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DJ Die, real name Daniel Kausman, was born in north Devon (1972). Throughout the 70’s and 80’s he attended many U.K festivals with his mother. As a result Die grew up surrounded by music. With early influences such as his father playing guitar, he began a journey into music. From Rock n’ Roll to Ska, Two Tone to Punk, he ultimately finding a passion for Hip hop. It was around this time he moved to Bristol and took up skateboarding. Here he discovered that Krust and the Fresh Four crew were mixing house, hip hop, rare groove and funk at warehouse parties just down the road from his house. “There was a movement starting around the time - there was the Wild Bunch thing, the graffiti thing, the carnival and sound system thing happening up in Bristol.” Die got his first taste of musical production around 1988, when he hooked up with Jody Wisternoff, now of Way out West. Together they formed Tru-Funk and produced 4AM, a house tune released on Smith and Mighty’s imprint Three Stripe Records. They followed with two hardcore EP’s under the name Sub-Love and made numerous DJ appearances at early Universe raves. As Jody’s and Die’s musical paths split Die started playing at the many free party’s happening in the southwest, continuing to make a name for himself as a DJ. In the early 90s a chance meeting with Roni Size on the Gloucester Road in Bristol, led to what would be a long musical relationship. Beginning with their first collaboration, ‘AGILITY’ on Bryan G and Jumpin’ Jack Frost’s label V Recordings. Soon after Die and Roni, AKA Scorpio forged the seminal classic ‘MUSIC BOX’, which would ultimately lead to the birth of Full Cycle. This label would become the home for Krust, Roni, Suv and Die for many years to come. Die’s ongoing contributions to Full Cycle would include such tracks as ‘LIVE AND DIRECT’, ‘REINCARNATION’, ‘CLEAR SKYZ’, ‘JITTA BUG’ and ‘DROP BEAR’. Also with releases ‘SPECIAL TREAT’, ‘SLIDE AWAY’ and ‘AUTUMN’ for V Recordings, as well as tracks for off shoot labels Dope Dragon and Cronic under various pseudonym’s such as Swabe, Mono Man, D.N.A (with Bill Riley) and 3 Way (with Roni and Krust) . This catalogue of quality productions subsequently lead to D.J bookings around the globe, all over Europe, U.S.A, Australia / New Zealand, Japan and Brazil usually together with the voice of Full Cycle, Dynamite MC. In 1996 the Full Cycle crew came together with Roni size at the helm to start Reprezent, and record the Studio album ‘NEW FORMS’ on Talking Loud records. This album went on to win the 1997 Mercury Music Prize. They then put together a live show and set off on a world tour performing in places such as New Yorks’s Central Park and the famous BBC studios for the television show Later with Jools Holland. Fueled by the success of the Album Die kept producing his own tunes, also finding time to remix tracks by major artists such as DJ Shadow, Towa Tei, DJ Cam and Pharoe Monch (GET THE FUCK UP). However it was his (gnarly) remix of the Reprezent single “WATCHING WINDOWS” that would become an instant classic and a must have tune for any self respecting DJ. Not stopping there, again with Roni Size and this time singer / songwriter Leonie Laws they recorded the self titled album ‘BREAKBEAT ERA’ on XL recordings with another world tour to follow. When they returned work started on Reprezent’s second album ‘IN THE MODE’, when released the track ‘DIRTY BEATS’ even reached top 40 chart position gaining them a appearance on Top of the Pops and again on Later with Jools Holland. In summer 2003 Die teamed up with long time com-padre DJ krust to work on the album ‘I KAMANCHI’ on Full Cycle. “Kamanchi was born a long time ago. Back in 1998 we did ‘Stay’ for Planet V, then we got together and made a couple of one-offs for Full Cycle, like Hey DJ. It wasn’t until a few years later we stumbled upon the idea of putting an album together.” This would bring about working with artist like Lady Miss Kier, Rodney P, Tali, and Holly G and of course another world DJ tour plus live show cases. 2005 saw the release of Full Cycle’s ‘CROSS COLLABORATIONS’ album presented and mixed by Die teaming him with Photek for the mighty ‘THUNDER’ and then with new Talent Clipz for their first outing ‘MONO RAIL’ (WE GOT THE FUNK). With Clipz It was clear that this meeting of minds was a force to be reckoned with. From then on came a string of productions from the duo that were to push the sound of drum and bass forward whilst never loosing sight of their junglist roots. With tracks ‘BLACK DOVES’, GOOD OLD DAYS’, CLIMATE CHANGE’, WORK IT OUT’ and the anthem “NUMBER ONE’ featuring the vocals of Ben Westbeech the pair continue to make waves in the drum and bass community. Die has also gone on to co produce the tracks ‘GET CLOSER’,’DANCE FOR ME’, ‘STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING’,’IN OUT” and ‘HANG AROUND’ with Ben Westbeech and mix his debut album ‘WELCOME TO THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE’ released on Giles Peterson’s label Brownswood recordings. With a career thats spans over 19 years and that encompasses a striking body of work, DJ Die shows no sign of slowing down. The end of 2007 now marks the beginning of a new chapter with the launch of Die’s independent label project ‘CLEAR SKYZ RECORDINGS’, so keep listening… I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace) |
