WHO: Non-stop rave reviews have been rolling in for UK DJ/producer Martijn ten Velden since he stormed the scene a couple of years ago. He shone at this year’s Miami Winter Music Conference when his Toolroom Knights Vol. 1 was nominated for Best CD Compilation, alongside discs by mixed-CD masters Ministry of Sound and Ultra Records. His single “I Wish U Would” was the summer anthem in Ibiza for ’06 and ’07, and he just finished remixing the Shapeshifters remake of Orbital’s 1989 anthem “Chime” for Defected Records.
With club residencies in Paris, Dubai and Brazil, ten Velden takes inspiration from minimal, tech house, funk, disco, rock, Spanish and Brazilian music. He started producing house music in 2000 with David James as Audio Drive and has remixed Miss Dynamite, The Sugababes and Eddy Grant. Taking a break from studio partnerships with Mark Knight for Toolroom Records and with Mark Yardley of Stanton Warriors as Splittr, ten Velden is currently working on two new solo productions: an instrumental track called “Together” and a vocal track with Roni Size vocalist Tali.
WHAT: “House music all night long,” says ten Velden. “It’s all about the crowd. If they’re up for it, anything can happen. One time, while playing a gig in Salvador, Brazil at Carnival, the crowd started going so mad that I couldn’t resist climbing on top of the DJ booth and I almost jumped off. Luckily somebody grabbed my leg before I did.”
WHERE: Aug. 23 at Circa (126 John).
FAVOURITE RECORD OF ALL TIME: Roberta Flack, “Killing Me Softly.”
FAVOURITE RECORD RIGHT NOW: Gui Boratto, “Golden Axe.”
FAVOURITE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW: www.brownbag.ae (“This is where I can order anything from food to DVDs 24-hours a day.”)
WHAT IS YOUR WEIRDEST OR MOST SURREAL DJING EXPERIENCE? “Nothing weird yet. But I’ve had some amazing gigs including playing on the beach in Valencia, Spain for about 25,000 people. It would have been surreal if it was a nudist beach and they were all jumping!”
DIGITAL OR ANALOG? “Digital. CDs are much, much lighter to carry than vinyl. No more backaches!”
WHAT IS VITAL TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE? Coffee.
WHAT GLOBAL ISSUE CONCERNS YOU MOST RIGHT NOW? “The sneaky rise and implementation of fascist ideas.”
WHAT IS YOUR RINGTONE RIGHT NOW? “Do Leme ao Pontal” by Tim Maia.
WHAT IS THE LAST GREAT FILM YOU SAW? Syriana.
WHAT ACTOR WOULD PLAY YOU IN A BIOPIC? Danny de Vito
WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? “Jesse Ventura’s Don’t Start the Revolution Without Me. He has a unique and refreshing view on politics and public life.”