category

Miss Djax

To Book Miss Djax Visit her site www.djax.nl

Miss Djax is the alias of Saskia Slegers. Not only an excellent deejay, but also the founder of Djax Records in 1989.

Djax (and its variety of sub-labels) must undoubtedly be considered as one of the most important dance labels in the world. At the back of the book ‘1989 – 1999 Djax Records The Power of the Underground’ James Hymann, (MTV Europe) calls it ‘one of the decade’s crucial labels’ and further ‘one of the world’s most talked about labels’. No surprise then, Djax received many awards being best record label.

The first signing of Djax Records was the hardcore rap act 24K (No Enemies 1990). A couple of months later the first techno release (Terrace – 916 Buena Avenue) followed on the famous Djax-Up-Beats label.

The year 1991 can be looked at as the starting point of the Djax succes story: Saskia visited Chicago and Detroit where she met many talented techno producers. With Djax-Up-Beats she created an European outlet for producers like DJ Rush, Mike Dearborn, Claude Young and Paul Johnson by releasing their tracks on this imprint. Music was not the only thing Saskia picked up in Detroit; draftsman Alan Oldham is responsible for Djax’s unique character with his very special drawing skills. The year 1991 had more surprises, as Saskia signed the Dutch hardcore hiphop act Osdorp Posse and with this signing she launched a complete new movement: Nederhop.

Miss Djax had her international breakthrough when she played at the notorious Mayday rave in Berlin in 1992. With her hard and uncompromising techno set she made great impression on the many promoters present and she played the mainstage at all big international parties from that day on.
In 1993 Miss Djax was declared ‘DJ of the Year’ by Frontline (nowadays Raveline) Magazine. In the years that followed her name was always in the international top 10.

For four years in a row, 1995 till 1998, the Djax Records truck took part in the Love Parade float with 1998 being the absolute highpoint when the 20 meters long red/silver Djax rocket, with 20.000 watt of techno terror on board, started at pole position! Miss Djax also played two times at the Victory Tower at Love Parade.

In 1999 Saskia celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Djax Records by publishing her amazing book ‘The Power of the Underground’. This was also the year that Saskia recieved ‘De Veer’ award for her contribution to the Dutch Music Industry.

In 2004 Miss Djax released her first mix album ‘Djax-It-Up’ to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of her successful label.
2005 saw the release of her album RAW that included floorfillers such as ‘Sick of U’ with vocal support of DJ Rush. Miss Djax promoted her RAW album with a European live tour.

2008 has been a succesful year for Miss Djax. She got an invitation to take place in the jury of the famous TV show X-Factor but decided that a TV career was not (yet) her ambition. Her new album ‘Inferno’ was very well received and the singles ‘Hell’s Bells’ and ‘Headbangin’ both became Record of The Month in Raveline Magazine. ‘Still Dominating’, a remake of the 1992 hit ‘Dominator’ from Human Resource, rocked the dancefloor all over the world. Furthermore she mixed the hardtechno album ‘Kick Down Volume 1’. Her European ‘Inferno Tour’ started August 30th at Qbase festival where she hosted her own area. The tour took her all over Europe again.

Being a true vinyl purist the artwork always has been very important to Miss Djax. She works with the best of the best, such as Ed Repka, illustrator of the great album covers for Megadeth (Peace Sells a.o.), Alan Oldham and Zender.

In 2009 Saskia celebrated the 20th anniversary of Djax Records by releasing the amazing DVD ‘Underground Nation’, which contains 90 minutes of pure underground club culture. At the Djax 20th anniversary party she received a gold award for 1.3 million records sold in 20 years of Djax. Further she received a gold award for 40.000 sales of the album Afslag Osdorp by Osdorp Posse.

In 2010 she re-launched the successful Djax it Up parties and started hosting area’s at various festivals. In the meantime she kept on producing high quality (hard)techno and acidtechno such as the floorfiller ‘Acid Storm’. She formed a collaboration with Pet Duo and together they released ‘Dance or Die’ under the name Pet Trio. In 2012 she released the album ‘Techno Crusaders’ together with Canadian DJ Patrick DSP. This pure techno album shows the roots of Miss Djax and Patrick and got great reviews. In 2013 they released ‘Techno Crusaders The Remixes’ with amazing remixes by Mark Archer, A Paul, A-Brothers, Chris Liberator and many more.

In 2014 Miss Djax reaches another milestone when she celebrates the 25th anniversary of Djax Records! Get ready for an international Djax it Up 25th Anniversary Tour, a new Miss Djax album, a new Miss Djax comic by Alan Oldham and some cool goodies. Stay tuned!

Rob Acid

Cologne, Germany, producer Robert Babicz’s most recognized and accomplished alias, Rob Acid churned out a cycle of influential techno records in the late ’90s that established him as one of Germany’s top techno producers. Before adopting the Rob Acid moniker, Babicz released a number of dancefloor-orientated acid techno 12″s as Acid Warrior and Department of Dance on his Junkfood Records label. After putting out a few releases as Rob Acid, though, Babicz stuck with the name and attained considerable recognition, resulting in an affiliation with Europe’s largest and widest-reaching techno label, Force Inc. There, Babicz released a number of Rob Acid records, while also branching out to release more ambient and experimental recordings under his own name and also some lighter, more accessible techno as Atlon, Inc. Other Rob Acid records appeared on Internal, Labworks Germany (Colone Acid Science Trax), Important Records, and Generator Records, amongst other labels.
The Live-Act “Rob Acid” exists since 1992.

Arch

Arch

Has been around Techno scene since 2005. He has developed a unique style and technique. He is moving swiftly around techno/hard and acid. In Poland he was playing on many parties and open air festivals. In 2010 he moved to London where he played on squat and rave parties. Every year Arch Birthday Party is a huge event, gathering techno freaks from UK, Poland and people all over the world.

MK303

MK303 is a Techno producer and DJ currently based in Bristol UK. He was brought up as a classically trained “real musician” performing Piano pieces at his local arts festival, playing the Oboe in various orchestras and Bass guitar in more than a few bands of various genres before finally discovering Techno. MK303 started out DJing for in 1998 for various freeparties round the Buckinghamshire area becoming a resident with the Survival sound system. After MK303 moved to Bristol in 2001 he began playing for various club nights before having a few years away from the decks due to family commitments. After being suddenly shoved back behind some turntables at a Survival crew reunion in Milton Keynes he decided it was time to venture back into the world of Acid Techno DJing and production and so it began (again).

Since his first release on Corrosive Digital in 2012 MK303 has gone from strength to strength with releases on Mobile Dogwash’s “Chase Yer Tail” label and Tassid’s acclaimed “Skuxx” along with tracks on CDJ303 and the US labels “Official” and “Circuit Protocol” as well as founding the System Rejects vinyl label with Tassid, Austin Corrosive and OB1.

2013 saw MK303 play his first set abroad after being invited to the “Don’t Style winter festival” near Montpellier France (brief video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxjruesS7u4 ) where he played a live set, bringing cutting edge fresh acid to a capacity crowd. Towards the end of the year the System Rejects collective launched “Digital Rejects” a sister label to the vinyl outfit, producing exclusive tracks for digital distribution.

2014 has only just begun and is already turning out to be an exciting year with an actual tonne of digital releases planned as well as vinyl along with studio collaborations with some of the biggest names on the scene at the moment.

For bookings contact mailto:bookings@beat-transfer-protocol.com and for day to day info on his musical life https://www.facebook.com/MK303Techno or his Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/mk-303 where you can find exclusive mixes, previews and even a few free tracks.

OB1

http://ob1techno.com/
http://systemrejects.co.uk/

OB1 (Olly Berry) is a techno producer, performer and DJ from Bristol, UK.

He has been a regular fixture on the Bristol free party and underground club scene since 1996, entertaining the crowds with his own special blend of banging, warehouse-style techno and acid.

OB1 has been playing live techno since 1998, when he played his first live sets at Bristol’s Freakency club night.

He went on to form the Irritant live p.a. with Dr. Chill (MJ12) in 1999. Together they played many club nights, free parties and warehouse raves all over the UK and in Europe.

He has continued to take his solo live act out to underground clubs, parties and festivals in the UK and Europe, playing techno, acid and hardtechno.

OB1 has focused more on studio production in the last few years in addition to playing live acid techno and has enjoyed releases on Isotope Recordings, Sketcha Traxx, Corrosive Records, Coaxial, Braingravy Records, CDJ303, Stay Up Forever Projects, Acid Test, Chase Yer Tail, UK Ruff, AK Recordings and his own label System Rejects.

In 2013, OB1 founded the System Rejects vinyl label along with fellow producers Tassid, Austin Corrosive and MK303. The label was born as a vinyl only outfit, releasing extremely limited edition records featuring the founders’ own tracks (with some special guests). Later in 2013, the imprint launched Digital Rejects, a digital sister label.

In the pipeline are many more releases on a variety of labels, lots of exciting studio collaborations and potentially a brand new live collaboration. And of course parties! See you down the front!