Erol Alkan
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Erol Alkan | |
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 Erol Alkan Live | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Erol Alkan |
| Also known as | Kurtis Rush Mustapha 3000 Beyond The Wizards Sleeve |
| Born | 30 May 1974 London, England |
| Genres | Electro house[1] |
| Occupation(s) | DJ, producer, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Turntables, guitar, bass, drums, voice, CDJ-2000 |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Phantasy |
| Website | erolalkan |
Erol Alkan (born 30 May 1974)[2] is a London-based electro DJ of Turkish Cypriot descent.[3]
Career
DJ and club promoter
In 1993, Erol Alkan started DJing in various indie nightclubs in London.
In 1995, he was a resident DJ of club night 'Going Underground' co-founded by Glyn Peppiatt and James Dickie. It was held weekly on Mondays at the Plastic People venue which was situated at its original Oxford Street location in Central London.
In 1997, Erol re-launched the club under a new name: Trash. Over the next years, Trash became one of the most influential clubs of its time.[2] Until its closure in 2007, Trash saw performances by Peaches, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons, Bloc Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Electric Six and many more up and coming bands.
From 2001 onwards, Erol Alkan started to play regular DJ sets outside Trash, focusing on dance music, influenced by his sets at Bugged Out. Bugged Out are credited as launching Erol's dance music career after offering him a residency halfway through his debut set for them at Fabric, when Erol filled in for David Holmes who had missed a flight into London. His profile increased considerably during 2003 when he was voted 'Best Breakthrough DJ' by Muzik magazine, and in 2006, when he earned the Mixmag 2006 "DJ of the Year" award. Erol has also been voted Datatransmissions 'DJ Of The Year' in both 2008 and 2009, which is seen as an alternative to the DJ Mag Top 100 awards but consists only of British DJs.
Since 2008, Alkan has also hosted a regular radio show, as the longest running resident of BBC 6Music's 6Mix until 2015, and began programming a residency for online streaming platform Boiler Room in 2016.
In the summer of 2017, he programmed a 13-week residency at London's XOYO club, playing weekly alongside live and DJ guests including Boys Noize, Gerd Janson, 2ManyDJs, Francois K, Peaches and Jimmy Edgar.
He has released multiple successful DJ mixes, including two editions of 'A Bugged Out/Bugged In' mix, a 2012 mix for Belgian festival I Love Techno and a 2014 contribution to the prestigious Fabriclive series that was awarded 'Mix Of The Year' by DJ Mag.
Remixer
Erol Alkan released a series of mash-ups using the alias Kurtis Rush in the early 2000s, including a mix of Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and New Order's "Blue Monday", which was performed by Minogue at the Brit Awards. Erol also used the alias Mustapha 3000, and is half of the psychedelic dance-rock act Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve, along with Richard Norris. In 2016, Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve released a long-anticipated debut album, The Soft Bounce, featuring collaborations with artists such as Hannah Peel, Jane Weaver, Euros Childs and Jon Savage. In 2016, London record store Rough Trade featured The Soft Bounce as one of their top ten records of 2016 in their annual end of year list.
Erol Alkan has remixed tracks from artists including Klaxons, Alter Ego, Bloc Party, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Gonzales, Tame Impala, MGMT, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, ZZT, Fan Death, Digitalism, Scissor Sisters, Justice, Franz Ferdinand, LA Priest, Interpol, Hot Chip, Death From Above 1979, Alter Ego, Metronomy, Mylo, Tame Impala, Night Works, Margot, Todd Rundgren, Kindness, Connan Mockasin, Depeche Mode and New Order.
In 2017, Alkan's label, Phantasy, released 'Reworks Volume 1', encompassing twenty of his best-loved remixes, and available as both a double-CD and limited-edition vinyl format. It was nominated for 'Best Compilation' in the 2017 DJ Mag Awards.
Producer
Erol Alkan has also taken a hand to producing, working on 3 albums within a 2-year period. His first production credit is the entire Mystery Jets' second album, Twenty One, which contained the 2 top 40 hit singles "Young Love" and "Two Doors Down", Late of the Pier's debut record, Fantasy Black Channel, and The Long Blondes' second album Couples
In 2007 Alkan founded his own label, named Phantasy, which has released music from Daniel Avery, Connan Mockasin, Ghost Culture, Cowboy Rhythmbox, Kamera, U and Alkan's own Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Project, as well as his first EP of solo club tracks, 'Illumination' in 2013.
In 2017, Alkan produced the comeback LP from seminal British shoegaze band, Ride. Titled 'Weather Diaries', it was released to critical acclaim.
Discography
Original releases
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2009 | "Waves / Death Suite" (with Boys Noize) |
| "Waves" (Chilly Gonzales Piano Rework) | |
| 2010 | "Lemonade / Avalanche" (with Boys Noize) |
| 2011 | "Avalanche (Terminal Velocity)" (with Boys Noize feat. Jarvis Cocker) |
| 2012 | "Roland Rat / Brainstorm" (with Boys Noize) |
| "A Sydney Jook" (with Switch) | |
| 2013 | "Illumination EP" |
Mix and compilation albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Trash Companion #1 |
| 2003 | One Louder (Muzik Magazine Covermount) |
| 2004 | A Bugged Out Mix |
| 2006 | Disco 2006 (Mixmag Magazine Covermount) |
| 2008 | Ark 1 (As Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve) |
| 2009 | Re-Animations Volume 1 (As Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve) |
| 2012 | Door to Tomorrow / Black Noise (As Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve) |
| Another "Bugged Out" Mix & "Bugged In" Selection | |
| 2014 | FabricLive.77 |
Remixes as Erol Alkan
| Year | Artist | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Mylo | "Drop the Pressure" | Erol Alkan's Extended Re-Edit |
| Alter Ego | "Rocker" | Erol Alkan's Death Disco Re-Vised | |
| Death from Above 1979 | "Romantic Rights" | Erol Alkan's Love From Below Re-Edit | |
| 2005 | The Chemical Brothers | "Believe" | Erol Alkan's Feel Me Rework |
| Bloc Party | "She's Hearing Voices" | Erol Alkan's Calling Your Name Dub & Vocal Re-Works | |
| Mystery Jets | "Zoo Time" | Erol Alkan Re-Work | |
| Franz Ferdinand | "Do You Want To" | Erol Alkan's Glam Racket | |
| 2006 | Daft Punk | "The Brainwasher" | Erol Alkan's Horrorhouse Dub |
| Justice | "Waters of Nazareth" | Erol Alkan's Durrr Durrr Durrrrrr Re-Edit | |
| Hot Chip | "Boy From School" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| Scissor Sisters | "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" | Erol Alkan's Carnival Of Light Rework | |
| 2007 | Klaxons | "Golden Skans" [4] | Erol Alkan's Ekstra Spektral Rework |
| Digitalism | "Jupiter Room" | Erol Alkan's Simple, Yet Effective Re-Edit | |
| Interpol | "Mammoth" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| La Priest | "Engine" | Erol Alkan's Transonic Re-Edit | |
| 2008 | Fan Death | "Veronica's Veil" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework |
| Sebastian | "Momy" | Erol Alkan’s Murrr/O/Durrr Re-Edit | |
| ZZT | "The Worm" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| 2009 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | "Zero" | Erol Alkan Rework |
| 2010 | Chilly Gonzales | "Never Stop" | Erol Alkan's Piano Pella |
| Chilly Gonzales | "Never Stop" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| MGMT | "Congratulations" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| Eurythmics | "Sweet Dreams" | Erol Alkan Re-Edit #1 | |
| 2011 | Tame Impala | "Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind?" | Erol Alkan Rework |
| Erol Alkan & Boys Noize | "Death Suite" | Erol Alkan Edit | |
| Connan Mockasin | "Forever Dolphin Love" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| Metronomy | "The Bay" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| Ladytron | "Flicking Your Switch" | Erol Alkan Remix | |
| 2012 | Justice | "Canon" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework |
| Saint Etienne | "Last Days of Disco" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| Kindness | "Gee Up" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| Connan Mockasin | "Forever Dolphin Love" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework Version 2 | |
| Spandex | "The Bull" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| 2013 | Night Works | "Long Forgotten Boy" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework |
| Tame Impala | "Be Above It" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| 2014 | Manic Street Preachers | "Europa Geht Durch Mich" | Erol Alkan's Mesmerise Eins/Zwei Rework |
| The Emperor Machine | "RMI Is All I Want" | Erol Alkan's Extended Rework | |
| Klaxons | "Love Frequency" | Erol Alkan's Mild Pitch Remix | |
| Margot | "Waldorf" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| 2015 | Emil Nikolaisen, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm, and Todd Rundgren | "Runddans" | Erol Alkan Rework |
| New Order | "Singularity" | Erol Alkan Rework | |
| 2016 | Beyond The Wizards Sleeve | "White Crow" | Erol Alkan Rework |
| 2017 | Todd Terje & Det Glyne Triangel | "Maskindanse" | Erol Alkan Rework |
| Depeche Mode | "Cover Me" | Erol Alkan White Light Rework | |
| Depeche Mode | "Cover Me" | Erol Alkan Black Out Rework |
Remixes as Beyond the Wizards Sleeve
| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Peter Bjorn and John | "Young Folks" |
| Dust Galaxy | "Come Hear the Trumpets" | |
| Midlake | "Roscoe" | |
| 2007 | Findlay Brown | "Losing the Will to Survive" |
| Tracey Thorn | "Raise the Roof" | |
| Badly Drawn Boy | "Promises" | |
| The Chemical Brothers | "Battle Scars" | |
| 2008 | The Real Ones | "Outlaw" |
| Late of the Pier | "The Bears Are Coming" | |
| Goldfrapp | "Happiness" | |
| Simian Mobile Disco | "Love" | |
| 2009 | Franz Ferdinand | "Ulysses" |
| 2010 | De De Mouse | "Station to Stars" |
| 2014 | Temples | "Sun Structures" |
| Daniel Avery | "New Energy" | |
| 2015 | Noel Gallagher | "Ballad Of The Mighty I" |
| Noel Gallagher | "Riverman" | |
| 2016 | Shock Machine | "The Shock Machine" |
| M Craft | "Chemical Trails" | |
| Doom Squad | "Pyramids" |
Album production
| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | The Long Blondes | "Weekend Without Makeup" (B-sides) |
| Mystery Jets | Diamonds in the Dark EP | |
| The Long Blondes | "Once and Never Again" (B-sides) | |
| Mystery Jets | "Half in Love with the Radio" b/w "Umbrellahead" | |
| 2007 | The Long Blondes | "Giddy Stratospheres" (B-sides) |
| Klaxons | "Electrickery" | |
| Mystery Jets | Zootime (American LP) | |
| Franz Ferdinand | "All My Friends" (LCD Soundsystem cover) | |
| Klaxons | "The Night" | |
| Late of the Pier | "Bathroom Gurgle" | |
| 2008 | Late of the Pier | "The Bears Are Coming" |
| Mystery Jets | Twenty One | |
| The Long Blondes | "Century" | |
| The Long Blondes | Couples | |
| Late of the Pier | "Space and the Woods" b/w "Focker" | |
| Mystery Jets | "Two Doors Down" | |
| Late of the Pier | "Heartbeat" | |
| Late of the Pier | Fantasy Black Channel | |
| Whitey | "Do the Nothing" (7") | |
| 2009 | Late of the Pier | "Blueberry" |
| 2010 | Late of the Pier | "Best in the Class" |
| Late of the Pier | Best in the Class (Remixes EP) | |
| 2011 | Kindness | "Cyan" |
| 2012 | Daniel Avery | Need Electric EP |
| Daniel Avery | Water Jump EP | |
| 2013 | Daniel Avery | Drone Logic |
| 2017 | Ride | Weather Diaries |
Other work
Erol Alkan has produced remixes for Headman, Ali Love and Voodoo Chilli under his Mustapha 3000 alias.
He is also one half of psychedelic rock group Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve.[5] BTWS have remixed tracks (often listed as "Re-Animations") for Peter Bjorn and John, Midlake, Simian Mobile Disco, Franz Ferdinand, Badly Drawn Boy, The Chemical Brothers, Goldfrapp, Late of the Pier, Tracey Thorn, Dust Galaxy, The Real Ones, and Findlay Brown. They've also released an album called "Ark 1" in 2008, and four EPs - "Birth", "Spring", "George" & "West".
Erol compiled a 2xCD mix for the Bugged Out series. The second disc, "A Bugged In Selection with Erol Alkan", is a collection of downtempo tracks. Erol has also released mix compilations for Muzik Magazine and Mixmag.
He also produced the Klaxons song "Electrickery", which was the b-side to the 2007 re-release of Gravity's Rainbow, & "The Night", which was the b-side to "Not Over Yet" single.
After signing to Rough Trade Records, Erol produced all of The Long Blondes' b-sides including their second album Couples.
Other productions: Whitey's "Do The Nothing", Franz Ferdinand's "All my Friends (LCD Soundsystem Cover)"
Alkan was working on remixes for Björk and Interpol in summer 2007, but lost them due to a hard drive failure.[6]
He produced the Mystery Jets' second album entitled Twenty One, which was released on 24 March 2008 from which the first single, "Flakes" debuted online.[7]
He has also produced Late of the Pier's debut album Fantasy Black Channel, which was released 11 August 2008 on Parlophone Records. It was awarded an alternative Album Of The Year accolade by Drowned In Sound, in which the public voted.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Murray, Robin (6 September 2012). "Erol Alkan Tackles 'Forever Dolphin Love'". Clash. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
- ^ a b Cooper, Leonie (6 January 2007). "Trash regular Leonie Cooper looks back on the decade's hippest rave up". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ "T in the Park: Erol Alkan". BBC. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
- ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Erol Alkan's Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve project returns with a new single". Fact. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ "Erol Alkan". Erolalkan.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ "{title}". Archived from the original on 14 January 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)
External links
Audio links
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