PhDJ is a disc jockey, business dude, producer, and an all round party guy. His real name is Martin Novosel and not only is he founder and owner of independent record label, club & event promotion company Boundary Sounds (www.boundarysounds.com) but he is also one of Australia’s highest profile indie party DJs, and self-proclaimed spokesman for a generation of left-of-centre party-goers and music lovers.
After living in London for three years, overstaying his visa and getting fired from a string of day jobs for DJing and partying too much, PhDJ moved back to Sydney to avoid extradition. A few mishap attempts at regular jobs later he established Boundary Sounds – a company responsible for releasing Sparkadia’s debut record, establishing Sydney’s longest running indie club, as well as Australia’s most recognizable indie club brand Purple Sneakers, and also a slew of other records, clubs and events. Having been featured in a list of Australia’s Top 30 most influential people under the age of 30 PhDJ is what press would call an organically rising star.
So much does his reputation precede him that prior to LA-based DJ AM's last trip to Sydney AM's people called PhDJ's people to ask him to throw a party for the superstar DJ. And he did. It was off the hook. Likewise Converse recently chose to showcase PhDJ in their 100 years of Converse ‘Icons’ campaign as a representative of a generation of up and coming creatives alongside local and international superstars including M.I.A., Sid Vicious, Karen O, Billy Joe Armstrong, Daimon from Sneaky Sound System, Common, Joan Jett, James Dean and others.
Side note 1: Whilst DJing at last year’s Splendour in the Grass the Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner told PhDJ that he was one of the best DJs that he’d seen.
Side note 2: It's still not 100% certain whether PhDJ was responsible for Jake Stone's broken leg or whether it was Jake's own drunken frivolity. The footage is out there somewhere.
As a DJ PhDJ’s mashed up versatility behind the decks is huge. He is just as comfortable touring internationally, playing big-room clubs and playing at festivals to thousands as he is playing in the front room of a mate's house party. And like any good house party DJ he'll thrash whatever genre happens to get sucked onto the decks, doesn't matter if it's hip hop, rock, booty, punk, funk, indie, disco, soul or whatever it takes to get the shack jumpin. His adaptable style has seen him play supports as varied as Le Tigre, Chk Chk Chk, Ratatat, Alan Braxe, VHS or Beta, DJ AM, The Presets, Good Charlotte, Lily Allen, Ian Brown, Chicks on Speed, Midnight Juggernauts, Princess Superstar, Liars, Mattafix, Souls Of Mischief, Roots Manuva’s MK, The Crystal Method, etc etc. You get the idea…
PhDJ and the Purple Sneakers DJ crew are one of the only Australian DJs diverse and popular enough to be booked on huge dance festivals as well as band-driven line ups. In the past year or two PhDJ has played Splendour in Grass, Good Vibrations, Falls Festival, Parklife, The Great Escape, Playground Weekender, We Love Sounds, Come Together Festival and many more.
Never one to remain idle, with his business securely established, 2008 has seen PhDJ have time to get stuck into remixing and production work. Forming a partnership with Sydney producer Black Anthony to create production duo Dept. (pronounced ‘department’). Dept. has in its infancy already reworked tracks for US dance acts Walter Meego, and Yacht, and also Pop Levi, Sneaky Sound System, Dukes of Windsor, Sparkadia, Bluejuice and The Dirty Secrets. The duo's portfolio is beginning to take some serious shape.
To listen to PhDJ mixes click on the links above. For Dept. tracks go to www.myspace.com/deptdot
a very strong start in the remix world i must say. bravo. kudos. etc. I will play them till the cds grow mould from me spilling beers on them then brew the mould to make phdjuice...tasty!
Its agreed you should post up your tour dates for the UK me and my matesa re heading over there in 2 weeks and would love our sneakers hit in Brit. lovelove laura
hey matey I'm the annoying douche from sneakers who, as much as he promises to himself that he won't at the start of the night, always requests oddball shit like Wu-Tang, You Am I, Sonic Youth and Billy Bragg..... I did however once request your new noise/beyonce remix so I'm not all bad...
Anyway i hereby apologise for the annoyance of drunk steve...
