Simon Heartfield
Encyclopedia
Simon Heartfield is a DJ
, musician
and record producer
.
Heartfield is widely regarded as a leading exponent of electronic music both in his hometown (Portsmouth
, UK) and beyond. His tracks, live performances and DJ sets incorporate elements of house
, breakbeat
, electro
and techno
amongst many other sounds.
The founding member of Portsmouth band Twelve 88 Cartel, Heartfield has gone on to release much other material including the internationally distributed Permanent Way which is also available in ringtone form.
Twelve 88 Cartel produced a number of releases between 1986 and 1991 on the Bite Back! label, home to the producer of their first EP Jim Shaw of Cranes
. In 1994, Heartfield joined John Peel
Session favourites the Psylons
as bass player and released one album on Thunderbird Records.
From 1996 to date, Heartfield has concentrated on DJ work and solo composition, as well as on material with fellow Psylons
members Keith Wyatt and Jack Packer in live electronic act Seatman Separator. DJ sets have been in established techno
clubs such as The Asylum (Soho
), Technosis (at Mass, Brixton
), Geushky, Phase 2, Vurt and Club 414 (Brixton
, London
) alongside artists such as Luke Slater
, Aubrey, Umek, Alex Paterson
, Billy Nasty, Dirty Bass, Justin Swales and Jason Swales.
Collaborations with fellow Techno producers Dave Saunders and Barney Pratt under the name Surefoot have found favour with Carl Cox
amongst others. In 2005, Heartfield co-produced a remix of Bonemachine’s single Another Day Over with Sigue Sigue Sputnik
.
As well as his commercially released material on Hackpen Records, Heartfield distributes many of his own EPs and has contributed extensively to the netlabel Under Your Nose Recordings.
In the last year Heartfield has worked with London's Mixtape Records and In Deep Recordings with whom he has produced commercially distributed digital and vinyl releases.
2009 has seen the completion of a 20 minute audio-visual piece, "Permanent Way Redux" which was performed as part of the 1000 Plateaus new digital media project
and a rework of the cover version of The Kinks
"See My Friends" by Brian Poole of Renaldo and the Loaf
The last live performance was a 30 minute audio visual piece "In The Lodge" which featured animation from award-winning US artist Justin Curfman
.
2010 saw the release of the 14 track album Venom and Eternity.
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Heartfield is widely regarded as a leading exponent of electronic music both in his hometown (Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, UK) and beyond. His tracks, live performances and DJ sets incorporate elements of house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
, electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
amongst many other sounds.
The founding member of Portsmouth band Twelve 88 Cartel, Heartfield has gone on to release much other material including the internationally distributed Permanent Way which is also available in ringtone form.
Twelve 88 Cartel produced a number of releases between 1986 and 1991 on the Bite Back! label, home to the producer of their first EP Jim Shaw of Cranes
Cranes (band)
Cranes are a British music group formed in 1986, whose style has been described as "gothic minimalism".-History:Formed in 1986 in Portsmouth, England by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, and named after the many mechanical cranes around the city's docks, Cranes are best known for the childlike,...
. In 1994, Heartfield joined John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
Session favourites the Psylons
Psylons
The Psylons were a UK post-punk band formed in Portsmouth 1984 by Keith Wyatt, Carl Edwards, Jack Packer and Warren Grech. The band produced four singles, an EP and two albums, the second of which, “Gimp” was produced by Jim Shaw of Cranes...
as bass player and released one album on Thunderbird Records.
From 1996 to date, Heartfield has concentrated on DJ work and solo composition, as well as on material with fellow Psylons
Psylons
The Psylons were a UK post-punk band formed in Portsmouth 1984 by Keith Wyatt, Carl Edwards, Jack Packer and Warren Grech. The band produced four singles, an EP and two albums, the second of which, “Gimp” was produced by Jim Shaw of Cranes...
members Keith Wyatt and Jack Packer in live electronic act Seatman Separator. DJ sets have been in established techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
clubs such as The Asylum (Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
), Technosis (at Mass, Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
), Geushky, Phase 2, Vurt and Club 414 (Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) alongside artists such as Luke Slater
Luke Slater
Luke Slater is an English electronic musician, DJ and record producer, who has concentrated on techno since the beginning of the 1990s....
, Aubrey, Umek, Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson is an English musician and co-founder of the ambient group The Orb, in which he has worked since its inception....
, Billy Nasty, Dirty Bass, Justin Swales and Jason Swales.
Collaborations with fellow Techno producers Dave Saunders and Barney Pratt under the name Surefoot have found favour with Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
amongst others. In 2005, Heartfield co-produced a remix of Bonemachine’s single Another Day Over with Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band created in 1982 by the former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the song "Love Missile F1-11".-Early years:...
.
As well as his commercially released material on Hackpen Records, Heartfield distributes many of his own EPs and has contributed extensively to the netlabel Under Your Nose Recordings.
In the last year Heartfield has worked with London's Mixtape Records and In Deep Recordings with whom he has produced commercially distributed digital and vinyl releases.
2009 has seen the completion of a 20 minute audio-visual piece, "Permanent Way Redux" which was performed as part of the 1000 Plateaus new digital media project
and a rework of the cover version of The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
"See My Friends" by Brian Poole of Renaldo and the Loaf
Renaldo and the Loaf
Renaldo and the Loaf was an English musical duo active in the late seventies and most of the eighties, consisting of a pathologist and an architect ....
The last live performance was a 30 minute audio visual piece "In The Lodge" which featured animation from award-winning US artist Justin Curfman
Justin Curfman
Justin Curfman is an award-winning animator/filmmaker, musician, author and artist who is, perhaps, best known for being the frontman for the band, Feeding Fingers. Curfman was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia...
.
2010 saw the release of the 14 track album Venom and Eternity.
Solo
- Lux 2.1 track contributed to Under Your Nose Vol.1 Compilation 2003
- Particle track contributed to Under Your Nose Vol.2 Compilation 2004
- Permanent Way album (Hackpen) 2005 http://www.discogs.com/release/744640
- Cubular Theme track contributed to Under Your Nose Vol.3 Compilation 2006
- Someday All This Is Gonna End mixed album for Under Your Nose Recordings 2006
- Sublimate EP digital release for Electramento 2006
- Fear Of Logic mixed album for Under Your Nose Recordings 2007
- Reconsequences album (In Deep Recordings) 2007 http://www.discogs.com/release/1101213
- Broken Router remix of track by Bujuben http://www.discogs.com/release/1218534
- Trundlewheel EP (Mixtape Germany) 2008 http://www.discogs.com/release/1210229
- Venom and Eternity album (Dust Up Records) 2010 http://www.discogs.com/Simon-Heartfield-Venom-And-Eternity/release/2223541
Releases with Twelve 88 Cartel
- Sweating Furore EP – (Bite Back!) 1987
- Maxim mini album – (Bite Back!) 1988
- Evidence mini album – (Bite Back!) 1990
- Tension Crush EP - (Bite Back!) 1991
With Seatman Separator
- Claw album (SBH) 2001
- The Music of… album (SBH) 2002
- Basic Electronic Principles album (SBH) 2003
- Auto Suggestion album (SBH) 2004
- Navigation album (SBH) 2005
- Ten Minutes After The End of Gravity (SBH) 2006
- Sampler EP (In Deep Recordings) 2008
- Mercury Trax Volume 3 (SBH) 2009