Dave Angel is a rare find as DJ and producer, one who is always of the moment but never part of the crowd - the reason he headlined for the recent DJ Mag Top 100 party, and why we at Party Proactive have invited him back to play for a second time at our last party of 2007 at Turnmills. His name is forever part of dance music lore as one who was the instigator, the forerunner and the passionate stalwart for techno since its inception back in the 80s and who continues to create and develop the scene as we know it today. A man whose first release reached number 23 in the UK Nationals in 1987 and who has released almost every year since then; whose remixes include those of Eat Static, Praga Khan, Carl Cox, Ken Ishii, Echo Belly, Roni Size, James, Hardfloor, and Joey Beltram and whose tracks are included on compilations and mixes from Tribal Gathering’s 1994 compilation to the Stacey Pullen and Carl Craig Fabric mixes and Luke Slater’s Novamute Kompilation; whose own compilations range from the Dreamscape tape compilation (1993) to Mixmag Live with Darren Emerson. He’s been nominated for Essential mix of the year, guested Glastonbury and regularly headlines global gigs to thousands; and like his jazz influences of Roy Ayers and Miles Davies, whom he calls legends, is in turn a legend in his own right.

Moving along from the early jazz and reggae influences of his father and uncle, 1986 saw Dave get his first big break playing alongside Fabio and Grooverider during the early acid house days as part of the Brixton pirate station Phaze 1 Radio. A stint in prison, fatherhood and the death of his own father focused his energies further and with the sounds of Detroit working its way over the Atlantic his conversion to techno was complete. Having being taught to play the drums at an early age by his father the possibility of fusing the minimal tech baselines with funk overtones caught his and the publics imagination – his first remix, The Eurythmics, Sweet Dreams created at home on two basic turntables and a child’s keyboard, caused such a stir that with Dave Stewart’s blessing and Annie Lennonx’s agreement, was officially released and rocketed up the chart. By 1992 Dave was being hailed as “one of the major techno talents in Britain (Echoes, March 1992).

Releases followed on the influential Belgium R & S and Apollo labels, Rough Trade and his own Rotation Records. With R & S Records giving Dave the opportunity to explore more ambient and experimental work in the same studios as the ground breaking CJ Bolland, Aphex Twin, Jaydee and DJ Hell, his DJing career burgeoned across Europe with the releases receiving both commercial and critical acclaim. Following the landmark Sea of Tranquility EP on Rotation, by 1995 Dave had signed to Island with his first album, the musically expressive Tales of the Unexpected (1995), reaching number 5 in the national album charts, tracks released from it such as Fever being equally as successful on the dancefloor – “where Techno went wrong in 1995, Heaven certainly sent an Angel?” (The Guardian newspaper 1995). The darker groove of Globetrotting (1997) followed along with live solo shows, along the lines of those created by The Prodigy, taking the energy of his early underground days and combining it with his own version of funk - tracks such as Tokyo Stealth Fighter and Funk Music from the album still being included on compilations and played in DJ sets today.

Parting ways with Island in 1998 allowed Dave to concentrate again on his own Rotation imprint – a label whose releases have helped shape the careers of Misstress Barbara, Samuel Sessions and Adam Beyer amongst others – and saw him step up to the next level in his mammoth musical career. Tracks such as Insights on Rotation and Excursions on Jericho Records were voted single of the month by Mixmag and Wax, his 39 Flavours of Tech Funk on React voted as one of the best mix CDs of the year and his Essential Mix for Radio 1 nominated for Mix of the Year at the Muzik Awards. Dave Angel was, with the success of his ’99 release, Knockout, being hailed as “Genius” by Mixmag and The Rematch the following year with Jamie Anderson awarded single of the week by NME.

By 2001 the digital revolution had begun with trustthedj.com changing the way clubbers and music lovers alike were able to receive music and information on artists. Dave, as ever at the forefront of developments, signed an exclusive internet deal. The first mix compilation, DA01, which included tracks from himself, Sebastian Leger, The Hacker, Redhead and Umek/Kanzyni was described as “Pure Joy from start to finish” by Time Out. DA02, his own Reworks followed in 2002, minus the Sweet Dream remix which began it all, due to issues arising with the larger labels. 2003 saw the release of Ocean Dwellers, an EP supported by the likes of Adam Beyer, Juan Atkins, Vince Watson and Speedy J with his Warrier EP being one of 2005’s techno anthems.

Putting troubles with his studio setup aside, Dave Angel is still DJing and producing with as much drive for creating forward thinking music as ever – 2007 seeing the launch of Rotation’s sub-label, Niah. With over 20 years of dance music and techno to his name Dave Angel, musician, DJ and producer “continues to keep his music on the cutting edge” (NME) and for all of his passion and commitment over the past years and into the future we are truly grateful.

Dave Angel will be appearing at Party Proactive, Turnmills, on the 3rd November 2007

COME COLOURFUL, COURAGEOUS AND READY TO PARTY!