My new album ‘Roulette’ is out on 3rd October, pre-order or listen at roulette.alfamist.co.uk

https://www.instagram.com/sekito_records
Contact: ian@theblackacre.co.uk
https://alfamist.bandcamp.com 
https://alfamist.databeats.com/store

Mike Kivits isn’t your average DJ/producer. A veteran of some 30 years behind the turntables, the man best known as Aardvarck has spent three decades defying conventions, mixing things up and successfully overcoming personal demons. His story, soon to be published in an autobiography offering advice to those battling depression, is nothing less than extraordinary.

Now based in the Asian paradise of Bali, Kivits continues to divide his time between DJing and music making. Outside his native Netherlands it’s the latter he’s best known for, having built up a bulging discography over the last two decades. While lesser producers would focus on one or two key styles, Kivits has released everything from floor-filling house and techno to broken beat, jazz, jungle, ambient and electronica. Given his now legendary status in Holland, it’s unsurprising that he’s recorded for many of the country’s most acclaimed labels, including Delsin, Djax-Up Beats, Rush Hour, Kindred Spirits, Music For Speakers (an imprint he had a hand in founding), and Voyage Direct. Soon, he’ll also be appearing on Dekmantel, another Dutch imprint that has been wowing critics in recent years, and has an album for Skudge in the pipeline.

It’s DJing, though, that remains Kivits’ greatest passion. “You just give and take them higher,” he enthuses. “It’s fun. I do my best always, and am always happy when I’m DJing.”

He’s been doing this longer than most, of course, and has the scars to prove it. He bagged his first residency in 1985, in his home city of Den Bosch, where he’d join the dots between soul, funk, hip-hop, disco and B-boy electro. As the 1980s progressed he began adding the new sounds of Chicago house and Detroit techno to his repertoire, earning more residencies and a number of regular guest spots at Amsterdam’s legendary Roxy Club, mostly at Joost van Bellen’s infamous Wednesday night parties.

As a musical magpie, Kivits was not content with simply playing the latest house and techno, and spent much of the late ‘90s and early 2000s “avoiding the 4/4 beat”, instead playing a mix of jungle, broken beat, trip-hop and breaks. During that time he extensively travelled the world, playing alongside good friend Steven De Peven with lauded eccentrics Rednose Distrikt.

Since moving to Bali a few years back, Kivits has got his passion back for house and techno. Now, he enjoys playing sets that make connections between contemporary productions and tracks rediscovered in his vast collection of early house and techno. “I love the warm feel and raw energy of early house and techno,” he says. “So many of those records still sound fantastic. It’s great to see the reaction to these records from a new generation of dancers.”

More importantly, he’s now happy. “I spent 20 years battling with depression,” he admits. “I’ve never been happier – I’m better than ever. I’ve lived that life, now I have a new life. I changed my surroundings to help myself, and it worked.”

This newfound happiness is reflected in the quality of his club sets, which have rarely been better. While rooted in 30 years of house and techno, he often finds time to throw in tracks from his other musical passions – a trait that marks out the greatest DJs. “House is about the four to the floor beat, and you can get in and out of that easily if you know music,” he says. “If you keep the energy up, you can play anything.”

Booking: Jorn@voyage-select.com
Management: Christaan@societyfools.com

New single Everything's Beautiful out now!

DJ / Promoter / Graphic Designer.
Running :stimulus: d&B since 2001, DJing around the country, hosting events at Custard Factory, Smack, Sanctuary(Bham), Assembly (Leamington). 

:stimulus: was founded in 2001 by Samas, as an extension of the regular Saturday nights he started doing alongside Glyde at a local pub basement. It all started at Robbin’s Well in Leamington Spa, and the first ever event was for Cancer Research, raising £350 for the charity, and featured Shaolin, Pace, Samas and A.Flex.
In early 2002, after a few successful nights with residents Samas, A.Flex and Caution, Samas was approached by Raising The Deep head honcho, DJ Reaction. After a few meetings, they formed Terra:Technique, the objective being they would run events over Leamington and Banbury, with Leamington hosting the up and coming talent from around the country, and Banbury showcasing the A-List DNB DJs. Most of the big guns passed through, from Kenny Ken to Mickey Finn, Zinc + GQ to Pendulum, Mampi Swift to Hype, as well as some one-off old skool nights with Top Buzz, Ratty, Slipmatt and more. After 2 successful years running Terra, Reaction and Samas went their separate ways, and :stimulus: was brought back to the fore.
Running on the 2nd Friday of every month, it built a solid foundation, and a good reputation nationwide. With DJs such as Hazard, Kryptic Minds, Generation Dub, Skitty, Danny Wheeler, Heist, Utah Jazz, Zen, Subfocus, Holdtight, Rascal & Klone, Drumsound, Adrok, APB, Devize, Xample, The Force, Benny & Aries and many more gracing the decks in the cosy basement venue. within a few months a secondary night was developed, Liquid Stimulus, taking the 4th Friday with some deeper flavours, with equal success. In January 2005, Samas was approached by the Cohesion and Skankadelic Techno promotions, to form a new concept in Birmingham, linking 4 promoters for one big party – Underground City. The first event on 25th March 2005 saw Subfocus, Danny Wheeler, Rascal & Klone, Fallout, Devize, Samas, Pace and Buzzy blow up the Custard factory for what was to be the first in a succession of big nights at Underground City.
Mid 2005, and the end of an era came for Robbins Well as new management changed their policy; :stimulus: was to find a new home. This came in the form of Club Silx, and brought the legendary Fabio & Donovan Badboy Smith to Leamington Spa, initially penned as a one-off night. It went off, and demand saw more nights arrive in March 2006, with Grooverider, Bryan Gee and Danny Wheeler passing through. In February 2007 :stimulus: began a new era in Royal Leamington Spa and was given the honour of hosting the main room of the launch night of new Leamington venue Smack. Pendulum & MC Jakes officially christened the new club in an event that is likely to go down as one of the biggest occasions of its kind in Leamington club history.
The following months saw Shy FX, DJ Die, Xample, High Contrast, Fresh, MC Skibadee, Drumsound, Andy C, Baron, Logistics, MC Fearless, Chase & Status, Culture Shock, Nicky Blackmarket, MC GQ, Devize, Lomax, Original Sin, Break, Nu:Tone, Mampi Swift, MC Eksman, Mistabishi, Dillinja, Cyantific, DJ Hype, Shimon, Alix Perez, Ed Rush, Benny & Aries, Clipz, Randall, Brookes Bros, Hazard, Danny Wheeler, Fabio, DJ Fu, Matrix, Zen, Danny Byrd, Influx UK, Friction, DJ Lee, Heist, Pleasure, Total Science, Adam F, DJ Basher, Subfocus, MC Biggie, Futurebound, Simon Bassline Smith, Blame, DJ SS, Commix, Bryan Gee, TC, Escape, Sigma & Taxman make stops in Leamington for more successful events at :stimulus:
In 2017 the journey continues in our new home at The Assembly / Zephyr, with world class D&B acts joining us on the big stage such as LSB, Hazard, Breakage, Fabio, Dillinja, Break, Skibadee, Evil B, T>I & Saxxon, Lenzman and many more .
:stimulus: has been featured in Knowledge Magazine (K Mag) and The Night Times. 
For any press / booking enquiries please get in touch: info@stimulusdnb.com

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