Genix reveals a double-A side of two club-minded tracks taken from his upcoming debut album ‘199X’. In both previous singles, Genix displayed some more subtle vocal-led productions on the Anjuna veteran’s long anticipated album.
With ‘Libre / Higher & Higher’ Genix showcases a different side to ‘199X’ and a taste of the tougher led productions which his fanbase have come to expect. A love letter to rave culture ‘199X’ is the debut artist album from Anjunabeats stalwart Damion ‘Damo’ Houchen, also known as Genix.
Raised on The Chemical Brothers, Leftfield and Chicane, Damo has anchored his life to ever-evolving sounds of dance music. Based in the U.K., he became a resident DJ and promoter for The Emporium nightclub in Coalville, a legendary Midlands clubbing destination that hosted parties for John Digweed to Tiesto.
“I started to fall in love with dance music during the 90s as a young teenager. My mum used to listen to the likes of Nightcrawlers, Leftfield, The Prodigy and more on our holidays. Those sounds will always be a part of my love for dance music. I think they’re timeless and you can hear a lot of their influences in my productions today.
As a young DJ I spent every single penny I had on vinyl. I would often get on the bus to different places to go record hunting. Those were really magical times and they’ve shaped my sound as it is today.”
The LP is a departure from the sound Genix is best known for. Through the late 00’s and 2010’s, Genix was known for his textured, melodic trance production, and caught the ear of Armin van Buuren and Paul van Dyk, securing releases on both Armada and Vandit. Genix arrived on Anjunabeats in 2010 and immediately became a mainstay in Above & Beyond sets with tracks like ‘Aura’, ‘Destinations’ and ‘Black Water’ (with regular touring partner Sunny Lax).
From those origins, Genix has blossomed into a mainstay in the trance scene. As his stature grew, so did his approach to his music:
“There have been so many influences [on my sound]; DJs, producers, events and the thousands of records I’ve bought over the years. I don’t try to be any one genre, some people think I produce less trance sometimes, but if you have followed my career from the start it’s always had tech influences. I think any producer should stick to the sounds they love, if it makes me jump out of my seat when I’m making it, then that’s all that really matters.
My music is a representation of my personal taste, it’s my expression and my passion being put into sound. It really is an art and I just try to be myself, not a genre, not a certain BPM, just Genix.”
Genix’s Anjunabeats Worldwide 09 mix championed these ideas, an iTunes #1 dance album that took us from slow burning progressive to fiery techno, landing somewhere between a Global Underground and Gatecrasher compilation mix.
2020’s ‘The Light’ was a bullish electro-edged anthem alongside label mate Grum and hit number one on Beatport’s Melodic Techno chart. DJ support Etienne De Crecy, Hi-Lo (Oliver Heldens), and Joel Corry followed. These aesthetics are explored in depth on ‘199X’, with echoes of Sasha, Groove Armada, Orbital and Underworld all apparent.
A polished DJ, Genix has performed around the world from festival stages at Creamfields (UK), Tomorrowlands, EDC, ABGT250 and 350, to more intimate club affairs; Ministry Of Sound, The Hollywood Palladium, Warehouse Project.
These shows don’t live up to the heights of 5,597 metres above sea level though, where in April 2019 Genix set the Guinness world record for the highest land DJ set, hosting a party at Everest Base Camp.
‘199X’ will be released on the 10th of September and is available for both vinyl and digital pre-order now on the Anjuna Music Store.
