Dan Curtin

Dan Curtin is one of those figures in electronic music whose name has become synonymous with quality and consistency.

He came to music in the 80s when he was still living in Cleveland, Ohio, a far cry from the burgeoning dance music nerve centres in Chicago or Detroit. Then, his first love was hip-hop, a starting point that paved the way to an interest in the pioneering sounds of electro and, later, house and techno.

Unsurprisingly, his earliest releases were the result of being slightly outside the sphere of influence of those key house and techno hubs. Like so many producers coming out of the Midwest, but not from Detroit or Chicago, Curtin was free to forge a sound that was distinctly his own: techno that was defined by impulsion and melody, with a rugged, raw touch. Classic releases like The Silicon Dawn for Peacefrog, Journey’s In Motion for Strictly Rhythm or any of his releases on his own Metamorphic Recordings still sound fresh years after their release.

Now based in Berlin, Curtin remains prolific, releasing music across the likes of Mobilee, Only and Blumoog (home to his first release of 2019, District Omega). He also holds down a packed, international DJ schedule that takes in some of the most respected spaces in the world. With that in mind, we’re excited to have him at the controls for Crack Mix 252. That characteristic Curtin touch is detectable across the mix’s hour running time: expect spry, unyielding kicks and drifting, stargazing pads and jazzy inflections. The sound of a true original.