Astrix

Avi Shmailov (Hebrew: אבי שמיילוב) under his stage name Astrix, is an Israeli trance music DJ and producer specializing in the subgenre of Progressive psychedelic trance.

Not to be confused with asterix.
This article is about a person named Astrix. For "asterisk", see Asterisk (disambiguation). For other uses, see Asterix (disambiguation).
Astrix
Astrix performing in Moscow in 2013
Background information
Birth nameAvi Shmailov
Born (1981-12-05) December 5, 1981
USSR, Caucasus
GenresPsychedelic trance
Occupation(s)Musician, DJ, record producer
Years active1995–present
LabelsHOM-Mega Productions, Spiraltrax Label Group, Tokyo Productions, Plastik Park, Shamanic Tales
Associated actsInfected Mushroom, Alien Project, Astral Projection, Atomic Pulse, G.M.S., Alpha Portal

In 2006 Astrix reached #41 (+34 rise) in DJMag's "Top 100 DJs" yearly rank along with a rise of several other Israeli musicians (the highest being Infected Mushroom at #9),[1] marking a significant proportion of the Israeli electronic music scene. In 2007, Astrix reached #18 on the list.[2]

Early career

Astrix was born in the USSR, to a Mountain Jewish family in the Caucasus and grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel. He began recording music under the name Astrix in 1997, sometimes misconceived to be taken from the Asterix comic books. An interview on UK clubbing website Harderfaster.net revealed the name was chosen for simply sounding good, and not directly influenced by anything in particular.

1995–2002

Astrix started as a DJ in 1995 playing alternative and 1980s music. It was during this time that he learned about electronic music. In 1997 he began his first in-house studio recordings using a personal computer. He discovered trance in 1997 after being invited to a trance party. "At first it was a very new and strange experience for me and I couldn't find myself, but I was impressed by the energy and the impact that the music had made on the people at the party."[3] At the beginning of his career in the late 1990s he produced tracks in the "nitzhonot" style of trance, an anthemic offshoot of Goa trance. His first tracks were "In Peace" and "Eakhis World," which both appeared on the nitzhonot compilation Ptzatzot 3.

2002–2010

In 2002, Astrix signed to the EDM label HOM-Mega productions with his debut album Eye to Eye. In a 2003 interview Astrix said that he worked on three albums by Alien Project, but its maintainer Ari Linker did not give him credit.[4] Touring after the Eye to Eye album release and working on other projects did not leave much studio time for Astrix and it took two years to write his second album, Artcore, which came out in 2004. He also produced the albums Nu-clear Visions of Israel (TIP.World, 2003), Psychedelic Academy (Hit Mania, 2005) and Astrix & Friends (DJ mag, 2007).[5] In 2009, Astrix's label, HOM-Mega Productions, was the first to release a digital album from Astrix on a USB flash drive, One Step Ahead (HOM-Mega Productions, 2009). Astrix then undertook an almost nonstop worldwide tour.[6]

Festivals included Dance Valley, SW4, Creamfields, Love Parade, UAF, Planeta Atlantida and headlined nights in the best clubs and venues such as Alexandra Palace, Brixton Academy, Pacha, Ministry of Sound, The City, Volume and Nox.

2010–present

Over the last couple of years, studio time was a rare commodity for Astrix, but nevertheless he managed to find the extra hours to work on his third studio album for HOM-Mega productions. Red Means Distortion is the result of some very late night sessions.

The Acid Rocker EP, which was released in August 2010,[7] was the first release from the next studio album, Red Means Distortion. As bonus material, it included a remix by trance artist Pixel of "Closer to Heaven" featured vocalist Michele Adamson, and a fresh new GMS 2010 remix to Astrix's "Eye to Eye". In September, a month after the Acid rocker EP was released, the third album Red means distortion was released.[8] Starting in August 2010, Astrix has been creating mix sessions titled Trance for Nations.

Musical style

Astrix says his music has solid, driving basslines and ascending melodies.[9] Many would consider his style to be a crossover between "full-on" and the "clubbier" end of Trance, exemplified by his Psychedelic Academy Mix.[10]

Author Graham St John, of the book The Local Scenes and Global Culture of Psytrance, noted about Astrix's sound, "crisp spacious acoustics".[11]

Influences

Astrix has been cited as being musically influenced by Infected Mushroom. "I look up to them for inspiration and for some kind of spiritual fuel as it were." Other influences include Linkin Park and Paul Van Dyk. "I also have a love for alternative bands like Linkin Park, and as electronic producer I like Paul Van Dyk, he inspires me very much to see how well you can mix business with music and how big you can become from something that was so small in the beginning."[12]

Discography

Albums

Astrix released five full-length studio albums at the record label HOM-Mega Productions, based in Israel.

In his albums Astrix collaborated with artists who were also involved in the psytrance scene, such as Infected Mushroom, Atomic Pulse, Domestic, Sub6, Psycraft, Xerox and Illumination.

Eye to Eye
Eye to Eye, 2002, HOM-Mega Productions,[13][14]
Track Number Title Length
#1 Life System07:29
#2 Crystal Sequence (feat. Atomic Pulse)08:13
#3 Infected Mushroom - Wider (Remix)07:23
#4 Massive Activity (feat. Domestic)08:23
#5 Eye to Eye06:38
#6 Side Effect (feat. Atomic Pulse)07:04
#7 Scientific Reality (feat. Atomic Pulse)08:51
#8 FeeL.S.D07:05
#9 Valirus (feat. Atomic Pulse)07:38
#10 Freestyle Cafe07:49

Artcore
Artcore, 2004, HOM-Mega Productions / Vision Quest,[15]
Track Number Title Length
#1 Poison07:32
#2 Monster Remix (feat Infected Mushroom07:40
#3 Tweaky06:54
#4 Techno Widows07:33
#5 Artcore07:05
#6 On Fire06:24
#7 Underbeat06:47
#8 Sex Style06:50
#9 Beyond The Senses07:45

One Step Ahead
One Step Ahead, 2008, HOM-Mega Productions
Track Number Title Length
#1 I Scream07:00
#2 Lost Inside08:06
#3 Control Me (XI Remix)07:18
#4 Future Music & 3rd Time Lucky (Live Mix)08:14
#5 Just in Time09:54
#6 Touched06:04
#7 Sex Style (Krunch Remix)07:53
#8 Sex Style (XSI Remix)08:30
#9 Sex Style (Analyser Remix)08:03
#10 Sex Style (Rewind Evolution Remix)06:17
#11 Sex Style (4-Play Remix)08:37
#12 Sex Style (Vogue Remix)07:56

Red Means Distortion
Red Means Distortion, 2010, HOM-Mega Productions / Vision Quest
Track Number Title Length
#1 Acid Rocker07:40
#2 Mir (written by Guy Salama)08:17
#3 Take A Shot07:59
#4 Shakta - Lepton Head (Astrix Remixed Version)07:07
#5 Antiwar07:37
#6 Dharma08:55
#7 Sparks08:31
#8 Delirious - Silver Sky (Astrix Progressive Edit)07:28
#9 Emok & NDSA - Harbour Candy (Astrix Prog-Psy Edit)07:45
#10 Infected Mushroom feat. Perry Farrell - Killing Time (Astrix EP-Ver. Psy Remix)07:13

He.art
He.art, 2016, HOM-Mega Productions
Track Number Title Length
#1 Shamanic Tales13:01
#2 Deep Jungle Walk09:15
#3 Alien Turned Human08:08
#4 Valley of Stevie (w/Ace Ventura)08:41
#5 He.art08:01
#6 Agate (w/Ritmo)08:43
#7 Sapana (Album Ver.)08:37
#8 Awake the Snake (W/Tristan)08:23
#9 Conquistador (Astrix Remix)09:43

EPs / Singles
  • Coolio, 2004, HOM-Mega Productions
  • Coolio (12"), 2004, Tokyo Dance
  • Closer to Heaven (12"), 2005, Tokyo Dance
  • Future Music EP, 2007, Spiral Trax
  • Acid Rocker EP, 2010, HOMmega HD
  • Reunion, 2011, Plastik Park
  • Type 1, 2012, HOMmega HD
  • Stars on 35, 2012, HOMmega HD
  • High on Mel, 2013, HOMmega HD

Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel
Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel, 2003, TIP.World,[16]
Track Number Title Length
#1 Sub6 - Pounding07:04
#2 Astrix - Disco Valley08:07
#3 Psy Sex - Alien Cop (Goblin Remix)08:38
#4 Hujaboy - Flake07:23
#5 Cosma - Nonstop07:25
#6 Xerox & Illumination - Temporary Insanity (Mix)07:05
#7 Delirious - Dynamic Force07:40
#8 Psy Craft - Top Gun07:38
#9 Astrix & Atomic Pulse - Valirus (Sub6 Remix)05:56

Psychedelic Academy
Psychedelic Academy CD 1, 2005, Hit Mania
Track Number Title Length
#1-01 Astrix - Follow Me08:37
#1-02 Delirious - Dance Flow07:25
#1-03 Black & White - Geronimo05:30
#1-04 Domestic - Limited Addiction05:35
#1-05 Chakra - Atomic Base06:07
#1-06 Sub6 - Buttersonic (GMS Prog-trance Remix)06:04
#1-07 PsyCraft - Computech05:29
#1-08 Xerox & Illumination - The Vision05:37
#1-09 Psysex - New Wave Hooker (Domestic & Pixel Dynamic Duet Remix)06:56
#1-10 X-Noize - The Sperminator06:40
#1-11 Psysex & DJ Slider - Tribal Dance05:55
#1-12 Dali - Colors Band (Astrix Compilation-based Remix)06:09
Academy Anthems CD 2, 2005, Hit Mania
Track Number Title Length
#2-01 Astrix & DJ Highguy - Chaos07:52
#2-02 Delirious - Silver Sky08:02
#2-03 Cosma - Nonstop07:22
#2-04 PsyCraft - Memory Flash08:49
#2-05 Xerox & Illumination - Tribal Metal07:17
#2-06 Astrix - Coolio (Infected Mushroom Real-Psy Remix)08:17
#2-07 Dali - Colors Band06:53
#2-08 Sub6 - Ra He'ya (ft. Michele Adamson)07:16
#2-09 Psysex - New Wave Hooker07:22

DJ Magazine Presents: Astrix & Friends
DJ Magazine Presents: Astrix & Friends, 2007, DJ Magazine,[17]
Track Number Title Length
#1 Astrix - Future Music & 3rd Time Lucky (Live Mix Version)08:01
#2 Sub6 - Saved05:21
#3 Domestic & Wrecked Machines - Bloom on Day03:09
#4 Xerox & Illumination - No Way Out03:36
#5 Delirious - Dance Electric04:57
#6 Intelabeam (ft. MC Jah-Natan & Efrat Dahan) - One Minute03:29
#7 PsyCraft (ft. Michele Adamson) - Follow the Line03:09
#8 Pixel & Wrecked Machines - Mother Funker05:50
#9 Astrix - Adventure Mode05:11
#10 Black & White - Dirty Herring03:22
#11 Krunch - Syncopat03:43
#12 Chakra - Montezuma's Revenge02:42
#13 Astrix x Sub6 - Control Me05:24
#14 X-Noize (ft. Tom C.) - Voice Tweaker06:50
#15 Dali - Unconditional Love06:26

Releases on compilations
  • "Chaos: Digital Oracle
  • "Poison (Wrecked Machines Remix)" Map of Goa Vol. 3
  • "Closer to Heaven" Goa - Neo Full-On
  • "Future Music" Goa - Neo Full-On & Progressive Trance Vol. 4

Appearances

DVD videos
  • The Gathering, 2002 - 2007, Vision Quest Productions
  • X-Mode Vol. 6 Back to the Future, 2004, Tokyo X-Ray Studios Productions
  • Supervision - NTSC/PAL, 2006, Tip.World Productions
  • Boom Festival 2008 - We Are All - NTSC/PAL, 2009, GoodMood Productions
  • The Beach 2009, FinePlay Records Productions

Touring

Astrix has been touring in the US,[18] Europe,[19] Australia and India.[20][21]

  • EDC Vegas,[22]
  • Burning man
  • Beyond Wonderland and Summer Music Festival (USA),
  • Summer Stomp Festival,[23]
  • SW4 and BoomTown Fair (UK),
  • Earthcore (Australia),[24]
  • VuuV Festival(Germany),[25]
  • Tomorrowland (Belgium),
  • Tomorrowland (Brazil),[26]
  • OZORA (Hungary),[27]
  • Psy Fi and Dance Valley (Netherlands)
  • Weekend Festival (Finland & Estonia)
  • Airbeat One (Germany)
  • Tribe
  • XXXperience (Brazil)
  • Emmaboda (Sweden)
  • Inox (France),
  • BAT (Argentina)
  • Euforia Festivals (Poland) [28]

And to venues such as Brixton Academy, Ministry of Sound, O2 Arena, Pacha, Privilege, Exchange, Avalon and AgeHa.[29]

References
  1. "Top 100 DJs".
  2. "Top 100 DJs".
  3. Chaishop: Astrix Archived June 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine — interview and biographical info
  4. Interview with Astrix at IsraTrance.com, 01/2003
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Astrix". www.mushroom-magazine.com.
  7. EP information
  8. Red Means Distortion information
  9. "Interview with Astrix: Psychedelic Academy 2 preview". 2005. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  10. "Interview with Astrix". IsraTrance Forum.
  11. Graham St John (2010). The Local Scenes and Global Culture of Psytrance. ISBN 978-1136944345.
  12. 4Clubbers: Interview with Astrix written by Caroline Banx
  13. http://www.ivibes.nu/index.php?article=1615 ivibes.nu: Albums reviews
  14. http://www.isratrance.com/cd-reviews/astrix-eye-to-eye-d438.html isratrance.com: Cd-Reviews
  15. "Astrix - Artcore (HOM-Mega Productions)". forum.isratrance.com.
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2016-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. "Interview with Astrix - United States Trance Movement". usatrancemovement.com.
  19. "Astrix - Exposed Magazine". www.exposedmagazine.co.uk.
  20. "DJ Astrix -". 8 October 2008.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. https://www.insomniac.com/media/astrix-drives-his-fans-insane
  23. "ASTRIX SUMMER STOMP FESTIVAL 2015 at Delhi - Events High". Events High.
  24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. "Triskele Exclusive Interview : ASTRIX @ Vuuv Festival : 7-11 August 2014". www.triskelemanagement.com.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. "Interview with ASTRIX - 06/12/2014".
  28. https://euforiafestivals.pl/mevents/euforia-festival-2019-jubileuszowa-15-edycja/
  29. "Astrix's Upcoming Gigs". gigs.gigatools.com.
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