When you say Techno, you say Ben Sims! Simple as that, prove me wrong! Here are some of his finest Hardgroove Techno sets from the past! Enjoy!

With over 20 years experience under his belt, Ben Sims has a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most in-demand and leading techno DJs - a tight, energetic mixer who skilfully weaves together his own distinctive blend of tough funk and hardg..
From early formative days earning his stripes spinning hip hop, house and rave on pirate radio, and at parties around Essex and East London, through the 90's as an ever more in demand DJ, and on into the new millennium as a label boss, producer and internationally recognised techno legend in his own right, Ben Sims has spent all his conscious life exploring all facets of underground dance music 

Throughout that time, the man has honed his reputation as a tight, energetic mixer who skilfully weaves together his own distinctive blend of tough funk and hardgrooves, often using three-deck wizardry and plenty of dexterity.  Be it at clubs like Fabric London, Atomic Jam, Berghain, Florida 135, or any number of festivals around the world, Sims' sets are powerful, memorable, and unique, while constantly pushing the boundaries of a DJ set - utilising a   mesmerizing blend of vinyl, CDs, and software.

As well as carving a reputation as one of the world's leading techno DJs, Ben has curated many of his own revered labels over the years.  Chief amongst them is Theory - an imprint this year celebrating it's 40th release, that counts amongst it's supporters contemporary connoisseurs like Marcel Dettmann, Ben Klock, and the old guard of Dave Clarke, Robert Hood, Rolando and more - proof, then, that Sims is on the form of his life production wise.

Riding high on the wave of critical acclaim from his cultured debut long player on Drumcode, 2011's Smoke & Mirrors, an album that voyages into Sim's unique take on techno, coupled with authentic house outings, thanks to guest appearances from Chicago's Tyree Cooper and Detroit's Blake Baxter, whilst also showcasing plenty of dubbed-out and grainy textures.

Sims has put his name to more than 50 releases in the last two decades.  During those years, there has also been a steady stream of high profile remixes of scene heavyweights, including Jeff Mills, Adam Beyer, Kevin Saunderson and Chris Liebing, on labels du jour like AXIS, KMS, CLR and Drumcode, all of which have won as much critical praise as they have crossover success. 

Despite his veteran status in the scene, Sims has always been keen to evolve.  Alongside Kirk Degiorgio, he is co-founder & curator of Machine - a clubnight which focuses on new, unreleased, & upfront music; it's primary home in London, but with editions all across Europe each year. His 'Run it Red' radio show, broadcast via NTSlive and podcasted afterwards, also serves to solely highlight new music.

Live @ Loft Club 2003-12-27

Ben Sims & Mark Broom Live @ Loft Club 27-12-2003

Old school, vinyl-only, classic techno set at Circus Nation, Granada, Spain. October 7th 2023.

Misstress Barbara live @ Circus Nation, Granada - Oct 7th 2023

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B2B Misstress Barbara & Ken Ishii @ Technopia, Belgium - May 31st 2024

Misstress Barbara & Ken Ishii @ The Garage, Barcelona - November 15th 2024

Cristian Varela x Marco Bailey - Upclose 2025

Olli&Paul Mix25

Fallin [ft. sleeper in metropolis]

After my brother introduced me to Jeff Mills' CD "Live at the Liquid Room Tokyo" it was love at first sight: Jeff's signature pounding, high-contrast sets mixing straight-up floor fillers with melodious detroit techno and groovy, funky tracks has defined my personal music taste from that point on.

One of the first sets I acquired on the internet was this set from I Love Techno 1999 which was broadcast by the French-speaking Belgian radio station "Radio 21" which was on top of youth and underground culture at the time.

I must have heard it hundreds of times and have been hunting for tracks featured in it for years. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

Christian Smith & John Selway - Force Mode
Various Artists - Loops (Chris Liebing Loops) [Molecular 01]
DJ Misjah - October (B1)
Jeff Mills - The Bells
Gaetek - Outmove
Steve Bicknell - Cultural Co-Operation (B2)
The Goodmen - Give It Up
The Aztec Mystic - Jaguar (Jeff Mills Remix)
G. Flame & Mr. G. - Lifeforce
Marco Bailey - Krakow
(Unknown)
Gaetano Parisio - 19-99 (A1)
Rue East - No Fried Eggs
Rue East - Diskoid (Surgeon Remix)
DJ Misjah & DJ Tim - Peak Hour
Ignacio - Darkness
Jeff Mills - Confidentals 1-4 (B1)
Marco Carola - Fokus (C2)
Jeff Mills - Preview
DJ Misjah - Nimphia
(Unknown)
DJ Misjah & Umek - Deri
The Advent - Reactor
Marco Bailey - District West
Jeff Mills - D.N.A.
Oliver Ho - Awakening The Sentient (A1)

Jeff Mills @ I Love Techno 1999 (Radio 21 version)

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Cristian Varela & Marco Bailey @ Awakenings - Amsterdam (26-11-2011)

My closing set at the rather bloody good Awakenings Drumcode ADE party, the last 15 or 20 mins is b2b with Mr Adam Beyer.

1.intro
2.truncate-dial/ben sims remix (forthcoming on truncate)
3.lighter thief-like dat (beard man)
4.mark broom-133 (unreleased)
5.mr g-bounce/ben sims remix (forthcoming on phoenix g)
6.gary beck-to be 2 (unreleased)
7.dj hyperactive-wide open/len faki edit (figure)
8.raffaele attanasio-from shade to stardom/psyk edit (non series)
9.ant prescott-immerse/chris colburn edit (driving forces)
10.ben sims vs moby/rough mix (unreleased)
11.ben sims-orbit (forthcoming on theory)
12.mr jones-hyperfunk (mixtape)
13.ivan devero-typical topic (unreleased)
14.green velvet-flash/the advent + industrialyzer remix (relief) *sims jff edit
15.slam-harem/gary beck remix (unreleased)
16.ben sims feat blake baxter-i wanna go back (drumcode)
17.barrow boy-genesis (retro-vert)
18.sin sin-frozen feedback (ground factory)
19.ruff draft-lone ranger (ruff draft) *sims jff edit
20.ben sims-air rage (drumcode)
21.kontra-kicklaps (forthcoming on theory)
22.reese + santonio-bounce your body to the box/ben sims 25th anniversary edit (kms)
23.heiko laux + steve rachmad-the viking (soma) *sims jff edit
24.sutter cane-binary pulsar (nightmare factory)
25.ben sims-strike 2 (unreleased)
26.ben sims-spectrum (forthcoming on theory) 
27.midland + pariah-untitled/bside (she works the long nights)
28.blawan-why they hide their bodies under my garage (hinge finger)
29.reese-bassline/joris voorn remix-sims jff edit (kms)

b2b with Adam Beyer

30.? (AB)
31.robert hood-minus (tresor) *paul mac edit
32.? (AB)
33.mark broom-dj sneak/dhs mash up (unreleased)
34.? (AB)
35.ben sims-the afterparty (drumcode)
36.heron-retro strike (forthcoming on KMS Records) (AB)
37.g flame-da walls (moody) *sims jff edit
38.terranova feat tomas haffding-question mark/kink remix (kompakt) (AB)

Ben Sims Live @ ADE Drumcode (Awakenings Gashouder) (18.10.12)

Established in the 90s, Misstress Barbara (word play between Miss and Stress) is a pioneering DJ/Producer and one of the first female superstar DJs who helped inspire future generations with her explosive Techno sets. Whilst headlining major festivals and events globally, there was a period in the ’00s when she was consistently voted inside of DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs.

Born in Italy, she moved to Canada at age 8. Curious and passionate by nature, she loves exploring new fields and reaching new goals. To name a few, she is a drummer, she has a glider and private pilot license, she graduated University in Communications/Cinema, she is a boat captain and sailing instructor, and she also launched her own bean-to-bar chocolate brand Barbon Chocolate, crafting everything by hand herself. A woman of many talents indeed.

But among all of her passions, music was always her main focus since the start of her remarkable career, which has earned her multiple accolades (2001 Best Montreal International Music Initiative Award / 2002 UK Underground Music Awards’ Best Breakthrough DJ / 2009 GAMIQ’s Best Electronic Album of the Year Awards and 2010 Canada’s JUNO Awards’ Best Dance Album of the Year nomination for “I’m No Human” / 2014 MTL Awards’ Best Montreal DJ, to name a few). Her extensive discography is found among the world’s best Techno labels, including her own, launched in 1999 under the name Relentless, which became Iturnem in 2003. Barbara Brown used to be her alter-ego used for her softer productions, but she now releases all her music under her main name, regardless of the style, as she did for her albums I’m No Human and Many Shades of Grey. This might confuse her most loyal techno fans, although they should rest assured that she will never stray away from her first true love: Techno.