Boris Dlugosch

In the relatively short but intense history of modern dance music certain names comeback again and again, withstanding the tests of time by skilfully adapting their sound to the ever mutating, often unpredictable demands of the dancefloor. With 20 years experience under his belt, during which time he has become one of Germany’s most respected and well-known DJs, it’s fair to say Boris Dlugosch is one of those names. Probably best known for bestowing dancefloor credibility on some of the biggest artists around through a string of intuitive remixes, such as his acclaimed rework of Moloko’s ‘Sing It Back’, he also remains committed to the underground scene that has helped shape his career. In fact it’s been this ability to bridge the uneasy divide between underground credibility and commercial success that has given his career such longevity. Look no further than his current outfit Les Visiteurs for a serious taste of the old school. Acid drops and bootlegging rumours aside, the project draws inspiration from a diverse spectrum of musical genres from rock to electro-disco, from acid to 20th century new wave. To construct the future they say you have to understand the past and (together with longstanding production partner Michi Lange) Boris has finally come full-circle, transplanting the vibes that first captured his musical imagination into a tough, uncompromising hybrid sound. Featuring New York’s Tommie Sunshine on vocals, their second release ‘Time Slides By’ is a poignant reminder of a rollercoaster ride that’s already lasted 20 years. Way back in 1986 and still only sixteen, Boris landed a residency at The Front club in Hamburg, a twist of fate more important than he could have realised at the time. During those pre-‘summer of love’ days The Front was a melting pot of musical styles, the growing art of the dance remix meant bands like Front 242, Talking Heads, The Cure and Nitzer Ebb were suddenly in the mix with Italo-disco, Hi-energy and the early House sound of Chicago; blurring the boundaries and laying the foundations for the dance music explosion that followed. Boris was soon turning hundreds of clubbers on to the fresh sounds coming out of the US as the club rapidly evolved into Germany’s first dedicated house venue. He went on to concrete his reputation by bringing such legendary names as Frankie Knuckles, Masters at Work and David Morales to Germany for the first time. He held down the residency for a full 10 years, totally immersed in the scene, before success with his own productions such as Keep Pushin’ and Hold Your Head Up High brought international recognition and gigs all over the globe. Softly spoken but fiercely passionate about his work, it’s clear to see that he’s driven by a basic desire to deliver music to the people. It seems this infectious urge was always there; as a kid Boris would spend hours editing out the talk between hits on the radio before over-dubbing his own intros - now in the eleventh year of doing the real thing with his essential Friday night show on N-Joy radio, he still get a buzz from unearthing new tracks as much as ever. Interestingly, this desire to keep the fires burning will soon manifest itself into a new label, dedicated to promoting up and coming artists from around the world.