From
his earliest demos to his current position as a key figure in the global
techno scene Perc (aka Ali Wells) has taken past and present music formulas
and twisted them into something new and fresh.
Key to
Perc’s recent success was the release of ‘Up’ on Kompakt in summer 2007.
With its unmistakable relentless rising tone ‘Up’ lodged itself in record
boxes including those of Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Chris Liebing, Misc, Slam,
John Digweed, Green Velvet, Erol Alkan and Steve Lawler and refused to move.
Perc’s 2nd Kompakt release ‘Headphone Heart’ showed his versatility, mixing
industrial-strength percussion with a haunting flute melody, a combination
that on paper should never work, but somehow Ali pulled it off with style.
To
cement his techno credentials Ali’s Sticklebrick EP on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode
label made him the first non-Swedish artist to release on the label in 7
years and showed that he could produce to a standard equal to the world’s
best.
In 2008 Ali has released
his ‘Serious Moonlight EP’ on Chris Liebing’s CLR label and a single ‘Work
Harder’ on his own Perc Trax label. Ali’s ‘Swords EP’ rounded off his 2008
releases. The EP was released by the label side of Lost Souls Promotions, a
London-based collective for whom Ali is now a resident DJ. Ali also made his
debut at Phil Kieran’s Kranc night in Belfast and has recently been asked to
be a resident at the night.
This
success has made Perc an in-demand remixer and over the past few years Ali
has been commissioned to remix a host of world-class names including
Trentemoller, James Holden, DJ Hell, Misc, Phil Kieran, DJ Yellow, Blood &
Tears, Jeff Bennett, Gary Beck and many more. His most notorious re-rubs
include his driving take on Holden's own 'First Light' and his reworking of
DJ Hell's 'Buttersaure' that had the cream of Europe's techno scene
salivating.
As Perc’s profile grows his
booking schedule has become busier and Ali’s touring has covered all of
Europe plus a tour of South Africa and 3 tours of Japan. Ali made his US
debut in New York in late 2007 and is due back in the USA in 2009. This year
Ali will also play his first gigs in Mexico, Canada and Belgium. Personal DJ
high points for Ali are a back-to-back set with Oliver Ho in Tokyo, playing
in the Drumcode Arena at Dance Valley 2008 and playing on the same bill as
Richie Hawtin and Speedy J at 2008’s Queen’s Day party at Melkweg,
Amsterdam.
From
his earliest demos to his current position as a key figure in the global
techno scene Perc (aka Ali Wells) has taken past and present music formulas
and twisted them into something new and fresh.
PERC
40 MIN MIX
