Surkin

Surkin (born Benoit Heitz) is a French DJ and producer and part-time graphic designer. Born in southern France but now residing and working in Paris, France. He dropped out of school to pursue a music career and never looked back. Heitz was a big fan of hip-hop music until 2003, when he began to dig deeper into club music history. He focused on US ghetto sub-genres like Miami Bass, Chicago ghetto-house or Baltimore club. He also became an enthusiast of Todd Edwards’ garage beats and lively disco-flavored basslines and other artists like Jess & Crabbe, Cassius and Daft Punk. More unexpectedly, he gathered a large amount of influence from eurodance, a style which is a major factor in the way he works now. Surkin began his professional career in music when he signed to the Institubes label in 2006. He released Ghetto Obsession, his first EP that same year. His career then shot off when his single Radio Fireworks appeared in Justice's "Best Tracks of 2006" list. It all began to go rather quickly from then on. In 2007 he released another EP, this time called Fireworks Refired which contained an edit for Radio Fireworks as well as a number of remixes. 2008 saw the release of two more EPs, Next Of Kin and Next of Kin - Mark II. The first of the two featured Next of Kin and White Knight Two, tracks which are now some of Surkin's most well-known, the EP also contained Next Of Kin (Todd Edwards Re-Kindled Mix) a remix done by Surkin's long-time inspiration Todd Edwards. Next of Kin - Mark II was a brief compilation of remixes, which included a remix of Kid Gloves by Surkin's fellow frenchman Bobmo and a rework of White Knight Two feauturing Chromeo, the track being correspondingly named Chrome Knight (feat. Chromeo). Along with Bobmo, Surkin is half of a side project, High Powered Boys. They've spent time remixing artists such as MSTRKRFT and Blaqstarr.