Astrix @ Soundbar Chicago

One of the pioneering psytrance artists of the millennium, Astrix (aka Avi Shmailov), undoubtedly rules the psytrance roots. He has established himself as a Class A artist and it is clearly heard in his unique and melodic music style. Playing live and spinning his tunes around the world has helped him pave his way to the DJMAG top 100 DJ list and currently sitting at No. 41, Astrix is one of the few artists in the scene who really makes big waves throughout electronic dance music and is gaining universal recognition.

Born in Russia in the early 80s, he grew up in Tel-Aviv and began spinning 80s and alternative music in 1995. Playing European new-wave music and some electro, when he heard Goa trance for the first time, it seemed to him like the right combination of both those sounds. It made perfect sense, and in 1997 he started making music. In 2002, after releasing tracks on various compilations, he made his first solo psytrance album, Eye to Eye (HOM-mega Records), rated as one of the best albums to date for its superior music production, which mirrored his unique approach of finding a fine balance between the chaos of a dance floor and the coolness of at-home listening. In 2004 Astrix headlined a huge bash at London's Alexandra Palace to mark the launch of his second production album, Artcore (HOM-mega Records). Psytrance fans turned up in droves for his huge party, stating that if one man has remained true to his style, it is Astrix. Unshaken by popular music myths, every track in his live set has that special ingredient to get hands clapping and bodies moving for a standing ovation. In his upcoming third album, Red Means Distortion, Astrix clearly reiterates his distinguished music-production style as he leads the way forward with soul-shaking anthems that have been instrumental in spreading his sound worldwide.

His live and DJ sets at high-profile gigs including Skol Beats in Brazil, Brixton Academy and South West 4 in the UK, Gathering in Japan, Pacha and Sessions in the United States, and Love Parade in Israel have seen him play to over 200,000 people at once, taking them into full-on journeys through the most uplifting echelons of the psytrance world. His music has a heavy focus on the feelings invoked by more traditional strains of trance while never losing sight of the groovy element. He cites Coldplay, Linkin Park, and Chemical Brothers as inspirations for the non-trance elements in his music. This combination of euphoria and funk, along with his crystal-clear production technique, places him head and shoulders above most producers, psytrance or otherwise. Astrix stands out because what he makes is by no means formulaic dance-floor fodder. It is clear from listening to his music that he is more of a musician and a rare talent indeed.