AWAKENINGS FESTIVAL 2025
11 JULI 2025
Beekse Bergen
Over mij.
GeborenNetherlands
BPM125 - 135 BPM
Genres
Tech HouseTechno (Peak Time / Driving)
Biografie
A well-known electronic musician from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is named Bart Skils. Skils has become well-known in the underground music world for his distinctive sound and style, with a focus on Techno. His music is distinguished by captivating rhythms and beats that keep the dance floor busy. Skils' music is a fusion of traditional and contemporary techno with a focus on giving his listeners an immersive experience. His tracks, which showcase his skill as a producer, are professionally made with accuracy and attention to detail. Skils' music evokes strong emotions and has a somber, dark character that communicates to the listener viscerally. Bart Skils is a great master in the field of electronic music. His music is a tribute to his ability and commitment, and each tune he creates shows his love for the genre. Skils has established himself as a household name in the underground Techno scene thanks to his distinctive sound and aesthetic, and his music continues to enthrall listeners all around the world.
Tracks & Live Sets.
Uitgelichte Evenementen.
Galerij.
Persartikelen.
Exclusive Interview With Bart Skils
14 feb 2015
Deep House Amsterdam
“Techno has been there for ages; it’s not a hipster sound. Techno is here to stay” Bart Skils has been in the game for almost 20 years now, and is considered one of the Netherlands’ most revered and respected techno DJ’s. But instead of getting stuck in old routines, he has constantly been pushing forward, bringing new sounds and fresh ideas to any stage he takes. Apart from his work as a producer, Bart’s passion for electronic music has done a lot for the Dutch techno scene. His famous lovechild Voltt loves Summer is closing in on its tenth birthday and has well earned its status as one of Amsterdam’s finest events. Skils will be rocking a primetime set during this week’s Wonderland festival, so we decided it was the perfect time to sit down with the man for a good talk and see how he’s preparing for the gig. Hi Bart. I remember when I just started going out in Amsterdam, your name was basically on every major event poster throughout the city. Obviously you have witnessed Amsterdam’s night life culture change first hand over the years. How do you feel about the way the city has changed over the course of your career? The scene in Amsterdam has grown a lot over the years from being a musical subculture to one of the main music cultures. There is a very good spread out scene with many good events, producers and artists. So in that way the city can be really proud and its gets stronger every year. Clubs and events usually have a short life span. Be it a temporary club (Club 11, Trouw) or simply a failure to last, it seems Dutch party-goers get bored quite easily. Why do you think you have been able to bind a loyal fanbase to your creation Voltt, which has been successfully up and running since 1998? Music had always been our main focus. When I started working in a record store in the 90’s there were many artists we never saw performing in Amsterdam so I started to organize events to invite them. Guys like Villalobos, Luciano, Mathew Dear and Ben Sims all made their debut in Amsterdam here. Our policy hasn’t changed much over the years, I’m constantly searching for new music and follow my heart with programming. In that way trends are less important because it’s all for the love of music. I just had a chat with a mutual friend of ours (Joey Finch) and asked him if he has a question for you. He told me: “Please ask him to change his name. I mean, really, Skils? What is he compensating for?” Any thoughts on this? Haha, well my real name is Bart Schils and when I started dj-ing I thought it sounded to German so that’s why.. Wonderland festival is prepping up for its second edition Saturday, with an all-star line-up in various styles ranging from disco to techno. Who will you be checking out for sure over there? I will check out and spend some time with the guys I know personally, Gary Beck, William Kouam Djoko and the Beesmunt crew. Should be a good night! How about your own set, what can we expect from your primetime gig? It will be the Drumcode sound, so deep dark, rolling and driving. Although you are most known for your solid techno sets, from time to time you surprise the audience with some deeper tracks in your mixes. Is techno your one true love, or are there really no barriers for you? There is a lot of great deep and trippy techno around so ill play everything I like. Deeper stuff to build up the night and more full on stuff later on at night. If its fits my vibe I’ll play it! Over the years you’ve probably seen quite a few DJ’s rise and fall quicker than the sun on a dark winter day. What do you think sets you apart from others? It’s up to the crowd to decide if you are in demand. Furthermore I just focus on delivering good sets and spent a lot of time in the studio making music. I very happy and thankful I can still follow my passion, its my biggest drive! Over the past, you’ve worked with the likes of Joris Voorn, Adam Beyer, Kaiserdisco and Kolektiv Turmstrasse. So who’s next on your wish list? Since two years I only realease music for Drumcode. I have a very nice work relation with Adam and he supports me a lot with the music I make. So all the track I make I sent to him and later on we decide which ones will be on the next EP. What are your plans for the coming year? Any releases we should definitely set our alarms to? My next Drumcode will be out soon and had 4 tracks on it so very much looking forward to this release. It’s a summer bomb! How about your side project with Anton Pieete, District One? Any future plans? We spent time as friends together but not much in the studio so no future releases planned for us so far. Old-school, jackin’ house and disco seems to be making a steady comeback lately, being heard more frequently on dancefloors throughout the country. Techno seems much less susceptible to these kinds of trends, why do you think that’s the case? Techno has been there for ages and it’s not a hipster sound. You have years of trends were techno goes deeper, and in other years after that it’s going more solid and uptempo. But the basics are there and that won’t change. Techno is here to stay!
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Bart Skils Talks Travel, Sport & Drumcode
22 nov 2022
flowmusic.one
Bart Skils recently dropped his new ‘Horsepower’ EP via Drumcode. Bart Skils is a Dutch techno artist who has released top-selling tracks on labels that range from Reinier Zonneveld’s Filth On Acid to Christian Smith’s Tronic, but he is best known for his many releases on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode. He is also an accomplished DJ that plays regular headline sets at festivals and other large events across the globe as well as being known for his trademark style that fuses explosive percussion and spine-tingling synth lines. Having wracked up more than 10 releases on Drumcode, Bart Skils recently dropped a new EP titled ‘Horsepower’ which features two of his original tracks. We invited him for this interview so we can learn more about the release plus some of his passions outside of music… Hi Bart, thanks for talking with me today. Can you start by telling me what part of the world you are currently living in, and what the local music scene is like? I’m living in Haarlem very close to Amsterdam. I grew up in Amsterdam, but a few years ago moved more towards the seaside because I love to spend time in nature. The techno scene in Amsterdam and The Netherlands is very strong at the moment. We have countless good festivals and clubs which can run 24 hours over the weekend. Especially in the summertime, it’s just so so good! You are a popular DJ who has a busy touring schedule, can you list some of your favourite travel destinations? We plan our touring around the yearly agenda, so in the summertime, I’m mostly in Europe because of the festival season and every now and then I’ll plan a trip to the USA. When autumn comes, I start to go more intercontinental with Latin America, Asia and Australia. I love to have a proper tour in Latin America and I’ve been doing it for many years. The scene in places like Argentina, Columbia and Chile is just amazing. I feel very welcome there and connected with the people. Ignoring the gigs themselves, what have been some of your most memorable travelling experiences, and what made those activities or locations so special? Last February I was touring with Carl Cox and Reinier Zonneveld in Australia. When I had finished the first week in Western Australia, I rented a campervan and drove 3000 km back to the east coast. It took me through the desert and I enjoyed incredible ocean views with nobody around for days. I love to have new travel experiences like this. Doing so much travelling must sometimes make it hard to keep fit, do you play any sports or have a specific workout routine? Besides music, I’ve always had a passion for sports. When I was younger, I was in the Dutch national team for fencing, and nowadays I play squash two or three times a week. It gets me in balance after touring and it’s perfect to get my head clear and focused for studio work. Are there any sports you enjoy watching, and which teams do you support? My two sons are into football and I watch Ajax play with them. It’s a great way to relax together and enjoy some entertainment together. Your latest release is our on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode, could you tell us about the release and its concept? I’ve been super busy in the studio this year and this is my third release on Drumcode. For the main track ‘Horsepower” I used an old Jefferson Airplane vocal from 1969 and reworked it into a killer track. The vocal “one pill makes you larger, one pill makes you small” stands out in every set! How many releases have you done with Drumcode, and how did you first meet Adam Beyer? Uhh no idea, but it’s a lot. I’ve known Adam since the end of the ’90s from Awakenings. I was the Dutch resident and he was the international resident. He was always playing my tracks, so I decided to give him a few new ones. Since then we’ve developed a strong friendship with DC as my techno family. Do you have any more plans to collaborate on music with Adam Beyer, as your joint track “Your Mind” has become something of a classic? Yeah maybe, we talk and share a lot of new music and discuss new projects all the time. So maybe in the future. Can you list a couple of melodic techno tracks that you feel are timeless or inspiring? I really like Dino Lenny – tokyo (Damon Jee Mix), Dee Montero – Halcyon, and Gregor Tresher – Quiet Distortion. All of those tracks have the timeless sound I love. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today, is there a message for fans or anything you want to add before we finish? Enjoy the music and hope to see you around on the dance floor!
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Techno Is a Fatal Attraction in Layton Giordani and Bart Skils' New Track, "Deadly Valentine
28 feb 2025
EDM
Love and destruction become indistinguishable in "Deadly Valentine," a new collaboration from Layton Giordani and Bart Skils. A love letter to techno dipped in venom, the track is out now via Adam Beyer's Drumcode. It's the latest anthem from Giordani, who was recently named to the EDM.com Class of 2025. Like poison disguised as perfume, "Deadly Valentine" intoxicates before it kills. With propulsive yet haunting production, the track feels both deadly efficient and passionately crafted, a valentine to techno's dark, pulsing heart. What elevates "Deadly Valentine" is its brilliant tension-and-release structure. Floating above the mix like whispered threats, the track's haunting vocals imbue an eerie sense of anticipation that borders on discomfort before delivering its satisfying drop. Meanwhile, the production from Giordani and Skils is relentless, namely its chugging bassline, which drives the arrangement forward forward with unstoppable momentum. But they masterfully show restraint, knowing exactly when to add layers and when to strip elements away.
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Tech Rider.
Pioneer
4 x CDJ
De afbeelding is ter referentie en is mogelijk niet volledig representatief.