Photek, aka
Rupert Parkes, is an artist among DJ's. While some people are just resounding boards of the lastest-greatest track, Photek has always pioneered his own style. His tracks have been remixed by the likes of
J Majik,
Doc Scott, and
Digital.
Being as skilled in the production room as on the decks, Photek only plays his own tracks. 100% fresh jungle (or is it called drum n bass?) cuts, no recycled tunez here. Its always hard to pigeon hole someone who goes out on the creative end of things, but I will try. The music is an enemy of repetitive two-step. His tracks have an abstract beat, stemming from 'sucking' bass hits (bass samples that have been replayed backwards, giving it a sound of sucking inwards) and crashing cymbals. Eerie sci-fi riffs parade around the melody, but never clutter up the mix. The common occurrence of Far Eastern sounds, most notably in 'The Seven Samuri" and "Ni Ten Ichi Ryd" tracks, is junglist massive in the place. All this over solid breaks on the standard 4 on the floor tempo. It has a very distinct sound, you know it when you here it. Some people say Photek sounds 'simple', which is far from the truth. Instead of the beatz pounding in your face, Photek is elegant and classy. Never harash and off-sounding, it is always groovy and smooth.
Personally, Phetok is on my top 10 must see DJ's.