High on House makes it’s first stop in Ampere with Oxia (FR) and Hermanez.
OXIA (saved records, kompakt, hot creations) FR
Olivier Raymond, born in Grenoble (France), got into “black music” (disco & funk) already in his early teens. During college years, Olivier’s friendship with Stephane Deschezeaux, kick started a musical journey, with a debut on a local radio station broadcasting a show dedicated to Funk … hence, only being 15 years of age, Olivier had started mixing. Olivier’s mixes were influenced by a large spectrum of music styles: italo-disco, newwave and the early Chicago and New-York house scene.
By 1991, Stephane and Olivier bought their first bits of equipment and started to compose music. Not too long after that, Olivier became a resident dj at a club in Grenoble, jump starting a career in electronic music! It was by 1994, that the experiments of Stephane and Olivier became official. Their live act ‘Oxia’ was born.
In 1995, Olivier and Stéphane met Michel Amato (The Hacker), Alex Reynaud and Kiko in Grenoble, the electronic-tuned city of France. That same year Olivier created Ozone records together with Kiko, where Oxia released the first EP. On that same stamp, Olivier also co-produced the first releases of Jack de Marseille.
Olivier never rested and went on to create a new label with Michel Amato aka The Hacker and Alexandre Reynaud in 1998. They baptized it ‘Goodlife’ in homage to the mythical Inner City track. Olivier and Stéphane still produced several EP’s together and by the end of the century they decided to part paths (as good friends) and Olivier continued with Oxia as solo DJ act.
HERMANEZ (my favourite freaks, snatch!, suara, viva music) BE
There are those who become stars du jour overnight, who enjoy their time in the limelight, before just as easily slipping back into obscurity. Then there are those who gradually ascend through the echelons of electronic music, tirelessly honing their craft and taste-making skills to perfection, until arriving onto the public consciousness to stay. Hermanez aspires to the latter, which becomes clear as the forthcoming months begin to unfold.
Michael Coninx AKA Hermanez is perhaps mostly associated with his grooving, and tribal-flecked tech-house productions, which keeps finding favours with the great and good including Luciano, Loco Dice and Reboot to name a few. However, a closer look at the Belgium-born producer’s back catalogue unveils an all-encompassing production savviness confidently moving through the different realms of techno. From the melodic and highly atmospheric collaboration with Alex Flatner ‘When The Sun Goes Down’, which came out of Noir Music earlier this autumn, via driving techno on Memoria Recordings, and deep erring house on Get Physical’s off-shoot label Kindisch, Hermanez showcases an innate musicality at his fingertips.
BOCAIN (high on house, la rocca, café d’anvers) BE
DJAXX (high on house, tomorrowland, dreamville) BE
DEFO (high on house, café d’anvers, la rocca) BE
HEMER (ampere resident) BE
DIMITRI DELAVA (café d’anvers, la rocca, petrol) BE