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Performance:
[ DJ SET ]
Label:
INNERVISIONS
Links:
RA Voted No.6 DJ 2009
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HE DJ
WHEN DIXON ENTERED THE BERLIN CLUB CIRCUIT IN THE EARLY 90’S, HE
ESTABLISHED HIS NAME ON THE STRENGTH OF DJING. BACK THEN, CONFIDENCE OR
EXPERIENCE BASED ON PUTTING OUT MIXES IN THE INTERNET DID NOT MATTER AS
MUCH AS IT DOES NOW. YOU HAD TO DO YOUR PRACTICE, OF COURSE, BUT WHEN
YOUR THING WAS GOOD AND TIGHT ENOUGH TO TAKE IT TO THE CLUBS, THERE
WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO. BUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES MEANT
RESPONSIBILITIES. A RESIDENCY DID NOT MEAN PLAYING THE SAME CLUB EVERY
ONCE IN A WHILE, IT MEANT PLAYING THE SAME CLUB EVERY WEEK. THE CROWD
DID NOT CONSIST OF PEOPLE THAT WANDER IN AND OUT OF CLUB NIGHTS AND ITS
GUEST DJS AS THE WEEKLY HYPE COMMANDED THEM, IT CONSISTED OF PEOPLE
WHICH HEADED STRAIGHT TO A CERTAIN CLUB NIGHT BECAUSE THEY WERE SURE
ITS RESIDENT DJ WOULD DELIVER THE GOODS THIS WEEK AS HE DID LAST WEEK,
AND THE NEXT WEEKS TO COME. AS LONG AS THAT HAPPENED, THERE WAS NO NEED
TO MOVE ON. YOU MADE YOUR DECISION TO RETURN OUT OF GOOD EXPERIENCE AND
YOU STUCK TO IT AS LONG AS IT LASTED.
IN SUCH A CONTEXT, THERE IS NO WAY TO LEARN QUICKER HOW TO BECOME A
VERY GOOD DJ THAN BY MAKING PEOPLE DANCE THROUGHOUT A SET THAT LASTS
THE WHOLE NIGHT, ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS. IF YOU CAN’T HOLD THE CROWD
FOR HOURS THEN, YOU FALL THROUGH. IT IS LEARNING BY DOING, THE HARD
WAY. DIXON DID NOT ONLY LEARN VERY QUICKLY, HE LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF
IT. STARTING OUT LOW, SLOW, UNFOLDING THE FLOW, WORKING TOWARDS A PEAK,
THEN WORKING TOWARDS ANOTHER, TURNING UP, TURNING DOWN, TO FIND THE
EXACT POINT FROM WHICH TO SWING MOODS, TO FIND THE PERFECT WAY TO END
WHAT SHOULD BE A LASTING EXPERIENCE. ONCE YOU PASSED YOUR EXAMS IN THE
NIGHT CLUB SCHOOL OF THAT ERA WITH DISTINCTION, YOU CAN RELY ON IT
FOREVERMORE, AND DIXON SURELY DID. HIS RESIDENCIES THEN AND NOW ARE
OBVIOUSLY SCHOOLED ON THE STYLISTIC AND TECHNICAL VERSATILITY AND
SKILLS, ATTITUDE, STAMINA AND EXPERIENCE BASED ON COUNTLESS NIGHTS
HONING WAYS TO DIRECT A LOYAL CROWD ON THE DANCE FLOOR AT WILL. HOURS
SPENT TO FIND AND SELECT THE RIGHT MUSIC TO ACHIEVE THE LEVELS OF
INTENSITY NECESSARY, HOURS SPENT TO PLAN THE IMMINENT NIGHT’S STRUCTURE
AND PROCEEDINGS, AND THEN HOURS SPENT PUTTING IT INTO ACTION. DIXON WAS
ALWAYS MORE THAN HAPPY TO SPEND THIS MUCH TIME ON HIS NIGHTS, BECAUSE
HE TAKES HIS PROFESSION SERIOUSLY. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT MATTERS MOST TO
HIM. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND HE ALWAYS WILL BE A DJ FIRST. THIS IS THE
MISSION HE EMBARKED ON, NO END IN SIGHT.
THE MIXES
KEEPING ALL THIS IN MIND, IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT DIXON EXTENDED
HIS MERITS BEYOND THE CLUB BY A MEDIUM CLOSELY CONNECTED TO THE DJ
CRAFT. HE COMPILED AND MIXED THE OFF LIMITS COMPILATIONS, WHICH BECAME
VERY POPULAR AND INTRODUCED HIS IMPECCABLE STYLE OF MIXING TO A PUBLIC
RECEPTION WAY BEYOND THAT OF THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY HEARD HIM PLAY IN A
CLUB CONTEXT. LATER HE BRANCHED OUT TO EVEN MORE SUCCESS BY DOING A
HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL MIX COMPILATION FOR THE GET PHYSICAL LABEL’S BODY
LANGUAGE SERIES, A MIX CD THAT HAS INSPIRED PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THESE RELEASES WERE INTENDED TO SHOW THE SINCERE DEDICATION DIXON HAS
TO HIS PROFESSION, AND THEY EVIDENTIALLY DO.
THE A & R AND LABEL WORK
HOWEVER DECIDED DIXON WAS TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF HIS CHOICE THROUGHOUT
HIS CAREER, HE CERTAINLY WAS NOT INSISTENT ON TRAVELLING ALONE. HE USED
EVENTS TO INTRODUCE FOREIGN DJS TO BERLIN CROWDS, RAISED HIS PROFILE BY
PROVIDING MEMORABLE SUPPORT SLOTS IN THE PROCESS, AND CONTACTS WERE
MADE. HE GOT TO KNOW LIKEMINDED SOULS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND HE
TRAVELLED ABROAD HIMSELF, AND HIS REPUTATION GREW FURTHER. MEANWHILE
BACK HOME, HE MADE BONDS WITH JAZZANOVA AND BECAME INVOLVED WITH THEIR
VIBRANT SONAR KOLLEKTIV LABEL. NEVER THE ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM
CHALLENGE, DIXON MADE HIS FIRST FORAY INTO LABEL AND A & R WORK
WITH RUNNING SONAR KOLLEKTIV’S SUBLABEL RECREATION RECORDINGS, WHERE HE
SET UP A TESTING GROUND FOR HIS PERSONAL VIEW ON HOUSE. HE INTRODUCED
ÂME IN THE PROCESS, TWO COMRADES FROM THE TRADITIONALLY STRONG DEEP
HOUSE SCENE OF SOUTHERN GERMANY, WHOM HE BROUGHT TO THE SONAR KOLLEKTIV
STABLE, ONLY TO OBSERVE THAT THEY PULLED IN THE KUDOS FOR THEIR MUSIC
VERY QUICKLY.
IN 2005, THE REIGN OF MINIMAL SOUNDS IN CLUBLAND WAS GAINING MOMENTUM
AS MUCH AS HOUSE LOST IT, AND MORE SOONER THAN LATER DIXON CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THERE HAD TO BE A WAY TO MAINTAIN HIS PREFERRED SOUND
WHILE SO MANY DJS AND ARTISTS WERE REDUCING THE MUSICAL INGREDIENTS OF
THEIR OUTPUT. THE CHOICE WAS SIMPLY EITHER TO ADAPT OR TO REBUILD.
DIXON DECIDED FOR THE LATTER AND TOOK THE NEXT STEP WITH ANOTHER SONAR
KOLLEKTIV SUBLABEL CALLED INNERVISIONS, WHICH HE FOUNDED WITH ÂME. IT
WAS CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THIS LABEL WAS INTENDED TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE, AND IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING THAT ALL THE
CONNECTIONS DIXON MADE WITH LIKEMINDED SOULS SHOULD COME INTO FRUITION
WITH IT. IT WAS A PLATFORM THAT WAS THOUGHT OF TO KEEP UP THE HOUSE
TRADITION ALL THOSE INVOLVED STAYED SO FAITHFUL TO OVER THE YEARS, BUT
IT WAS ALSO THOUGHT OF TO BREATHE SOME FRESH AIR INTO IT. AND SO IT
DID. DIXON’S FAMOUS REWORK OF TOKYO BLACK STAR’S BLADE DANCER KNOCKED
ON THE DOOR, AND ALREADY THE SECOND RELEASE, ÂME’S FUTURE CLASSIC REJ
EP, WAS BREAKING RIGHT THROUGH IT. THE FOLLOWING RELEASES BY BEFRIENDED
ARTISTS CONFIRMED THE ALMOST INSTANTLY GOOD REPUTATION OF THE IMPRINT
AND WITHIN A SHORT TIME IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS ACHIEVED
THAT NOT ANY LABEL COULD ACHIEVE: A SOUND WAS INNOVATED AND AN
IDENTITY, WHICH BEGAN TO SEEP THROUGH THE SCENE, AFFECTING THE WAY
OTHER LABELS RECRUITED AND PUBLISHED THEIR ROSTER. WHILE BEING
DEVELOPED ON THE BACK OF A LONGSTANDING TRADITION, INNERVISIONS KICKED
HOUSE BACK INTO FOCUS, AND MANY OTHERS WERE HAPPY TO JOIN IN, EITHER
AGAIN OR FOR THE FIRST TIME. ALWAYS INTERESTED IN PRODUCING SOME ADDED
VALUE TO A GOOD THING, DIXON SOON USED THE SUCCESS TO PUT OTHER IDEAS
INTO ACTION. THE LABEL WAS PARTED FROM THE SONAR KOLLEKTIV MOTHERSHIP
AND BECAME INDEPENDENT, AND THE TRADEMARK ARTWORK OF THE LABEL WAS
GETTING CONNECTED WITH SOUGHT AFTER FASHION AND DESIGN ITEMS, CAREFULLY
CONCEIVED TO MEET THE HIGH STANDARDS OF THE INNERVISIONS CAMP AND ITS
SUPPORTERS.
THE PRODUCER & REMIXER
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH SONAR KOLLEKTIV HELPED DIXON TO FULLY TAP INTO
AREAS HE HAD NOT FULLY EXPLORED BEFORE, AND HE FELT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO
DO SO. IN SHORT, DIXON EXTENDED HIS IDEA OF HOUSE BEYOND DJING, AND
APPLIED IT TO OTHER PEOPLE’S WORK. AND IN CONTRAST TO HIS PUBLIC DJ
PERSONA HE DEFINED HIS ROLE IN FIELDS LIKE PRODUCING AND REMIXING THIS
TIME AS THE ONE WHO STAYS OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT, HELPING TO SHAPE AND
REDEFINE SOUNDS AND ARTISTS FROM HIS LONGSTANDING EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE
AND TASTE. FIRST, A STRING OF ACCLAIMED REMIXES ENSUED, REMODELLING THE
MUSIC OF THE LIKES OF FEMI KUTI, ATJAZZ, KEMETIC JUST AND A WHOLE
PLETHORA OF ARTISTS ON THE DEEP END OF SONAR KOLLEKTIV AND AFFILIATED
LABELS LIKE COMPOST, WAVE, YELLOW PRODUCTIONS OR NUPHONIC. THE
INVOLVEMENT WITH RECREATION RECORDINGS ALSO GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SHARPEN HIS SKILLS AS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER IN THE CLASSIC SENSE OF
WORKING WITH OTHER ARTISTS, ARRANGING, DISCUSSING, TWEAKING, ADVISING,
EDITING AND ESPECIALLY PUSHING TRACKS TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF
SOPHISTICATED DANCEFLOORS. MANY NIGHTS ON THE DECKS HAD GIVEN HIM A
GOOD FEELING AND INTUITION FOR WHAT COULD HELP THE MUSIC HE DEALT WITH,
AND SO HE LENT HIS KNOWLEDGE TO ARTISTS LIKE CLARA HILL AND OF COURSE
GEORG LEVIN, A VERY TALENTED SINGER AND SONGWRITER. HE PROVED TO BE A
PERFECT COMPANION FOR THE PROJECT WAHOO, AND AS BY NOW THINGS TENDED TO
FALL INTO PLACE AS THEY WERE THOUGHT TO BE, IT ALSO BECAME A MASSIVE
SUCCESS. TRACKS LIKE MAKE ‘EM SHAKE IT FULFILLED THEIR UNASHAMEDLY
APPEALING HIT POTENTIAL, AND A WHOLE FINE ALBUM FOLLOWED, SHEDDING
LIGHT ON THE PAIR’S OTHER MUSICAL PREFERENCES BESIDES HOUSE, LIKE
MODERN SOUL, REGGAE AND EVEN ROCK.
THE CLUBS
WHEN INJURIES KEPT YOUNG STEFFEN “DIXON” BERKHAHN FROM WHAT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN A FOOTBALL CAREER, HE TOOK TO MUSIC. LOOKING BACK, THAT WAS A
SMART MOVE. OF COURSE HE LATER RETURNED TO THE GAME, BOTH AS PLAYER AND
CHAIRMAN OF HIS BELOVED FC MAGNET MITTE. BUT NEVER MIND THAT NOW, LET’S
STICK TO THE MUSIC. WHEN DJ DIXON, AS HE THEN WAS KNOWN, ENTERED THE
CIRCUIT IN THE EARLY 90’S, THE MUSIC DOMINATING BERLIN’S CLUBLAND WAS
RELENTLESS. THOSE WERE THE DAYS WHEN THE CITY’S WELL DOCUMENTED LEGACY
AS TECHNO MAINSTAY WAS FORMED. MAYBE SURPRISING TO SOME, DIXON DELVED
INTO BREAKBEATS FIRST, AND MADE HIS FIRST APPEARANCES PLAYING AT EVENTS
ORGANIZED BY ATARI TEENAGE RIOT. AND HE WAS A TEENAGER HIMSELF. AND
TEENAGERS TEND TO DISCOVER WHAT THEY REALLY WANT VERY QUICKLY. AND WHAT
DIXON DISCOVERED WAS HOUSE. HE VERY MUCH TOTALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.
WHAT DIXON ALSO DISCOVERED WAS THAT HIS CONCEPT OF HOUSE DID NOT
NECESSARILY MATCH THE CONCEPT OF HOUSE OTHER DJS HAD, AND IT CERTAINLY
DID NOT MATCH THE RELENTLESSNESS MENTIONED ABOVE. DIXON IS A SOULBOY AT
HEART, BUT HE DOES NOT LIKE HIS SOUL SCREAMING IN YOUR FACE. HE LIKES
HIS SOUL TRUE AND PURE. IT WAS THE FIRST AND NOT THE LAST TIME THAT
DIXON FELT HE DID NOT REALLY BELONG TO THE PROCEEDINGS. HIS STYLE OF
PLAYING WAS TOO DEEP AND STRIPPED FOR THE RULING GARAGE POMP OF THE GAY
HOUSE SCENE, YET NOT BANGING ENOUGH TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE TECHNO
RAVERS. NEVERTHELESS DIXON DECIDED TO STICK TO HIS IDEA OF HOUSE, ALSO
THE FIRST BUT NOT THE LAST TIME. AND HE WAS AROUND, DEVELOPING HIS
SKILLS AND STYLE AT CLUB LEGENDS LIKE E-WERK, TRESOR, TURBINE AND WMF’S
SEMINAL AUDIO VIDEO DISCO NIGHTS. IN 2005, DIXON FOUNDED INNER CITY, A
MONTHLY NIGHT AT BERLIN’S SEMINAL WEEKEND CLUB THAT SERVED TO GIVE
DIXON BACK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY LIKE HE COULD PLAY WHEN HE STARTED
OUT PLAYING. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ANYBODY ATTENDING THAT THE CLUB WAS MORE
THAN LIBERATING. DIXON USED THE POSSIBILITIES OF HIS NEWLY FOUND
FREEDOM TO FULL EFFECT, CONSTRUCTING MARATHON SETS THAT SOOTHED THE
CROWDS, AND LATTER WHIPPED THEM INTO A FRENZY UNTIL SUNRISE AND
FURTHER. SOON THE OTHER INNERVISIONS DJS AS WELL AS ILLUSTRIOUS GUEST
DJS JOINED THE PARTY, AND INNER CITY BECAME A GUIDING LIGHT FOR ALL
THINGS HOUSE, AS ATTENDING CLUBBERS, DJS AND PRODUCERS SPREAD THE WORD
FAR BEYOND BERLIN’S CITY LIMITS.
RELEASES:
HTTP://WWW.DISCOGS.COM/ARTIST/DIXON
HTTP://WWW.DISCOGS.COM/ARTIST/WAHOO
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