Astrix
Encyclopedia
Astrix is a Psychedelic trance
DJ and producer specialising in the sub-genre of Full On Psychedelic Trance.
He was born in USSR in Caucasus
on 05/12/1981 and grew up in Tel Aviv
, Israel
1992 as a Mountain Jew. He began recording music under the name Astrix in 1997, sometimes misconceived to be taken from the "Asterix
" comic books. An interview on UK clubbing website Harderfaster.net revealed the name was chosen for simply sounding good, and not directly influenced by anything in particular.
In 2006 Astrix reached #41 (+34 raise) in DJMag
's "Top 100 DJs" yearly rank along with a rise of several other Israeli musicians (the highest being Infected Mushroom
ranked #9) marking significant worldwide popularisation of Israeli electronic music scene.
In 2007 Astrix reached #18 on the list.
party. "At first it was a very new and strange experience for me and I couldn't find myself, but I was impressed by the energy and the impact that the music had made on the people at the party." At the beginning of his career in the late 1990s he produced tracks in the "nitzhonot
" style of trance, an uplifting, anthemic off-shoot of Goa trance. His first tracks were "In Peace" and "Eakhis World," which both appeared on the well-known nitzhonot compilation "Ptzatzot 3."
In a 2003 interview Astrix said that in fact he worked on 3 albums by Alien Project, but its maintainer Ari Linker did not give him credit.
and Tiësto
. "I also have a love for mainstream bands like Linkin Park, and for ‘club personality’ I like Tiësto, he inspires me very much to see how well you can mix business with music and how big you can become from something that was so small in the beginning."
Astrix has worked with Infected Mushroom
, Alien Project
, Astral Projection, Atomic Pulse, and G.M.S.
, among other musicians.
Psychedelic trance
Psychedelic trance, psytrance or just psy is a form of electronic music characterized by hypnotic arrangements of synthetic rhythms and complex layered melodies created by high tempo riffs. It appeared in the mainstream in 1995 as with reporting of the trend of Goa trance. The genre offers variety...
DJ and producer specialising in the sub-genre of Full On Psychedelic Trance.
He was born in USSR in Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
on 05/12/1981 and grew up in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
1992 as a Mountain Jew. He began recording music under the name Astrix in 1997, sometimes misconceived to be taken from the "Asterix
Asterix
Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comic books written by René Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo . The series first appeared in French in the magazine Pilote on October 29, 1959...
" comic books. An interview on UK clubbing website Harderfaster.net revealed the name was chosen for simply sounding good, and not directly influenced by anything in particular.
In 2006 Astrix reached #41 (+34 raise) in DJMag
DJMag
DJ Mag is a British monthly magazine dedicated to Electronic dance music and DJs. Founded January 31, 1991, the magazine is translated monthly to Portuguese, Polish , Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Chinese, Bulgarian, Spanish, French, German and Italian.- DJ Blackbook :In January 2008, the magazine...
's "Top 100 DJs" yearly rank along with a rise of several other Israeli musicians (the highest being Infected Mushroom
Infected Mushroom
Infected Mushroom is an Israeli psychedelic trance DJ act and electronic group originally formed in late 1997 as a duo by producers Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani in Haifa...
ranked #9) marking significant worldwide popularisation of Israeli electronic music scene.
In 2007 Astrix reached #18 on the list.
Early Career
Astrix started as a DJ in 1995 playing alternative and 1980s music. It was during this time that he learned about electronic music. In 1997 he began his first in-house studio recordings using a personal computer. He discovered trance in 1997 after being invited to a TranceTrance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
party. "At first it was a very new and strange experience for me and I couldn't find myself, but I was impressed by the energy and the impact that the music had made on the people at the party." At the beginning of his career in the late 1990s he produced tracks in the "nitzhonot
Nitzhonot
Nitzhonot is a crossover between Goa trance and uplifting trance, emerged during the mid-late 1990s in Israel.-Genre:...
" style of trance, an uplifting, anthemic off-shoot of Goa trance. His first tracks were "In Peace" and "Eakhis World," which both appeared on the well-known nitzhonot compilation "Ptzatzot 3."
In a 2003 interview Astrix said that in fact he worked on 3 albums by Alien Project, but its maintainer Ari Linker did not give him credit.
Musical Style
Astrix's music is known for his solid, driving basslines and ascending melodies. It is very uplifting and, as far as psychedelic trance goes, fairly "hard" and is also usually played during sunrise and the morning at outdoor trance parties. Many would consider his style to be a crossover between "full-on" and the "clubbier" end of Trance, exemplfied by his Psychedelic Academy Mix.Influences
Astrix is musically influenced by Infected Mushroom. "I look up to them for inspiration and for some kind of spiritual fuel as it were." Other influences include Linkin ParkLinkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
and Tiësto
Tiësto
Tijs Michiel Verwest, , known as Tiësto , is a Dutch musician, DJ and record producer of electronic dance music. Although he has used many aliases in the past, he is best known for his work as DJ Tiësto...
. "I also have a love for mainstream bands like Linkin Park, and for ‘club personality’ I like Tiësto, he inspires me very much to see how well you can mix business with music and how big you can become from something that was so small in the beginning."
Astrix has worked with Infected Mushroom
Infected Mushroom
Infected Mushroom is an Israeli psychedelic trance DJ act and electronic group originally formed in late 1997 as a duo by producers Erez Eisen and Amit Duvdevani in Haifa...
, Alien Project
Alien Project
Alien Project is the psychedelic trance artist Ari Linker from Tel Aviv, Israel. He has been DJing and producing music since 1994, and his sound has evolved into a recognizably upbeat psytrance sound....
, Astral Projection, Atomic Pulse, and G.M.S.
G.M.S.
GMS is a Dutch psychedelic trance duo which has attained significant popularity from the early 1990s to the present time . Formed by Shajahan Matkin and Joseph Quinteros in the city of Amsterdam, located in the west of The Netherlands, the duo has attracted a large international fanbase...
, among other musicians.
Discography
- Eye To Eye (CD) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions)
- Coolio (EP) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2004)
- Artcore (CD) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2004)
- Future Music (EP) ---------------- (Spiraltrax Label Group) (2007)
- Future Music (CD) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2007)
- Closer To Heaven (EP) ---------------- (Tokyo Productions) (2007)
- One Step Ahead (CompactStick) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2008)
- Acid Rocker (EP) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2010)
- Red Means Distortion (CD) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2010)
- Lost Inside (Outsiders Remix) (EP) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2011)
- Reunion (EP) ---------------- (Plastik Park) (2011)
Discography Other
- Compilation Psychedelic Academy Mixed By Astrix (2CD) ---------------- (Hit Mania) (2005)
- Astrix The Red Sun Psy Man (CD) ---------------- (???) (2005)
- Compilation The History Of Goa Trance Vol.2 Sound Of HOMmega (2CD) ---------------- (Yellow Sunshine Explosion) (2008)
- Compilation Heat Seekers Israeli Trance Allstars (CD) ---------------- (HOM-Mega Productions) (2009)
Tracks & Remixes Released On Compilations
Track Name: Artist - Album/Compilation- Chaos: Digital Oracle
- Poison (Wrecked Machines rmx): Map Of Goa Vol.3
- Future Music: Goa Neo Full On Vol.4
- Closer To heaven: Compilation Neo Full ON
Video DVD Vision Quest
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2002 (DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2002)
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2003 (DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2003)
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2004 (DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2004)
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2005 (2DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2005)
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2006 (2DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2006)
- The Gathering Vision Quest 2007 (2DVD) ---------------- (Vision Quest Productions) (2007)
Video DVD Other
- Compilation X-Mode Vol.6 Back To The Future (DVD) ---------------- (Tokyo X-Ray Studios Productions) (2004)
- Compilation Supervision NTSC (DVD) ---------------- (Tip World Productions) (2006)
- Compilation Supervision PAL (DVD) ---------------- (Tip World Productions) (2006)
- Boom Festival 2008 We Are All - PAL (DVD) ---------------- (GoodMode Productions) (2009)
- Boom Festival 2008 We Are All - NTSC (DVD) ---------------- (GoodMode Productions) (2009)
- Compilation The Beach 2009 (DVD) ---------------- (FinePlay Records Productions) (2009)
Trance For Nations (CompactStick)
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///001
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///002
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///003
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///004
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///005
- ASTRIX///Trance For Nations///006