User:DJSasha Dave/sandbox

Sasha was born in Bangor, North Wales, and began DJing in the late 1980s amid the rise of UK acid house. Influenced by the Manchester scene and The Haçienda, he first gained recognition through mixtapes and residencies at clubs such as Shelley’s in Stoke-on-Trent and Renaissance in Nottingham. His style—characterised by vocal house, rave energy, and melodic sensibility—helped establish him as a leading figure in the UK club scene.

In the mid-1990s, Sasha’s collaborations with John Digweed and BT were instrumental in defining the global progressive house sound. In 1994, he and Digweed released the critically acclaimed Renaissance: The Mix Collection, followed by the Northern Exposure series beginning in 1996. These compilations were notable for their conceptual structure and cinematic flow.

In 1999, Sasha composed original music for the video game Wipeout 3 and released the influential Xpander EP. His work with Charlie May of Spooky led to the 2002 album Airdrawndagger, which marked a transition toward cinematic electronica. He later produced the Involver series (2004, 2008, 2013), which reimagined existing tracks as long-form, continuous mixes combining elements of remixing, production, and DJing.

In 2011, Sasha founded Last Night on Earth (LNOE), a label dedicated to progressive, melodic, and experimental electronic music. The label has featured both established collaborators and emerging artists. In 2023, LNOE celebrated its 10th anniversary with LNOE10, a compilation featuring artists such as Photek, Qrion, Alex Banks, and Pumarosa.

"Fleuron Drift", "Volks Wagon"

"Glastacy" (with Sentre)

"Astra" (with Super Flu)

"Phaxon" (with Jody Barr)

"Hold On" (with Archie)

"Hifi" (with Joseph Ashworth)

In 2021, Sasha released LUZOSCURA, an album that evolved from a curated playlist and was noted for its blend of ambient textures, melodic techno, and progressive elements.

In 2024, Sasha collaborated with FKA twigs on a series of experimental studio sessions blending avant-pop, ambient textures, and club-influenced structures. While details remain limited, the collaboration has been teased through both artists’ social channels and is expected to lead to future joint releases. The sessions reflect Sasha’s ongoing interest in working outside traditional dance music contexts and exploring cross-genre creative partnerships.

In 2022, Sasha composed the original score for Genius: The Score – Original Music for the Da Vinci Immersive Exhibition, in collaboration with Berlin-based creative agency Flora&FaunaVisions. The 45-minute soundtrack combined Renaissance choral motifs with modern classical and ambient electronic elements. After debuting in Berlin, the show toured internationally, with stops in Amsterdam, Miami, and Mumbai, with further dates planned through 2026.

In 2007, he also scored the surf film New Emissions of Light and Sound: The Dark Side of the Machine, produced by Globe and shot on 16mm film. Featuring surfers such as Taj Burrow, CJ Hobgood, and Yadin Nicol, the film included Sasha’s ambient soundtrack as a continuous mix in The emFire Collection (2008), which later won an award at the X-Dance Awards held alongside the Sundance Film Festival.

In 2002, Sasha and John Digweed launched the Delta Heavy Tour, considered the first fully produced arena-scale DJ tour in the United States. Featuring full production and major venue bookings, the tour played a significant role in establishing DJs as headline acts. A DVD documenting the tour was later released.

In 2017, Sasha released Refracted: Live, a live album and DVD recorded during two sold-out shows at London’s Barbican Centre. These performances featured orchestral reinterpretations of key tracks from his catalogue and were praised for their emotional and cinematic quality.

His 2005 mix compilation Fundacion NYC reflected a shift toward deeper, groove-oriented sounds and was one of the first commercially released DJ mixes performed live using Ableton Live and the custom-built Maven controller.

Following the 2016 release of Scene Delete, Sasha curated a series of remix EPs that featured artists across the electronic and modern classical spectrum.

Released in 2006, Avalon: Los Angeles CA 24/06/06 was a live DJ mix recorded and mastered on-site using Ableton Live and the Maven controller. Fans were able to purchase a professionally pressed CD just 30 minutes after the performance ended.

In 2005, Sasha introduced the Maven controller, a custom MIDI device developed for exclusive use with Ableton Live. The controller included rotary encoders, faders, buttons, and visual feedback features. Although it was never commercially released, it influenced the development of modern performance tools such as Native Instruments’ Kontrol series.

Sasha has delivered multiple Essential Mix broadcasts for BBC Radio 1 since his 1994 debut. That first mix remains one of the most celebrated in the series and marked its 30th anniversary in 2024.

In 2005, he recorded a landmark Essential Mix live from BBC Maida Vale Studios. Performed entirely with Ableton Live and the Maven controller, it was voted Essential Mix of the Year and is regarded as a benchmark in digital DJing.

He has also received multiple Essential New Tune picks from Pete Tong. In 2016, Annie Mac named "Track 10" her hottest record in the world (7 October 2016).

DJ Mag Top 100 DJs – No. 1 DJ in the World (2000)

Honorary Doctorate in Music – Bangor University (2022)

Grammy Award Nomination – Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for "Watching Cars Go By" (Sasha Remix) by Felix da Housecat (2004)

The Qat Collection (1994)

Airdrawndagger (2002)

Scene Delete (2016)

LUZOSCURA (2021)

Genius: The Score – Original Music for the Da Vinci Immersive Exhibition (2022)

Renaissance: The Mix Collection (with John Digweed) (1994)

Northern Exposure series (1996–2001)

Global Underground: 009 San Francisco (1998)

Global Underground: 013 Ibiza (1999)

Fundacion NYC (2005)

Avalon: Los Angeles CA 24/06/06 (2006)

Involver (2004)

Invol2ver (2008)

Invol3r (2013)

Fabric 99 (2018)

Refracted: Live (2017)

"Magic" (1994)

"Xpander" (1999)

"Scorchio" (with Emerson) (2000)

"Wavy Gravy" (2002)

"Breezer" (with Junkie XL) (2003)

"Mongoose" (2007)

"Out of Time" (feat. Poliça) (2019)

"Haunted" (with Franky Wah) (2020)

"The Lights" (with Kölsch) (2021)

"Glastacy" (with Sentre) (2024)

"Hifi" (with Joseph Ashworth) (2025)

"Hold On" (with Archie) (2025)