How to DJ in two places at once.

Compared to Justin’s abs or Kylie’s arse, your average DJ does not offer much to look at. And yet at every gig Jeff Mills plays, groups of punters crowd around the booth scrutinising his every move. Now, Mills is no pin-up – despite the feverish fantasies techno trainspotters undoubtedly have about this Detroit techno legend – yet as a DJ he’s a true performer. Largely eschewing the boring beat-matching and segues of most techno and house jocks, Mills tears through 4/4 rhythms like a hip-hop scratch DJ, rarely playing any record for longer than two minutes before he rips it from the deck, hurls it over his shoulder and slams another beat in perfectly in time. It’s his spontaneity and intuition that sets him apart from most overpaid record changers, yet Mills has now tried to capture that spur-of-the-moment feel on his new Exhibitionist DVD.

“Exhibitionist is a document and an exploration of the art of DJ-ing,” Mills explains. “By allowing the viewers to see more clearly the techniques of DJ-ing I will hopefully attract more attention and a better understanding of what I do.”

The first official Mills mix since Live At The Liquid Rooms eight years ago, Exhibitionist is like a techno equivalent of turntablist videos – showing Mills’ magic hands in motion as he selects and spins tunes from his Purpose Maker and Axis labels, alongside other cutting edge records. The idea was originally conceived in response to the sheer number of DJ bookings Mills receives – making a DVD of his performance seemed a good way to be in three different places at once. But, reasoning that some might see sending a promoter a DVD while he sits at home twiddling his thumbs as being a bit slack, Mills has instead incorporated DVD footage into his sets – spinning alongside a filmed projection of himself and cutting between the recorded mix and actual hands-on DJ-ing. This isn’t the first time Mills has integrated images into his art, either, having performed a live score to Fritz Lang’s silent movie Metropolis at the Royal Festival Hall.

“With Metropolis I discovered something that was missing from the projects I'd created in the past,” Mills says. “And that’s the communicative vehicle of sight. For many years, it has been rather difficult for me to express certain ideas and concepts with sound only. I think working with visuals more often will strengthen my awareness of what it possible.” This is one exhibitionist who deserves your attention. Paul Clarke 30 January 04

Jeff Mills – Exhibitionist, released 02 February 04 on Axis.

useful link: www.axisrecords.com