Christian Vance

The layered, emotionally driven sounds of Christian Vance are instantly recognisable. Performing solidly over the last decade as a live electronic music act in various forms within the Australian electronic music community, he has gained the respect of many artists and DJs from around the globe. Having been booked as the main support act for DJs including Carl Craig, Joris Voorn, Kenny Larkin, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Jeff Mills, and live artists such as Aril Brikha, Alex Smoke, Vince Watson and Fabrice Lig, his ability lies not only in entertaining but also drawing the crowd deeper into his own sound. Each set is organic, unique. He chooses to take people on an excursion into his sensual world of electronic dancefloor improvisation.

Vance will be releasing his first EP 'Tiger Snake' on Perspectiv Records from Switzerland in the near future. This follows his work on a remix project with Derrick May for Plaid’s soundtrack to the film Tekkon Kinkreet, recorded in Carl Craig’s Planet E studio. Vance is also focusing his energies on his own label HAUL Music (with fellow Australian artists Mike Callander and Craig McWhinney), the first EP 'Too Long On Venus' set to be released in late November 2008.

The son of an Austrian immigrant, a rhythm guitarist of a popular Aussie 1960s rock band, Vance was regularly seen at home tinkering with a Roland Dr. Rhythm drum machine plugged into his father’s amplifier. He never quite took to traditional music. Even after a decade with the guitar and classical voice training, it was the sound of early Techno and acid house mix tapes brought home by his Uncle studying in Europe in the late 80’s that aroused the love for analogue synthesizers and the dancefloor. He later borrowed his Uncle’s Korg workstation and formed a band with schoolmates, Phunk De Sonique, that were to play regularly for many years including appearances at large Festival events such as Two Tribes.

Performing with his band as a teenager during the late 90’s when classic Techno was at its zenith in Australia, he got lost in the culture of electronic dance music. Warehouse parties opened a new playground of cerebral discovery, imagination and emancipation. Vance embraced the sentiment of the barren urban landscape depicted by Detroit Techno and set out to make it his own. It is still part of his vibe today. Setting out as a solo live act and producer in May 2006, he made his worldwide solo debut at a Blow Your Own Way event in Melbourne with Kenny Larkin, a brand he has been long affiliated with.

His eclectic musical diet ranges from Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brian Eno, Chuck Berry and David Byrne to Herbie Hancock, Fela Kuti, Disco (Arthur Russell style), Derrick May, Carl Craig and Fleetwood Mac (potentially sparked by an encounter with Stevie Nicks in a hotel pool as a toddler).

Vance’s music is identified by deep chord sequences and synced-up jazz beats over a constant synthetic pulse. The allure of this sound is in its inability to be categorised. Vance is all about the groove and the feel as opposed to the obsession with the technology itself. The seamless slippages from soundtrack-like atmosphere to Deep House, Jazz, Detroit Techno, Minimal-esque rhythms, broken beat and world music conglomerate, offering his audience a point of departure.

Where to now? Vance’s music will continue to speak for itself. New releases on respected labels are due for release over the next 12 months in addition to further EP’s on his record label HAUL Music. Signing with respected Australian events, touring and booking agency Soma Corp in August 2008, this is just the beginning for an exemplary new voice in electronic music...