Ampere is hosting another party at the infamous Dimensions Festival this year, this time not a fixed stage but a boatparty with K’Alexi Shelby, Ryan Elliott and residents Joachim and Hemer.
For presale tickets click HERE.
K’ALEXI SHELBY (Trax Records, 312 Records) US
As the veteran of house music & Tec and resident at the legendary The Warehouse – Mr K’Alexi has been a leading light in the scene for the past twenty years. Known as one of the founding fathers of Chicago house, K’Alexi at the tender age of 12 found himself moving in the right circles with the likes of Ron Hardy, Marshall Jefferson, Mr. Lee andFrankie Knuckles.
He frequented all the classic clubs of the day including The Warehouseand Music box whilst taking inspiration from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, David Huff and a mirage of other musical genres from the 70s and 80s that still shapes his sound today. Like a true pioneer, early success came in 1987 with his first release Essence of a Dream. The single enabled him to collaborate with fellow Chicago legends Marshall Jefferson, Mr. Lee and Mike Dunn. The 1991 EPIt’s Me/Club M.C.M did equally well and became an instant club classic, appearing on numerous compilations including albums by techno DJsLaurent Garnier and DJ Hell.
Over the years, K-Alexi has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Derrick May, Dave Angel and Felix da Housecat. He has also provided remixes for The Pet Shop Boys and Will Smith. As a DJ, K’Alexi has played a just about everywhere and still continues to do so today playing a healthy selection of house, disco and TecSoul, the latter genre being his own creation and label name also.
RYAN ELLIOTT (Ostgut Ton, Spectral Sound) US
“What matters most, above all else, is what comes through the speakers,” says Detroit’s Ryan Elliott. “It must be the right track at the right time, delivered in the right way.” Nobody knows this better than Elliott, whose distinction as an internationally respected DJ, remixer, and one-half of Spectral Sound’s A&R team has grown steadily over his decade-plus behind the decks. They don’t hand out ‘DJ’s DJ’ reputations at the club door, and Elliott’s is well-earned and well-deserved.
Ryan Elliott’s early days included legendary residencies at Ann Arbor’s Goodnight Gracies and Detroit’s Shelter, which soon gave way to a rigorous international travel schedule. He began working crowds at clubs and festivals around the world, from NYC’s Guggenheim Museum to Barcelona’s Sonar by Night, and tailoring his approach to each show with a meticulous ear and a bottomless record collection. Influenced by his hometown staples (Axis, Purpose Maker, M Plant, and UR) along with international labels like Perlon, Playhouse, and early Kompakt, Ryan inhabits his kick drums, becoming an extension of the music and vice versa.2009 saw Elliott relocating to Berlin to further his focus on DJing, production, and helming Spectral Sound’s growing roster from a newly international perspective. “Berlin and Detroit may not look the same, but they feel the same,” he says. “The connection isn’t just in the music, but also in both cities rough edges and honest hearts.”Ryan Elliot’s sound remains unchanged: bassline-driven techno and house reduced to their essence, thoughtfully calibrated to drive crowds out of their minds. The time is right, the tracks are right, and Ryan Elliott is exactly where he needs to be.
JOACHIM (Sound Architecture, Ampere) BE
HEMER (Ampere) BE