Mijk van Dijk is producing and performing electronic music in the studio and on stage since 1990. He has been an influential figure in the early Berlin Techno scene from it’s very beginning, having produced many ground-breaking tracks on his own, with projects like Marmion (“Schöneberg”) or in conjunction with other DJs and producers as diverse as DJ Hell, Claude Young, Takkyu Ishino, Thomas Schuhmacher, DJ Rok, Toby Izui, Tanith, Cosmic Baby, Namito, Rummy Sharma, Rob Acid, Baby Doc and Tom Wax, to name but a few.
Mijk’s trademark sound consists of “beats for the body and sounds for the mind”.
In 1992, together with his friend Cosmic Baby he compiled and mixed “Tranceformed From Beyond” for MFS Records, the first compilation, that would put the style “Trance” on the map.
In 1993 the ground-breaking “Berlin EP” by his project Marmion together with Marcos López was released on Superstition Records. Especially the track “Schöneberg” is still considered as one of the eternal classics in House and Techno. In 2022 the website “Knights Of The Turntables” listed “Schöneberg” in its “Top 50 Electronic Records of all times” along such usual suspects as Kraftwerk, New Order and even the Beatles.
While “Schöneberg” is a fine example of Mijk’s idea of a solid groove and a highly recognisable melody, the “Schöneberg (Marmion Remix)” from 1994 stood out in his own right as a highly energetic rave track that heavily influenced the UK Hard House scene and became the anthem of clubs like “Trade”.
Mijk’s vision of Techno was inspired by the sound of Berlin’s clubs “Tresor” and “E-Werk” and raves like “Tekknozid”, “Mayday”, “Zug der Liebe” and the “Berlin Love Parade”, also by performing at all of these, including the 2022 Love Parade relaunch “Rave The Planet”.
In 1994, Mijk’s first album “Afreuropamericasiaustralica” under the project name “microglobe” was a complex non-stop mixed concept work with sounds ranging from Techno to Trance and Chill-Out and his own lyrics about his idea of a microglobe: sharing ideas and music with people across an ever more connected planet. Almost 28 later, songs like “Environ-mentality”, “All Our Colours” or “Fear Of The Unknown” still sound as relevant as they did back then. Mijk is now working on his 5th solo album to tell that story further.
Mijk has toured worldwide and developed an especially strong bond with fans in Japan, where he released on major and independent labels such as Sony Music and Frogman Records and worked with key figures of the scene like Takkyu Ishino (Denki Groove) and on several PlayStation soundtracks of such iconic games as “Ghost In The Shell”, “Ridge Racer V” and “Armored Core 2 – Another Age”.
Over the years Mijk has been hosting several radio shows. Since 2020 he is presenting his live show “Fürstenberger Wohnzimmer” on evosonic radio, every 4th Tuesday of the month.
Lately Mijk has released EPs and remixes for labels like Kompakt Records, Trapez Records and BluFin Records from Cologne, Force Inc., djungle fever and of course for his own imprint microglobe. His next record will be the special Christmas release “U + Me + Xmas” on BluFin, following the legendary Xmas Carols EP from 2008 and his long-awaited next album in 2023.
Mijk van Dijk was already called Multi-Mijk by legendary techno magazine Frontpage in the early 90s. This is even more true today than ever before.
• Linktree here www.linktr.ee/mijkvandijk
Dimitris: Your Top 3 biggest music career achievements in 2022:
Mijk van Dijk: Finally playing in clubs again after the pandemic.
Playing on floats and parties of the two big Techno parades in Berlin, Rave The Planet and Zug der Liebe.
And finally getting to work on my next album.
Best of 2022
1) Best track(s) and short comment for each track from other fellow artists of 2022
Mijk van Dijk: I have not build my Best-of-2022 charts yet, but here are a few of the tunes, I played a lot this year.
Flug - The Punisher - DCLTD
Sebastian Lopez aka Flug is one of my favourite producers. „The Punisher“ is a great example of a strong Techno groove which evolves more and more, adding extra candy even after the middle of the
tune.
Josh Wink - Detroit Stab - Rekids
Another future classic, simple and effective.
Elad Magdasi - Hold The Night - Front Left Records
This is just one of many examples of Elad Magdasi productions that I have played in 2022.
Kay Barton feat AEYA - Brightness - IAMT
Kay is a good friend from Vienna who is part of my Evosonic Radio Crew. On „Brightness“ he collaborated with vocalist AEYA, another long-term friend off mine.Such a great tune, that I also use ever so often as an Capella.
Push x Joyhauser - Choir Of Spirits - Filth On Acid
This is just about the RAVE! I’ve been playing this so often this year, it deserves a mention here.
Keith Carnal - Wiedergutmachung - BPitch Control
Another rave tune that I banged a lot in 2022.
Trudge - Unghosted - Lobster Theremin
I’ve been following the relentless productions of Trudge since „Self Love Club“ from 2021. Raw rave energy!
2) Best of 2022 personal productions with short comment about them:
Mijk van Dijk: Mijk van Dijk - Rotation - Trapez Recordings
Riley from Cologne-based label Trapez asked me to mix their next Embark compilation and contribute an orignal new track. Rotation was produced after being tested positive with covid. Before I got sick it was already recorded and send for mastering. Finally the compilation was mixed a few days later, when I had just recovered. Rotation is my covid track and I love it's energy.
Bleep Gigaverse - NFT - Kompakt Records
This is my first collaboration with JL, former editor-in-chief of legendary Frontpage magazine, the de-facto Techno bible of the 90s in Germany. We wanted to bring the bleep back and Kompakt Records from Cologne liked the idea.
Mijk van Dijk - U + Me + Xmas - BluFin Records
Again a label from Cologne, this time it's lovely BluFin Records.
Label head Andrea Engels and me already had released a Christmas-Techno records back in 2008 with my Xmas Carols EP and she demanded another one. So "tis the season" once again with a rave tune with Christmas bels and whistles, due to be released December 2nd.
3) Best Remix(es) from other fellow artists of 2022 with short comment :
Mijk van Dijk: In 2022 there was so much fresh music that remixing was not really necessary.
So my picks here are a remix and a rework of absolute classics.
Mathew Jonson - Marionette (Josh Wink Interpretation) - Sapiens
Such a strong groove in it’s own right which loses it’s impact partly when it remembers that it still wants to be a remix.
Kai Tracid & Genlog - Mockmoon (Peace, Love, XTC) (Extended Mix) - Heldeep
My long-term fellow Kai Tracid did a great job in revitalising this early 90s rave classic together with the original Genlogs.
In times where many producers without their own ideas like to adorn themselves with other people's feathers it’s good to see that Genlog were not forgotten in the rework process.
4) YOUR Best Remix which you have produced of 2022 with short comment?
Mijk van Dijk: I only did one remix this year which is not out yet.
5) Best New Talent of 2022 (DJ or producer) with short comment :
Mijk van Dijk: Elad Magdasi is running Front Left Records from Berlin. I love the raw energy and harmony of his productions. Together with Mathias Weber he also forms MELATRONIX, a young DJ duo with an attitude which absolutely brings back the fun into the DJ booth. Great to dance to, listen and also watch! Worth a discovery!
6) Best vocalist/singer on electronic dance music track of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: It was great to see Ali Love come back on "The Haze" with Steve Bug.
7) Best electronic dance music video of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: I don`t watch music videos much.
Of those that I watched I liked:
Elad Magdasi - Hold The Night (for original concept)
Ken Ishii - Liver Blow (for technical production)
8) Best online social media of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: I'm not a social media ninja, but you can find me on Facebook, Instagram and now also on TikTok. Already before Twitter was taken over by Elon Musk I joined Mastodon, a new open source social media platform. Recommended!
9) Best social media response you may have received about your music or your DJ performance of 2022:
Mijk van Dijk: Many nice ones.
10) Best music composition software of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: Still Ableton after all these years.
11)Best club event /festival/music conference of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: I loved both parades in Berlin this year, Rave The Planet and Zug der Liebe.
Was so much fun to play on both.
And my monthly gis at Der Weiße Hase in Berlin. It's so cool to have a musical home.
12) Your Best personal DJ Gig & DJ performance of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: Every gig after the pandemic felt wonderful and confirmed me in my love for performing.
My favourite club gigs were my birthday party at Der Weiße Hase Club in Berlin and that sweaty Zug der Liebe afterparty at Ritter Butzke Berlin.
13) Best production or DJ equipment (a)software & (b) hardware) of 2022 with short comment:
Mijk van Dijk: I'm in love with the Dreadbox Typhon in combination with the Roland TR-8S.
Even used it live on stage in a hybrid DJ-setup.
Did you know that Dreadbox is a Greek company?
14) Best sound sample that has been used frequently in electronic dance music tracks of 2022 (personal or from other artists):
Mijk van Dijk: The stab of T99's Anasthasia was everywhere this year.
15) Best technical tips that you learnt of 2022 in relation to your DJing or music productions:
Mijk van Dijk: AI is taking over!
16)Best hobby or non music related activity of 2022.
Mijk van Dijk: SUP (Stand-Up Paddling)
17) Best ever electronic dance music track(s) of all times with short comment?
Mijk van Dijk: That's not fair. There are too many.
18) From 1 (bad) to 10(super excellent) what is your rate for 2022 in electronic dance music?
Mijk van Dijk: 7
Dimitris: In which TV series, film or advert would you like to experience your track being used? Which track was the best placed on films/TV series/advert/official aftermovie of a festival from another artist?
Mijk van Dijk: I guess everybody loved how Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" was used in Stranger Things. Marmion's "Schöneberg" has already been used in several movies, in club scences. I'd love to hear one of my tunes in a totally different setting.
Dimitris: During 2022 we experienced many tracks that were hybrids of music styles & genres. Do believe that music genres or styles are still relevant today?
Mijk van Dijk: I guess that the sales portals care much more about genres than the people. Be open-minded!
Dimitris: Do you have any concrete plans for 2023 regarding future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations, DJ gigs? Please provide us the juicy details.
Mijk van Dijk: My next album is in the making, accompanied by a few singles, due to be released in 2023.
It will be a concept album like my first one from 1994, "Afreuropamericasiaustralica".
Dimitris: Your message & wishes for 2023.
Mijk van Dijk: Peace 4 All
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