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23dj

Spruce up ya bouffe

About Me


More than anything in the world, 23dj – aka Ewen Cook – detests those who write about themselves on Myspace in the third person. He is also particularly fond of drum and bass.
Never one to compromise, nor get his priorities mixed up, the young upstart has pushed his distinctive brand of creative mixing into corners of the globe he never envisaged possible whilst still a wide-eyed raver at Lunarcy, Legends and the famous south-coast nights of years gone by…
Winning his first weekly residency in Cardiff in 2004 via a mixtape competition, a sordid two-year affair with pair of Technics finally paid off – a threesome that, for once, left no-one feeling degraded.
Quite the opposite, in fact: 2005 saw the myth that it is impossible to make waves in drum and bass through DJing alone emphatically put to the sword. Astounded to be offered his second residency at Bulletproof – Cardiff’s largest and longest-running d&b night – the being-fucking-shellshocked theme continued apace, via an August phonecall from the editor of Knowledge Magazine.
From over 2000 entries worldwide, Knowledge plumped for 23dj’s The After Hours Mix as their coveted mixtape comp winner and reeled him in (still reeling) for some invaluable press attention and the honour of mixing their November front-cover CD.
Bookings up and down the country followed, taking in Bristol, Plymouth, Leeds, London, Swansea, Swindon and Bath within a mere few months. The lucky young mixer went on to enjoy a bedroom DJ's dream of a year – one that resulted in two Bristol residencies and three more in Cardiff, while sharing a stage with nearly every single one of his jungle heroes along the way.
BBC Radio 1Xtra came calling next, and 23dj was asked to present and mix a four hour drum and bass show in October 2006. The show went out worldwide and was an unforgettable experience. In late 2007, 23dj received his first international booking, in Toronto, Canada, and in 2008 was nominated for Best Breakthrough DJ at the UK National Drum & Bass Awards...
The future? All smiles, all easy... The rest is simply a bonus. This is one young hopeful who put a lot into drum and bass and has already received it back tenfold.
Drum & bass might lack deep pockets, but it’s good hearts and broad shoulders that count – and this UK-born, grassroots movement has those in spades. Warm bass rising at 5am… shoulder-to-shoulder with good friends on a packed dancefloor… the crackle and hiss of fresh vinyl… the pulsing lights of a studio. The memories will only get better.
A massive thanks from 23dj to all the wise words, sharp eyes and helping hands in Cardiff – you know who you are – and for the continued support from all the drum and bass arena forum crew, the Swansea gang and the Bristol family. To all the heroes along the road.
Catch 23dj at Escape Into The Park 2008, at Alliance and Aperture in Cardiff, and at Bounce and Signal in Bristol...
Get Your Own! | View SlideshowGet Your Own! | View Slideshow
Brand new 3 deck mix... see blog for download link
Signal presents... Exclusive Summer Sessions mix... Log on to the Signal site or see blog for download link

My Interests



VOTE FOR 23DJ IN THE NATIONAL DRUM AND BASS AWARDS

I'd like to meet:

Kerouac :: Moranis (but of course) :: Hicks :: Derrida :: Gillespie

Recognise...

Music:

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Movies:

Movies? Films, you oik...
Most things involving Tarantino//The Shining//The Deerhunter//Shallow Grave//Amores Perros//Being John Malkovic//Taxi Driver//a sucker for Jim Carrey flicks//Jerry Maguire (compelling, somehow)//more when I get round to it...

Books:

My family and other animals... Oh and Knowledge Magazine: they do the most interesting articles ha ha. Respect!

Heroes:

drum & bass vs. religious pluralism: round 1

but seriously... Derrida, for/and Deconstruction. And so no heroes.

My Blog

23dj nominated for Best Breakthrough DJ, National d&b Awards

And then one day I received a telegram informing me I'd been nominated for Best Breakthrough DJ at the National Drum & Bass Awards 2008... www.drumandbassawards.co.uk ...which was nice. Vote for m...
Posted by 23dj on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:10:00 PST

23dj Mixtape Archive

'Ere 'tis: a back catalogue of studio and promotional mixes for ya ears. Enjoy...Massive thanks to DLM and the Darklight Brighton crew for the hosting. Check www.darklightbrighton.com for info, mixes ...
Posted by 23dj on Fri, 19 Jan 2007 09:55:00 PST

New Mix :: 23dj :: Sucker Punch Mix :: 3 Decks

23dj : Sucker Punch mix ::  3 decks www.darklightbrighton.com/mp3/23djSuckerPunch1.MP3 Aquasky   Sucker Punch (Dash and Samurai remix)  [DUB]>> Dillinja  Thugged Out bitch  Valve>> Mo...
Posted by 23dj on Sun, 04 Mar 2007 12:51:00 PST

23dj & Tbone live on BBC Radio 1Xtra: The Drum and Bass M1X Show 3.10.06

in ya face...That's right, those fine, fine people down at 1Xtra recently reeled in myself and one of Cardiff's original pirate radio soldiers Tbone (Bass Fm, UK Bass) to rinse a 4 hour session down a...
Posted by 23dj on Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:07:00 PST

Review of John B @ Aperture, Cardiff, Sept 2006

Aperturepast& Aperturefuture& : Thursday September 14th, 2006 : John B : Specific : Rockwell : Focus : Redeye : Intex     Presley, shut up. And put your pants back on too. There's a new ...
Posted by 23dj on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:13:00 PST

Chums 'n' Bass: feature article for Itchy Magazine, Oct 2006

Chums 'n' Bass Cardiff drum and bass has come back from the brink, and back to the kids  and the future's more than rosy. Itchy catches up with new-skool messiah Drone1 and his revolutionary 'Apertur...
Posted by 23dj on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:16:00 PST

23dj feat. Skandal MC :: Upfront

23dj feat. Skandal MC :: Upfront   A selection of anthems old and new...   http://www.cardiffdnb.com/23dj/mixes/23dj+Skandal_Upfront.mp 3   sub focus : citizen kane >> concept 2 : cause...
Posted by 23dj on Sun, 29 Oct 2006 01:23:00 PST

23dj :: the Silver mix

23dj :: Silver mix A showcase of the best liquid tracks of 2005... http://www.cardiffdnb.com/23dj/mixes/23dj-silvermix.mp3  craggz and parallel forces : love insane >> andy c & shimon : quest...
Posted by 23dj on Sun, 29 Oct 2006 01:19:00 PST

23dj :: the Aperture mix

23dj :: Aperture mix A journey through sounds and styles old and new, hard and soft... http://www.cardiffdnb.com/23dj/mixes/23dj_Aperture_mix.MP3 matrix vs. futurebound : strength to strength >> m.i....
Posted by 23dj on Sun, 29 Oct 2006 01:17:00 PST

23dj & TBone feat. MC Reuben live on 1Xtra 02/10/06

http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/features/sappo/guests.shtml  23dj & TBone with MC Reuben. 2am - 6am Monday Oct 2nd.Ez boys n girls, catch myself representing Cardiff on the Drum and Bass Mix Show ...
Posted by 23dj on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:44:00 PST