Black Sun Empire - HotStation.gr Greek Radio online

For 2006 we can only forsee bigger and better things, in the shape of a DJ act featuring live elements, in addition to more releases both on their own imprint and on other big labels including Renegade Hardware. BSE are here to stay!

Extended biography:

Black Sun Empire is a DJ/producer collective based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. It was formed by Rene Verdult, Milan Heyboer and his younger brother Micha Heyboer. They have been making music together since early 1993 but after experimenting with various styles they found their musical direction around 1997, which resulted in the formation of Black Sun Empire. Heavily influenced by releases from the darker labels such as No U Turn, Prototype and Virus, drum’n’bass has been their main focus from then on.

Around this period they started making demos and sent them around to Dutch labels. This resulted in the release of their tracks Skin Deep and Voltage, on the Rotterdam based label Piruh in 1999. Their next release was Piruh003, which consisted of the tracks The Silent and Bombrun and they also had a 12” on “A New Dawn” the Dutch label run by DJ Esta.

While these releases were doing well, they felt they wanted more exposure. CDs were sent, this time to labels in the UK, still the home of drum’n’bass. It didn’t take long to get response. DJ Trace was the first to get in touch with them and immediately signed Black Sun Empire to his massive label DSCI4. Bad Company would come calling a few days later but by then it was too late, all tracks had been signed…

Their first release on DSCI4 was a Mutationz remix. After this, two of their tracks, Firing Squad and Radiation, were released on Trace’s album ‘23 degrees from vertical.’ Following that, Black Sun Empire released an EP on DSCI4 last July, containing the tracks Smoke, Asphyxiation, Geiger and 1-800 Contact. During this time they also did remixes for SKC (Recharcher) and Technical Itch (Telekinetic) on Nerve and Penetration respectively.

BSE RECORDINGS

As more positive response was coming from around the world, they decided it was time to start their own label ‘Black Sun Empire Recordings’. The first release on this new imprint came out in October 2002 and held two of their own tracks, the funky dancefloor smasher “The Rat” flipped with the dark techy roller “B’Negative”. Always looking for new talent they spotted some very promising newcomers in the USA (Benjie from LA and ICBM from Florida) and in Oslo they found Rawthang who previously had gotten very little interest with their blend of vocals and dark mash-up style beats and basses. It didn’t stop there though, every 2 to 3 months saw another release on this growing label and their reputation as DJ’s who bring the latest in everything from funky, techno influenced dancefloortracks to hard hitting darkness, grew larger. In the meantime, they were touring all over Europe, and in the USA.

BLACKOUT

Looking around in their hometown they found drum and bass in a sad state. The crowds had to do without a quality night and black sun empire decided to provide them with one. These “BLACKOUT” parties became very popular and consistently drew 800 to 1000 people to the old centre of Utrecht. Even people from other towns come over (not to mention other countries) to see the blend of international DJs the boys gathered for this bi-monthly event.

DRIVING INSANE

2004 was the year of their first full length LP’s release : ‘Driving Insane’, which featured an album tour that covered large parts of Europe, including the notoriously hard to conquer United Kingdom. Further trips to the USA and Australia where made in Summer, which resulted in the album sampler and promos selling out within hours and the full album release was the fastest selling LP release ever for Nu Urban Music Distribution.

OBSESSIONS

After the loudness of their first album BSE decided not to neglect the lighter tunes. Audiences all over the world are more and more open to this funky side of things and they decided to start up a sister label (through the well-respected distribution company S.T. Holdings). Same as with BSErecordings, this label will be open to ‘up-and coming’ producers as well as more established names like Kemal, Sinthetix, Noisia.

In 2005 BSE remixed a track for Dance4life, a new worldwide organisation to make young people aware of the dangers of Aids and HIV, both in third world countries and close to home. The remix made for their anthem came out in 2005 and proceeds went to the ‘World Aids Campaign’.

CRUEL & UNUSUAL

In December 2005 , BSE released their 2nd LP on vinyl. A double CD will be offered as well, due out February 2006. The guys are still currently promoting the LP, touring worldwide to support this awesome release.The double CD will feature both mixed and non-mixed formats of the album and includes 3 collaborations : from Corrupt Souls, SKC, and Noisia, in addition to 5 BSE solo tunes. You can find more details on the following pages.

2006 AND BEYOND

After the completion of the Cruel & Unusual Tour, the BSE guys will be working on a collaboration LP with a load of amazing d’n’b artists, including : Chris.SU, SKC, Noisia, Jade, Bad Robot, Calyx , Ill.skillz , Corrupt Souls, Vicious Circle, Optiv, Evol Intent, & More.

Other releases include a tune for Renegade Hardware on the Carpe Diem LP, coming out on March 6th. The tune is called ‘Mindset’.

Discography BSErecordings:
Black Sun Empire - The Rat BSE001
Black Sun Empire - B’Negative BSE001
BSE vs Concord dawn - The Sun BSE002
Rawthang - Epilogue BSE002
Rawthang - Epilogue VIP BSE003
ICBM - The Pursuit BSE003
Black Sun Empire - Stone Faces BSE004
Benjie - Ai BSE004
Rawthang - Scorned BSE005
Benjie - Ai (Rawthang Rmx) BSE005
BSE vs Concord Dawn – The Sun VIP BSESAM001
BSE – Boris The Blade BSESAM001
BSE – Arrakis BSELP001
BSE – Don’t You BSELP001
BSE – Breach BSELP001
BSE – B’negative ( SKC & Chris.Su Rmx) BSELP001
BSE – Driving Insane BSELP001
BSE – Stasis BSELP001
BSE & Stu (c4c) BSELP001
BSE – The Rat (Kemal Rmx) BSELP001
BSE – B’negative (Illskillz Rmx) BSECD001
BSE vs Optiv – Insiders BSE006
Skynet – Hydroflash BSE006
BSE – Fearless BSE EP 001
Jade & Matt-u – Got Lost BSE EP 001
Skynet – Nightraiders BSE EP 001
Chris.su & Raw.full - Panorama BSE EP 001
Corrupt Souls – 1138 BSE007
Corrupt Souls – skullfucked BSE007
Dino Sofos – Breathe (BSE Rmx 001) BSESAM002
BSE – Boris The Blade (Optiv Rmx) BSESAM002
BSE – The Cooler BSELP002
BSE vs Corrupt Souls – Everything BSELP002
BSE vs Noisia – Hideous BSELP002
BSE – Bitemark BSELP002
BSE vs SKC – Masquerade BSELP002
BSE Feat. Illy Emcee – Sideways BSELP002
BSE – Future Frame BSELP002
Dino Sofos – Breathe (BSE Rmx 002) BSELP002
Kemal & BSE – Stranded V2.0 BSECD002

Discography Obsessions:

X’plorer & Dee’pulse – Sahara OBSE001
Sinthetix - Cryogenic (BSE Rmx) OBSE001
Noisia, Mayhem & Pacific – Centepod OBSE002
Kemal & BSE – Stranded v1.0 OBSE002
SKC & Dis – Sacrifice OBSE003
Desimal – Circle Of Nine 2005 OBSE003
Chris.Su – Just The One OBSE004
Desimal – The Promist 2005 OBSE004
BSE – Porcelain OBSE005
Corrupt Souls – Brood X OBSE005

Discography on other labels

Black Sun Empire - Skin Deep Piruh 001
Black Sun Empire - Voltage Piruh 001
Black Sun Empire - Bombrun Piruh 003
Black Sun Empire - The Silent Piruh 003
Black Sun Empire - Firing Squad DSCI4LP01
Black Sun Empire - Radiation DSCI4LP01
Black Sun Empire - 1-800-Contact DSCI4EP02
Black Sun Empire - Smoke DSCI4EP02
Black Sun Empire - Asphyxiation DSCI4EP02
Black Sun Empire - Geiger DSCI4EP02
Black Sun Empire - Vessel AND005
Black Sun Empire - Fragment AND005
Black Sun Empire - Gun Seller TRANSPARENT

Remixes:

DJ Trace - Mutationz III (BSE Rmx) DSCI4EP01
Tech Itch - Telekinetic (BSE Rmx) TIP007 (Penetration)
SKC - Recharger (BSE Rmx) NERVE005
Sinthetix - Cryogenic (BSE Rmx) OBSE001
Eye-D - Unicorn (BSE Rmx) CITRUS 009
Typecell - Bad Illusion (BSE Rmx) PROTOGEN
Illskillz – Soulshaker (BSE Rmx) ILL005
BSE – B’negative (Illskillz Rmx) ILL005
Subhuman (c4c) – Eggplant (BSE Rmx) RL006
Rawthang – Beautiful Morning (BSE Rmx) CODED004

Upcoming Releases:

BSE Feat. Illy Emcee – Mindset RH – Carpe Diem LP
Haritas – The Anthem (Kemal Rmx) OBSE006
X’plorer – Technology OBSE006

BSE 3rd album is going to be a compilation album consisting of 3 or 4 EP’s including a double CD and including the following artists:

Bad Robot, Chris.SU, Jade, State Of Mind (remix), Noisia, Illskillz, Tech Itch (remix), Corrupt Souls, Skc, Calyx (remix), Optiv, Vicious Circle, Evol Intent (remix) Concord Dawn and more