Saytek

As one of the UK's most exciting acts, Saytek has carved out a unique position for himself over the last few years. Having built himself a reputation for innovative, improvised sets that span the house and techno spectrum he is now widely regarded as one of the nation's very best live performers. His expertise and confidence in using hardware to create totally original tracks right before the audience's eyes creates the perfect blend of entertainment and unpredictability. Merely watching him build his live set via an impressive array of hardware including his trusty Roland MC909, Maschine Mikro, a Kaos Pad 3, Pioneer's RMX1000, the Akai APC 40 and a DJ mixer is a joy to behold. Performing with all of these instruments through Ableton has now become second nature, meaning every twist and turn is controlled effortlessly, creating a dynamic experience for all involved.

Saytek, real name Joseph Keevill, melds a variety of styles mainly influenced by Detroit and Chicago; house, techno, those deep cutting edge sounds that still resonate with so many people today – though, being a Londoner, there's a distinctly British flavour that permeates throughout his music. It's an authentic sound that emanates a timeless quality, echoes of the past are evident, yet the future can be heard just as clearly in Saytek's work. Years of experience in the clubs of England's capital city, both as a performer and a partygoer, have informed his output and fuelled a recording career that has lasted over 10 years. He built his name at one of London's most legendary contemporary clubs, The End, alongside regular stints with Ibiza's seminal Zoo Project. In the last year alone he's had release with some of the industry's most respected labels such as My Favorite Robot, Soma, Monique Musique, Lucid Flow, Love Not Money and Wiggle to name but a few. Keen supporters of his music include Carl Cox, Seth Troxler, Richie Hawtin, Luciano, Danny Tenaglia, John Digweed, Steve Lawler, Claude Von Stroke, DJ Sneak, Dubfire, Derrick May, Laurent Garnier and Nic Fanciulli.

On top of his regular flow of singles and EPs, Saytek's series of live albums, initially released via Zoo's own label and, more recently, through his own Cubism imprint have further bolstered his reputation for innovative projects. The most recent, Live On Cubism II, is a diverse yet cohesive composition which combines flecks of acid with tough analogue Detroit flavours and irresistable bumping Chicago grooves. It picked up the Album Of The Month accolade in dance music bible Mixmag, as well as receiving plaudits from across the board, much like his previous efforts.

A solid reputation means Saytek has a constant tour schedule and an ever growing list of live performances, which includes gigs at many of the world's best-known and most respected clubs, including fabric in London and Space in Ibiza. With each performance it's as though you're watching him in action for the very first time, the passion, energy and dedication to his craft is admirable and representative of a man who sincerely loves the music he creates and performs. This is not a jaded old performer doing it for the cash, but an artist who would put the same amount of effort into a headline festival performance as he would into a 200-capacity show.

It's taken a little over 10 years to get here, but Saytek's current position as one of the UK's foremost live performers is an accolade he's overjoyed to be in possession and, as a result, his work ethic continues to be at an all-time high while his lust for the music is unerring. With a successful 2013 behind him, the coming years are no doubt going to reap even more rewards as his live show continues to evolve and his music gets better and better...