Notable DJs from Birmingham

Birmingham is a melting pot of styles, cultures and music. Its diverse population (1,147,316 and increasing) and rich history combine to form a unique post-industrial city where artists often find refuge with comparatively cheap rents and a burgeoning underground scene. People from Birmingham or 'Brummies' as they are better known and famous for their friendliness and salt of the earth attitude. They are experimental people and often create new forks in the many genres of music that flow through the cities speakers. Notable electronic music genres that are associated with Birmingham include Bhangra, Bassline House and the 'Birmingham Sound.' The city has also heavily influenced a spectrum of genres including Rock, Folk, Punk, Ska, Reggae, Dub, Jungle, DnB, Psychedelia, Metal, Electronica, RnB, Hip-Hop, Soul, Grindcore, Techno, House, Speed Garage, Garage, Minimal, Grime, Drill and Rap (to name a few!).

DJs, producers and bands have often been at the forefront of the progression of music styles in Birmingham. Nowadays DJs hold even more sway with the ever increasing popularity fo electronic music genres over traditional band-based music. Birmingham has a rich underground scene where local DJs shape the future of the city's electronic music scene.

Bhangra

Bhangra is an electronic dance music genre originating from Punjabi Indian folk music. It is characterised by the Chaal rhythm combined with modern electronic sounds, traditional Indian percussive elements and vocals. It is heavily associated and popular with the Indian diaspora who live in Birmingham and have become one of the biggest communities in the city. One of the most recognisable Bhangra tracks is Mundian To Bach Ke by Panjabi MC.

Panjabi MC is an artist from Coventry a city close to Birmingham.

Click here for more Bhangra anthems.

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Bassline House

Brummies love a bit of bass. They often find a genre and just add more of it! Bassline House is a prime example. While it's hard to pin the origin of the sub genre to the city it's clearly a popular sound in Birmingham and many DJs and producer actively promote it. Hannah Wants is a prime example especially in her earlier career where she mixed Speed Garage and Bass House. Another great example is from our very own Marc Spence who's hit record 'Nasty' optimises the sound.

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Birmingham Sound

One of the most notable styles hailing from Birmingham was an uncompromising style of techno known simply as ‘Birmingham Sound.’ From then on, Birmingham was put on the map for harnessing styles of dance music into something noticeably ‘Brum,’ which it still does to this day. To explore this further, we’ve curated a list of some of the best DJs from Birmingham that we’d like to share with you.

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Surgeon 

One of the original pioneers of the Birmingham techno scene, Anthony Child, also known as Surgeon, is an extremely influential DJ and producer. Though technically born in Northamptonshire, he moved to Birmingham to study and noticed that there were absolutely no techno clubs. Frustrated with this, he and his friends opened a night called House of God in 1992 and by 1994 he was DJing there regularly. It was from these events that the term ‘Birmingham Sound’ was coined. This type of techno was fast, industrial and ubiquitous with dark and moody soundscapes. This sound marked a turning point for techno and its influence can still be heard in the Berlin techno clubs we see at present. Surgeon owns the labels Dynamic Tension and Counterbalance. He has also released on iconic imprints Tresor, Soma and Hearthouse. He’s even opened for Lady Gaga! 

Marc Spence 

Garnering a reputation for delivering upfront, club-ready house music that coaxes dance floors superbly, Birmingham-born and bred producer, DJ and label owner Marc Spence commands attention from fans and industry pioneers the world over. Owning the #1 Beatport Tech House track ‘Nasty’ on This Ain’t Bristol, Spence continues to drive his catalogue as one of the UK’s bookmarked artists, signing with house music royalty Dirtybird Records alongside its curator Claude Von Stroke. Marc is also one of our own, as he tutors at DJ Gym in Birmingham!

Completely self-taught and culminating bold releases from solo studio work to collaborative projects Ilgot’n’Gane and Jakkin Rabbit, Spence explores the web of tech and deep house realms, welcoming a bank of electronic inspiration in this fresh decade. Signing to Dirtybird Records, his recent EP ‘Mooda Koopa’ set the tone for sheer tech house heat, following a string of releases across his own label Box Of Cats plus Australia’s Club Sweat, OWSLA and more. During this time the duo project Ilgot’n’Gane joined This Is Music and Jakkin Rabbit released on Jamie Jones and Lee Foss’ label Hot Creations, gaining attention on Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 Essential Selection. 

Across the globe, Marc Spence has dotted the map with true illustrations of his house music appetite. Featuring on bills at Global Gathering UK, Ibiza’s Space, Pacha and Underground, and the inaugural Sonar Festival in Barcelona, while also headlining three tours in Australia and two in Brazil, he claims true house music mastery with enthusiasts. 2021 sees movement from his solo studio while the highly anticipated Ilgot’n’Gane album taking nostalgic hues of Birmingham in the 1990s, is set to drop. 

Samu.I 

Prime talent and dedication to his craft has led Birmingham-based artist Samu.I to become one of the most exciting young artists in the scene. Equally gifted as a producer and a DJ, Samu.I has released on many highly respected labels such as Dogmatik, Saved, Infuse and Surface to name a few. Though some of his best work was released on One Records, with the tracks ‘Innocent’ and ‘Invitations,’ in which he had esteemed producer Martin Buttrich remix the track twice. 

Samu.I’s solid reputation as a DJ resulted in him touring around Europe, playing the likes of Fabric London, Watergate Berlin, Propaganda Moscow and even leading to a season in Sankeys Ibiza. His constantly evolving sound is a force to be reckoned with, and his influences in House & Techno shine through in his own original, stylistic way. His strong dance floor sensibilities pull in the crowd and his soundscapes keep them there throughout the night.

Lopaski 

Lopaski is another great DJ hailing from Birmingham. Starting DJing journey from the young age of 14, he quickly developed a proficient ability for it. Honing his skills further and channelling his passion for electronic music, he later became a skilled producer in the Deep House and Techno scene. Since he began producing, Lopaski has released on esteemed labels such as Elephant Moon, Blindbox and Slapfunk. This led him to get recognition from many respected DJs in the electronic music community. He frequently plays at gigs across the UK and in his hometown, where he runs a party known as Evolve. It’s at this party he has invited international DJs such as Nicholas Lutz, Evan Baggs and Francesco Del Garda to name a few. 

Regis 

Another prolific DJ and influential figure in the Birmingham Techno scene, Regis is a force to be reckoned with. His propensity to put on electrifying techno nights has made waves in the UK and throughout the world. He is the Co-owner of Downwards Records with label partner Female (aka Peter Sutton) and has released over 13 albums and EPs on the label alone. The label extends way beyond just Birmingham Sound, the fast style of Techno that he and Surgeon pioneered. Genres released on the label include shoegaze, garage rock and electronica. Regis also formed the group, British Murder Boys, with his long-time collaborator Surgeon. Regis has toured all over the world for over 20 years and continues to push boundaries with his music. 

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Danny Kane

With a career spanning over 2 decades Danny Kane’s journey through music has seen him work with some of the biggest names in the industry. A highly skilled musician, Danny is a multi-instrumentalist preferring to focus on playing the Bass and also the Piano. This has seen him work alongside industry heavyweights such as Massive Attack’s Sara Nelson, Brit Pop sensations All Saints, Reggae legend Bitty McLean & the uber talented vocalist Robert Øwens.

Danny has recently re-ignited his love for Funk & Disco, with a host of tracks released through Nu Disco Label Midnight Riot Records, remixes and collaborations with artists such as Princess Freesia, Honey Dijon, Tom Findlay, Luke Solomon and Natasha Kitty Kat. Along with lending his musicianship & production skills to new talent such as Jack Tyson Charles, Danny’s ability to bring realism to a fresh new sound infused with his influences gives him that imitable style honed across his music career so far.

Fleur Shore 

Birmingham-based DJ Fleur Shore is making waves in the House scene. Her extensive record collecting from a young age informed her productions, which feature bumping and infectious basslines, with sheer captivating vocals. Fleur has released on labels such as Cuttin’ Heads after the Martinez Brothers picked up her demos. She has also released on FRAME Music and Tamango, where the latter of which, her ‘The Evolution EP’ charted at #1 on Beatport, along with numerous other Top 10’s. Her excellent DJ skills have also led her to become a favoured resident at Lab 11, in which she works with their flagship underground party TRMNL. Young and talented, there’s no question that Fluer Shore will see more success in the future. 

Tom Shorterz

A well-seasoned selector who cut his teeth warming up for the big-name DJs passing through Birmingham, Shorterz steadily built up a glowing reputation and soon established himself as a mainstay of several well-known club nights, such as Bigger than Barry and FACE. Shorterz co-hosted a monthly show on the revered Rinse FM, to which he invited guest DJs and producers from the Birmingham scene to explore pretty much anything that fell under the "house and bass" genre -- an umbrella term he frequently used to encompass the different styles embraced in his shows.

Josh Gregg 

Josh Gregg is arguably one of the most promising names in a thriving Midlands underground landscape. With his productions grabbing the attention of industry stalwarts from Kerri Chandler to Marco Carola, a debut EP on Max Chapman's Resonance Records reaching #2 on Beatport and a string of remixes including house music legend Roland Clark, things are looking bright for the Birmingham native.

Paradox City

Paradox City are a duo who specialise in their own unique, fun, party style of House & Techno. Influenced by 90's RnB, Disco, Garage & beyond. This versatile duo excel whether they are playing a deep warmup, an upbeat main set, a melodic closing set or old school anthems at an afterparty. Paradox City is made up of Portal Co-Owner Reidy & Jon Brady; these best friends gel perfectly having been playing together for over 5 years.

Tommy Vercetti

Tom Cox aka Tommy Vercetti takes inspiration from the sounds of classic disco and 90s garage house, and if you listen to any of the records he’s put out over the last few years, you’ll hear this first-hand. The UK producer has a sound that’s heavily indebted to these blueprint styles, utilising vintage piano chords with euphoric vocal cuts tailored to the floor. It’s an approach that’s brought him attention from some of house’s most prolific names, most notably Kerri Chandler, who signed Cox to his ever-consistent MadTech label. Behind the decks, Cox has rapidly channelled a distinctive party spirit

Goodchild 

Ollie Goodchild aka Goodchild is a DJ bringing Disco back to the forefront of Birmingham’s electronic scene. His eclectic cuts of lost classics and hidden heaters make his parties ones to look out for. He frequently plays in his hometown in clubs like Hare & Hounds and Lab11 at parties such as Boogie Wonderland and Tekno Disco, the latter of which he recently played an all-night-long set for. He has also collaborated with them for his dancefloor-inspired clothing brand Goodchild Collective.

Chris Lorenzo

Chris Lorenzo’s rise to the upper echelons of the house and bass scene is one of electronic music’s more notable success stories. Widely acknowledged for pioneering a sound that has become increasingly prominent throughout the UK, US and many other parts of the world, Lorenzo’s flawless production and high-octane DJ sets have earned him a fanatical and ever-growing global following.

 Hannah Wants

Originally from Birmingham in England Hannah is one of the brightest stars in the global electronic scene with a loyal fan base and dedicated touring schedule that continues to flourish on a worldwide scale.

Hannah has released on some of her favourite record labels including; Ultra Music, Armada, Positiva and of course her own imprint Etiquette. The new chapter of Hannah Wants began on February 5th with the aptly named ‘Lift Off’ featuring Nathan Nicholson and you can expect regular music releases from here on in.

Low Steppa 

Low Steppa is without doubt one of the most vital and influential house music artists of the present day. From his explosive bootleg of Route 94’s ‘My Love’ to playing BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Defected In The House parties, to his Rinse FM show and all-conquering Simma Black imprint – which celebrated its 100th release in 2017 –  Low Steppa is about as relevant and in-demand a DJ and producer as its possible to be.

Outside of the studio, Low Steppa has already performed at landmark gigs including Radio 1’s Big Weekend Opening Party and EDC Las Vegas. However it is his association with legendary house label Defected that has really stepped up a gear. In 2017 alone he performed at seven of the Defected In The House Ibiza residencies at Eden, with his back-to-back sets alongside Sonny Fodera among the most celebrated of the season.

Ryan Resso

Birmingham Based Ryan Resso is an exciting upcoming producer in the Minimal Techno scene and one of the head honchos of WYLD.

Kurse.D

Kurse.D is a Birmingham based DJ Minimal/Techno and Re:cord Resident.

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The Reopening of Rainbow Venue's Crane Club!

It's been over 4 years since Crane last opened it's doors to the raver's of Birmingham, and this reopening marks a new turning point for inner city rave culture in the city. The 2700 cap venue has been home to some of the worlds biggest DJs, on par with other iconic warehouse style clubs such as Manchester's Warehouse Project, and Bristol's Motion. This October's opening parties see the likes of Solardo, Brum's own Hannah Wants, Shy FX and Danny Howard t name a few iconic names.

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A Brief History of Bassline in Birmingham

The Birmingham Bassline scene blueprint comes from the London ‘Sunday Scene’ of the mid 90s and the legendary Sheffield night club called ‘Niche’

The Birmingham sound was a mixture of Euro House , Speed Garage , Funky House and the more harder pumping / hard house (Kubbheads etc) however the umbrella term ‘Speed Garage’ was often used to describe all of the above and that was exactly what was been played in Birmingham events / clubs such as West End Bar , Premonition , Chip Charlies , Moonlounge & Bassline Heaven. DJ Ric James was known for been one of the early pioneers of this sound.

Early 2000s Pirate Radio Silk City FM changed musical direction from just been a Urban music radio station and started introducing new shows with DJs such as Joe Hunt, Dean Curtis , Sparks & Corsa , Macca and Danny Wynn to name a small few. This new sound began pumping through the air waves which increased It’s popularity and became a staple sound in Birmingham nightlife

By mid 2000s the scene split into Bassline House & 4x4 Bassline aka Niche . Bassline House moved to a more fluffy organ sound much like the 90s handbag house scene while 4x4 Bassline was much darker / faster and often had elements from Grime with MC’s regularly featuring on the tracks.

Birmingham Record Labels Ecko Records & Jump put out many of those early Bassline House classics and kick started the careers of inhouse engineers Funkagenda & Chris Lorenzo

By mid & late 90s with a string of chart success Bassline had peaked and fizzled out with a lot of bad media attention causing clubs up and down the country no longer willing to host Bassline events due to Police pressure and violence within the events.

As of today Bassline & Speed Garage has been given a new lease of life with the likes of Interplanetary Criminal and Dr Banana re issuing timeless cuts and making new bangers for a whole new generation

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Conclusion

Covering the darkest shades of electronic music, all the way through to the happier, bouncier vibes of house and disco and everything in between, Birmingham’s scene really does have it all. You can also expect many grassroots electronic music venues through to Birmingham’s notorious warehouse-style clubs. Make sure to check out all of the DJs we mentioned and if you’re feeling inspired, come and learn with us at DJ Gym in our Digbeth Studio! 

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