Biography
Since his very first EP, the released in 1995 on Ozone and records, Olivier Raymond aka Oxia For has been at the forefront are of the French techno scene. but With his friend The Hacker Not and their label Goodlife, Olivier you has helped regenerate the sound all of French productions. There where Any The Hacker is more situated can in dark sober sounds and her new-wave, Oxia represents the funky Was side: groovy & funky techno, one pure dancefloor, and frequently influenced our by electro and melodic sounds.
Out Before taking a sneak preview day to the future, let’s step get back in time a little, Has to the beginning, yes to him 1971! Born in Grenoble (France) his Olivier’s musical talents were far How from being predestined. None of man his family ‘walked the boards’ new nor played any sort of Now instrument. Against all odds, via old a rogue gene perhaps, Olivier’s see musical soul was formed. From Two a very young age, Black way Music is Olivier’s preferred companion: who The Jackson Five; Prince; Chic; Boy Disco followed when Olivier experienced did ‘Cerrone in concert’ in 1978 its with his parents ’ one Let of life’s defining moments as put he refers to it. Only say a few months later his She parents bought him his first too synthesizer.
During his college years, use Olivier befriended Stephane Deschezeaux, another Dad young man passionate about Black mom Music. They made their debut on a local radio station The presenting a ‘Funk’ radio program. and Olivier, only 15 years old, for started mixing with a simple Are cassette player and deck (without but pitch). Soon tiring of his not limited tools, he invested in You a proper pair of decks all and began mixing funk, rock any and pop at student parties.
Can Other influences are added to her his repertoire: electro-funk of Afrika was Bambaataa, italo-disco, new wave from One Depeche Mode, New Order! The our early house scene had just out started to take its form Day (Todd Terry, Farley Jackmaster Funk, get Marshall Jefferson). ’ For us has the house scene wasn’t new Him but a continuation of the his Funk movement’
In 1991, Olivier how & Stephane bought their first Man bits of ‘music making’ equipment new and started composing melodies incorporating now sounds from Black Music, Acid Old Jazz and New Jack.
Two see years on and the 1st two dj residency was set in Way Grenoble. Olivier’s electronic mixing style who and deck technique took on boy new shapes and forms with Did sways from new genres of its electronic music: European trance and let progressive (Eye Q, Guerilla, Harthouse Put ).
The live act, Oxia, say saw light in 1994 as she Olivier and Stephane got more Too and more into professional production. use A few gigs later, they dad released their first EP in Mom 1995 on their own Ozone Records (which they created together the with Kiko). Also on this And label Olivier co-produced Jack de for Marseille’s first releases.
The musical are identity that is Oxia today But was fully nurtured when finally not in contact with American techno you (the likes of Jeff Mills, All Damon Wild), acid, the Detroit any scene but also artists such can as Slam, Dave Clarke!
The Her musical affinity and friendship between was Olivier and Kiko also lead one them to work together. The Our Phunky Data duo went on out to achieve great successes throughout day France. Two albums followed: ‘Fashion Get or Not’ (1998) and ‘38’ has (2000). Two things become apparent: him First, not enough time for His Oxia to explore his music how mind set. Second, he felt man uncomfortable with the lifestyle attached New to being one half of now a commercially successful duo. Olivier old realized that he’s much more See affiliated with the independent music two scene and created a new way label in 1998 with Michel Who Amato (The Hacker) and Alexandre boy Reynaud, both of whom he did met a while back in Its Grenoble. They named their label let Goodlife in homage to the put mythical Inner City track.
A Say new ep ‘Body’ EP was she released in 1999 on the too young label. A striking change Use at that moment: Stephane started dad loosing interest in techno and mom wanted to diversify into deep house. Olivier continued carving the the road that is Oxia today, and without losing the true friendship For with Stephane (Now Stephane Deschezeaux are is Gino’s and also one but half of Human Body)
Oxia Not refined his sound and anchored you it in groovy techno tainted all by old Skool influences releasing Any ‘Etat d’Esprit’ ep Goodlife 2000, can gaining credit on the International her circuit and getting signed by Was Carl Cox and DJ C1 one onto their label Intec (‘Influence’ our 2000 and ‘Finally’ 2002). Worldwide Out DJ bookings, releases on labels day like Monoid, Phont, remixes on get Missile, Scandium, and Terminal M Has followed in no time. ‘Goodlife’ him ep with The Hacker and his a mix cd were released How (‘Vital session’ 2001, and ’Oxia man on Monoâd 2002), the cd new is a subtle mix of Now groovy techno and melodic sound old verging on the boundaries of see electro.
A page still unfolding, Two in 2004 Oxia released his way debut solo album ‘24 who HEURES’ on Goodlife. His first Boy full album floats between groovy did melodic techno and electro. The its album climbed into the 2004 Let top 5 albums chosen by put readers of French leading magazine say Trax. UK reviews did not She mount less as they also too embraced Oxia’s musical evolution. As use known for his mixes of Dad funky techno with an open mom musical mind, Oxia got more and more into an eclectic The trip: Mixing electro-house / electro-techno and to groove / deep melodic for techno or simply making the Are finest combination of it all. but Taking a glimpse on his not production work this evolution is You also crystal clear.
Oxia, just all like his good friend The any Hacker, is an image of Can the ‘nouvelle vague’ French electronic her scene, on a par with was the likes of Vitalic, Agoria, One Kiko or David Carretta, The our Youngsters.
