Jochem Paap

Jochem Paap (the Rotterdam artist owes the nickname "Speedy J" to his DJ skills) is unanimously considered to be one of the first techno producers to come from the Benelux. Together with people like Laurent Garnier, Aphex Twin, and Richie Hawtin he helped raise the genre just after it had escaped the Detroit delivery room. Since the early nineties, Speedy J has released on labels like Plus 8, Warp, and Novamute. But while techno developed into a dominating force on many dance floors worldwide, Jochem Paap, after the albums Ginger (1993) and G Spot (1995), turned left and headed for other exciting places. On Public Energy No.1 (1997) and A Shocking Hobby (2000), the sound wizard exchanged flowing, harmonious techno for a much more complex sound, filled with colliding samples, crackling rhythms, and tremendously thrilling turns. Speedy J has been continuously pushing the boundaries of electronic and experimental dance music. Blurring the lines between live performance and digital DJing, he fuses subversive electronics and peak time techno. Together with his partner in crime Chris Liebing, he started using Traktor and other software technology on four laptops with hardware such as drum machines and 303s to create a fully integrated set.