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DJ Mag Top100 DJs
74
Carl Cox
11

HIGHEST TECHNO DJ

From: UK
DJ style: Infectious.
What’s the next new big track? “The next big track will be Cirez D ‘Backlash’ (Mouseville)’.”
Breakthrough DJ/producer of 2016: “Matador. Hard work and self-belief play a big part in what he has created. What a year he has had — it was so well deserved.”
 
We finally caught up with Carl Cox after his epic final set at Space, and while he was in transit to one of the Ultra Music Festivals. The closure of the Ibiza club is the latest chapter in an unfortunate year for electronic music, with Fabric in London also shuttering and Spanky from Phuture — as well as icons Bowie and Prince — all passing away. Cox, as ever the people’s DJ, remains upbeat about the future.
“The music will always rejuvenate itself because of new people coming into the scene with new ideas but also influenced by all the great artists and more” he says.

Aside from his Space residency, he also cites parties and festivals like “Awakenings, Tine Warp, Pure in Australia, Dream Beach in Spain and Fabric and Tobacco Docks in London” but adds that “the list is endless”.
Apart from maintaining a hectic DJ schedule, Cox also reveals some surprising plans to DJ Mag.

“It’s going to be Carl Cox Motorsports,” he says. “I love riding motorbikes; doing bike tours worldwide; drag racing and mighty mini racing,” adds the man with the biggest smile in dance music. 

What have been the new frontiers for you this year?
“I am very much into my Carl Cox Motorsports. I have been putting a lot of time and effort into drag racing; side car and classic motorbike racing worldwide.”

Is electronic music taken seriously enough as an art-form?
“Yes, I think that now more than ever that electronic music is part of many platforms in our lives.”

What’s the best new bit of DJ/production technology, and why?
“I am loving the Model 1 mixer from Richie Hawtin. I can go on all day about this mixer, but I won’t – all I can say is that the analogue sound, the filters and the controller on this mixer are by far the best I have ever used.”

If you had to switch your style to another genre, what would it be?
“I love drum & bass in all its forms, but the more intelligent sound pushes all the right buttons for me.”

As a fan, what is the top price you would pay to see yourself DJ?
“As a fan it should not matter – it is what you believe you should pay that counts.”

WORDS: RICHARD BROPHY