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Dixon (DJ)

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Dixon

| image = DIXON IMAGe DAVIT 021.jpg

| landscape = yes

| birth_name = Steffen Berkhahn

| alias = Dixon

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|12|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Anklam, East Germany

| genre = House, techno

| occupation = DJ, Producer, Record Label Founder, Fashion Label Founder

| years_active = 1991–present

| associated_acts = Âme, Recondite, Marcus Worgull, Henrik Schwarz

| label = Innervisions, Sonar Kollektiv, Get Physical Music, WMF Records

}}

Dixon (born Steffen Berkhahn; 21 December 1975){{Cite web|url=http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/dixon|title=DJ History - interview with Dixon|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628113807/http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/dixon|archive-date=2016-06-28|url-status=dead}} is a German musician, best known as a house and techno DJ and producer, as well founder of record label Innervisions, based in Berlin. In recent years, he has also made endeavours into fashion and technology, and is the joint owner of club-wear clothing brand Together We Dance Alone. In 2019 he launched an Ibiza residency and digital platform of the same name, Transmoderna. Dixon was voted as the number one DJ on Resident Advisor's Top 100 DJ Poll every year from 2013 to the last annual poll in 2016.

Life and work

Berkhahn was born in Anklam. He grew up in East Berlin and was aiming for a career as a professional footballer or a long-distance runner, an ambition that was thwarted due to injury.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03s8q79|title=Dixon - Hall Of Fame, Dixon and Emanuel Satie, Pete Tong - BBC Radio 1|website=BBC|access-date=2016-10-17}}{{Cite news|url=http://crackmagazine.net/article/music/dixon/|title=DIXON {{!}} Crack Magazine|newspaper=Crack Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2016-12-15}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.taz.de/!343545/|title=Die DJs mit der Goldkante|last=Rapp|first=Tobias|newspaper=die tageszeitung|access-date=2016-12-15}}{{Cite news|url=http://fr.traxmag.com/article/30158-dixon-et-le-football-une-occasion-ratee|title=Dixon et le football, une occasion ratée|newspaper=Trax magazine|language=fr-FR|access-date=2016-12-15}}

In the early 1990s he began DJing under the name Dixon in Berlin clubs such as Turbine, Tresor, E-Werk and WMF. For several years he held a weekly residency at WMF with Mitja Prinz, which he describes a key experience in his formative years as a DJ. His residencies at Tresor, WMF and later Weekend Club all involved playing long sets. In a city known in particular for techno music, Dixon established a reputation as a deep house DJ.{{Cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2383|title=Innervisions: Lost in a moment|publisher=Residentadvisor.net|access-date=2016-09-26}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pb87CgAAQBAJ&q=dixon+berkhahn&pg=PT175|title=Lost and Sound: Berlin, Techno und der Easyjetset|last=Rapp|first=Tobias|date=2012-09-17|publisher=Suhrkamp Verlag|isbn=9783518733950|language=de}}

Dixon's global prominence as a DJ has grown over the years through appearances at clubs and festivals worldwide.{{Cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/dixon/dates|title=RA: Dixon tour dates|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=2016-09-26}}{{Cite web|url=http://groove.de/2014/05/09/feature-innervisions-ueber-das-auflegen-groove-147/|title=INNERVISIONS Über das Auflegen|last=Janson|first=Gerd|date=2014-05-09|website=Groove|access-date=2016-10-17}} He was voted No. 1 in Resident Advisor's Top 100 DJ Poll in the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/1968|title=RA Poll: Top DJs of 2013|publisher=Residentadvisor.net|access-date=2014-07-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2328|title=RA Poll: Top DJs of 2014|publisher=Residentadvisor.net|access-date=2014-07-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2571|title=RA Poll: Top DJs of 2015|publisher=Residentadvisor.net|access-date=2014-07-13}}{{cite magazine|title=Resident Advisor Reveals Its Top 100 DJs of 2015|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/6804505/resident-advisor-top-100-djs-2015|magazine=Billboard|date=9 December 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/features/2857|title=RA Poll: Top DJs of 2016|newspaper=Resident Advisor|access-date=2016-12-09}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7603851/resident-advisor-top-100-2016-dixon|title=Dixon Tops Resident Advisor's 2016 Top 100 List|newspaper=Billboard|access-date=2016-12-09}}{{Cite news|url=https://thump.vice.com/en_ca/article/ra-top-djs-readers-poll-2016-dixon|title=Dixon Tops RA's 2016 Readers Poll for the Fourth Year {{!}} Thump|newspaper=Thump|language=en-CA|access-date=2016-12-09}} In terms of style, German newspaper Die Welt credits Dixon with "bringing back vocals, drama and grand emotions to the dancefloor" after the electronic dance music scene was dominated by minimal techno for several years.{{cite news|title=Vergessen wir, was Montag bis Freitag war|url=https://www.welt.de/kultur/pop/article124699959/Vergessen-wir-was-Montag-bis-Freitag-war.html|website=Die Welt|date=10 February 2014|last1=Tittel|first1=Cornelius}} Die Tageszeitung agrees that Dixon and Innervisions "changed the sound of Berlin."

Dixon first began record label and A&R work at the Sonar-Kollektiv sublabel Recreation Recordings.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cocoon.net/artist/dixon|title=artist {{!}} Dixon {{!}} cocoon.net|website=Cocoon.net|access-date=2016-09-26}} In 2005 he founded the label Innervisions with Kristian Beyer and Frank Wiedemann from Âme.{{Cite news|url=https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/innervisions-co-founders-me-and-dixon-to-record-b2b-essential-mix-in-april|title=Innervisions Co-founders Âme and Dixon To Record b2b Essential Mix in April {{!}} Thump|newspaper=Thump|language=en-US|access-date=2016-10-17}}{{Cite news|url=http://mixmag.net/read/watch-a-documentary-profiling-dixon-and-ames-innervisions-label-news|title=Watch a documentary profiling Dixon and Âme's Innervisions label|newspaper=Mixmag|access-date=2016-12-15}} Initially a sub-label of Sonar Kollektiv, it became independent in 2006.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiza-voice.com/story/news/2049|title=Dixon - Sound and InnerVisions|last=Voice|first=Ibiza|website=Ibiza-voice.com|access-date=2016-12-15}} British magazine Mixmag says the label has had "an astounding influence on the global house scene."{{cite web|title=10 Essential Innervisions Tracks|url=http://mixmag.net/feature/10-essential-innervisions-tracks|website=Mixmag.net}}

As a producer, Dixon has released several EPs in collaboration with artists such as Georg Levin, Derrick Carter, Henrik Schwarz and Âme.{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/4492-Dixon|title=Dixon|website=Discogs|access-date=2016-09-26}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-64628314.html|title=POP: Minimal ist besser - DER SPIEGEL 12/2009|last=Germany|first=SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg|newspaper=Der Spiegel|date=15 March 2009|access-date=2016-12-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/43jw/|title=BBC - Music - Review of Wahoo - Take It Personal|last=Patel|first=Amar|access-date=2016-12-15}} Dixon often creates his own edits of other artists' tracks for use in his DJ sets. Some of the most notable of these include his 2017 edit of Depeche Mode's "Cover Me" and 2018 edit of "i used to" by LCD Soundsystem, both released on [Columbia Records].

Berkhahn lives with his wife and son in Berlin.

In 2018, Dixon was added into Grand Theft Auto Online as a nightclub DJ as part of the After Hours DLC.{{cite web |last1=Donnelly |first1=Joe |title=GTA Online invites real-world DJ Dixon to Los Santos, adds new plane and music |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gta-online-invites-real-world-dj-dixon-to-los-santos-adds-new-plane-and-music/ |website=Pcgamer.com |access-date=7 August 2018 |date=7 August 2018}}

Together We Dance Alone

In 2017, Dixon branched out from music and started his own fashion label "Together We Dance Alone", along with its current creative director, Ana Ofak. The label released its first limited-edition long sleeve in conjunction with designer Kristina Nagel, before aligning with Japanese fashion brand Sacai to release another long-sleeved style, which was available in Sacai's Tokyo showroom and Together We Dance Alone's [https://togetherwedancealone.com/ webshop].{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakocay/2018/08/01/dixon-clothing-label-together-we-dance-alone/|title=Dixon On His Clothing Label Together We Dance Alone And Appearance In Grand Theft Auto V|first=Lisa|last=Kocay|website=Forbes|access-date=22 December 2021}}

Since then the brand has teamed up with a number of other designers, and continued to collaborate with Sacai, releasing an additional limited edition printed short sleeve design in December 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://togetherwedancealone.com/|title=TOGETHER WE DANCE ALONE ™ – Together We Dance Alone|website=Togetherwedancealone.com|access-date=22 December 2021}}

Alongside Together We Dance Alone's online store, there are select stores in Los Angeles, Berlin and Paris.

Transmoderna

In the Summer of 2019, Dixon launched the first season of his Ibiza residency, Transmoderna. The initial season was hosted at Pacha and ran every Friday night for 20 weeks, from May to October. Transmoderna evolved into more than just a club night, in parallel acting as a digital platform to explore boundaries between different spheres of music, art, fashion, technology and club culture. With particular focus on crossovers between the real and virtual, Transmoderna reached into elements of AR, launching two of their own Instagram face filters, created by Johanna Jaskowska.{{Cite web|url=https://032c.com/the-future-has-expired-dixons-transmoderna-seeks-the-spirit-of-the-present|title="The future has expired": Dixon's TRANSMODERNA seeks the spirit of the present - 032c|website=032c.com|access-date=22 December 2021}}

Towards the end of the first season, an official Transmoderna [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZ0-HmhBXE music video] was released, representing a culmination of the overlapping elements that came together initially to form the overall Transmoderna concept. Soundtracked by Âme and Mathew Jonson, it brought together visual artists, fashion designers, choreographers, dance performers and programmers, which was then given to an AI to tweak and alter the final product.

Transmoderna has since been confirmed for a second season, with its venue announced to be moving to DC10 in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://ra.co/news/71837|title=Dixon's Ibiza residency, Transmoderna, moves to DC-10 for 2020 season · News ⟋ RA|website=Resident Advisor|access-date=22 December 2021}}

Discography

= Singles and EPs =

  • 2005: Wahoo presented By Dixon and Georg Levin – Holding You (Sonar Kollektiv)
  • 2006: Henrik Schwarz / Âme / Dixon feat. Derrick L. Carter – Where We At EP (Sonar Kollektiv, Innervisions)
  • 2008: Henrik Schwarz / Âme / Dixon – D.P.O.M.B. EP (Innervisions)
  • 2009: Dixon – Temporary Secretary – Dixon Edits (Innervisions)
  • 2010: Henrik Schwarz / Âme / Dixon – A Critical Mass Live EP (Innervisions)
  • 2014: Guy Gerber & Dixon – No Distance EP (Rumors)

= Mixes and compilations =

  • 1999: V.A. – Off Limits (Recreation Recordings)
  • 2000: V.A. – Off Limits 2 (Recreation Recordings)
  • 2001: Dixon and Mitja Prinz – Audio Video Disco (WMF Records)
  • 2002: V.A. – Off Limits 3 (Recreation Recordings)
  • 2007: DJ Dixon – Body Language Vol. 4 (Get Physical Music)
  • 2009: Dixon – Temporary Secretary (Innervisions)
  • 2009: Henrik Schwarz / Âme / Dixon – The Grandfather Paradox (BBE)
  • 2010: Dixon – Five Years Of Innervisions Compiled & Mixed By Dixon × Air (Lastrum)
  • 2011: Dixon – Live At Robert Johnson Volume 8 (Live At Robert Johnson)

= Remixes (selected) =

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • {{Discogs artist}}

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Category:Musicians from Berlin

Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Anklam

Category:German electronic dance music DJs