Rush Hour 038 (May 2011)
Hour 2 - Guest Mix -  J. Michael Kober

The June 2001 guest mix comes from J. Michael Kober, who was the first runner up in our Rush Hour DJ Mix Contest last month. 

Montana is probably one of the last places you'd think of when it comes to a cutting-edge electronic music scene, and for good reason.  With its empty plains, vast mountains, brutal winters and Old West authenticity, Montana is better suited for cattle ranching than trendy nightlife.  Breaking away from the cowboy stereotype comes J. Michael Kober, a relative newcomer to the scene.  Having grown frustrated with the overground, commercial Pop direction Trance was taking in 2007, he decided to dive into the world of music production.  Over the course of the next few years,  J. Michael familiarized himself with the technology and techniques that would eventually allow him to develop his sound: a blend of Progressive, Tech and Psy Trance with a focus on deep, dark, aggressive rhythms.

A demo sent to JOOF Recordings in early 2010 caught the attention of John 00 Fleming, who featured it as the track of the month on his radio show and promptly signed it to his label, enlisting Rush Hour stalwart Magnus for the remix.  The original mix was later featured on the first volume of the JOOF DJ Sessions series.  Since then, J. Michael has been honing his craft and stepping up his productions.  April 2011 saw his 2nd release, "Clear Form", as the debut EP on the newly formed JOOF V.2 label.  Forthcoming releases include remixes of both a new Timewave single and a track from John 00 Fleming's debut artist album.

Kober's DJ career began in 2009 with a  residency on Sense.FM.  "The Essential Edge" aired for over a year before he cancelled it due to creative differences.  The past 10 months have shown a remarkable boom in interest for electronic music in his hometown of Billings.  J. Michael has been very supportive in developing the local scene, working with promoters, owners and other DJ's, helping gain awareness of a style of music that's new to the area.  While Electro and Dubstep are the most popular genres locally, Kober uses the different events and club nights to explore other electronic styles, including Progressive House, Breaks and Drum & Bass. 

As for the future, J. Michael Kober plans to continue learning the nuances of music production and DJing while delivering proper, serious Trance untainted by the mainstream.  

For more info: 
http://www.facebook.com/jmichaelkober

Track List
Artist / Title / Label

Jonathan Idea  / Blind Sun / CTS Records 
Taras Bazeev / I So Think / Sundesire Records 
Luka -/ Luka (Steve Birch Remix) / Spaced Out Recordings 
Heatbeat / Shawarma / Armada Music 
The Antidote / Illusions / Neurobiotic Records
 E-Clip / Reactor / YSE Recordings (Yellow Sunshine Explosion) 
Ovnimoon / The Arrival of Love / Iono Music 
Magnus / Hypnotic / JOOF Recordings 
Terrafusion / Numen-Martis / JOOF Recordings
 Kliment / Day of Illusion / TesseracT Studio


Christopher Lawrence - Rush Hour 038 (May 2011) - Guest Mix -  J. Michael Kober

Legendary DJ & Producer. Founder of Psy & Underground Trance label Pharmacy Music.

I'm currently signed to JOOF Recordings, Pharmacy Music, Bonzai, and Dirt, Lies & Audio Black (producing Drum & Bass under the alias "Accelerant") and have music available through Beatport, iTunes, Amazon, and other download shops.

Montana is probably one of the last places you'd think of when it comes to a cutting-edge electronic music scene, and for good reason. With its empty plains, vast mountains, brutal winters and Old West authenticity, Montana is better suited for cattle ranching than trendy nightlife. Breaking away from the cowboy stereotype comes J. Michael Kober, a relative newcomer to the scene. Having grown frustrated with the overground, commercial Pop direction Trance was taking in 2007, he decided to dive into the world of music production. Over the course of the next few years, J. Michael familiarized himself with the technology and techniques that would eventually allow him to develop his sound: a blend of Progressive, Tech and Psy Trance with a focus on deep, dark, aggressive rhythms. 

A demo sent to JOOF Recordings in early 2010 caught the attention of John 00 Fleming, who featured it as the track of the month on his radio show and promptly signed it to his label, enlisting Magnus for the remix. The original mix was later featured on the first volume of the JOOF DJ Sessions series. Since then, J. Michael has been honing his craft and stepping up his productions. April 2011 saw his 2nd release, "Clear Form", as the debut EP on the newly formed JOOF V.2 label. Forthcoming releases include remixes of both a new Timewave single and a track from John 00 Fleming's debut artist album. 

Kober's DJ career began in 2009 with a residency on Sense.FM. "The Essential Edge" aired for over a year before he cancelled it due to creative differences. The past 10 months have shown a remarkable boom in interest for electronic music in his hometown of Billings. 
J. Michael has been very supportive in developing the local scene, working with promoters, owners and other DJ's, helping gain awareness of a style of music that's new to the area. While Electro and Dubstep are the most popular genres locally, Kober uses the different events and club nights to explore other electronic styles, including Progressive House, Breaks and Drum & Bass. 

As for the future, J. Michael Kober plans to continue learning the nuances of music production and DJing while delivering proper, serious Electronic music untainted by the mainstream.