Deetron

As his moniker implies, Swiss DJ/producer Deetron is heavily inspired by the Detroit techno scene. Active since the ’90s, his productions have evolved from tough, heavily percussive tracks to warmer, more soulful compositions, rich with melodies and sunny chords. As a DJ, he has perfected a highly technical yet fluid style, rapidly blending tracks on three turntables à la Jeff Mills, and he’s released several acclaimed mix CDs in addition to perpetually touring around the world. He’s also remixed hundreds of tracks, from underground techno favorites such as Legowelt and Aril Brikha to non-dance artists like Ennio Morricone. Deetron (born Samuel Geiser) grew up listening to hip-hop and house music during the early ’90s. Influenced by Swiss DJ Djaimin and Detroit legend Jeff Mills, he began to mix, and quickly mastered the art. He began releasing techno 12″s as Deetron during the late ’90s, in addition to other monikers such as Karakter, Soulmate, and Procreation (reserved for jazzier, broken beat-influenced productions). His first mix CD, the inventive 37-track In the Mix, was released by Music Man Records in 2002. The label also released Deetron’s 2006 debut full-length, Twisted, which featured guest vocals by Detroiters DJ Bone and Paris the Black Fu. His second mix CD, Fuse Presents Deetron, appeared in 2008, followed by Balance 020 in 2011. The vocal-heavy full-length Music Over Matter was released in 2013, with guests including Cooly G, Hercules & Love Affair, Seth Troxler, Fritz Kalkbrenner, and others. In 2014, Deetron released his fourth mix CD, Fabric 76, in addition to launching his Character imprint. The 2017 collection Re-Creation compiled Deetron’s remixes for the likes of Jamiroquai, Tiga, Todd Terje, and many others. His installment of !K7′s long-running DJ-Kicks series appeared in 2018. ~ Paul Simpson