Oliver Ho: Sign of Tomorrow

Any international DJ that plays in Minneapolis for the first time and drops “Sign “☮” the Times ” by Prince into a modern techno set quickly becomes a favorite of mine.  Local event promoters Particle People, (Jesse Jakob and Aaron Bliss) celebrated their one year anniversary by inviting London deejay and music producer, Oliver Ho, to be their guest. Sure enough, I have a new favorite.

As I walked through Gallery 13, admiring colorful oil paintings and striking collages hung on the wall by local artists, I remembered why I enjoy coming to events like this.  Minneapolis has been a favorite spot for many visiting deejays and with the help of several local promoters throughout the years (Hush, Klikmusik, Convergence, Intellephunk) fans have been given a chance to hear a variety of different styles of techno and electronic music.  Watching the colored lights on the  mixer glowing in this dark venue along with the nicely stacked speaker system producing thousands of watts of sound gave the listener the opportunity not only to hear, but to feel the music.  Literally.  And the sounds we heard from veteran producer Oliver Ho that evening gave us a glimpse of the future.

“I always wait to see what the vibe is like, and the atmosphere…I like giving something to people they might not have heard before.”

The advancement of music technology has greatly influenced Oliver’s music.  Being an active Ableton Live user enables him to play very diverse selections of music and to be more in control.  Compared to years past of using DAT, reel to reel machines and outboard gear he currently takes advantage of modern tools to create several styles of music, not just electronic.  “The amazing thing about software is that it has made music very democratic.  Anyone getting into production and using top technology has to have patience and not go too fast. With computers, I like the ability to re-edit music and work on it slowly over a period of time.”

Tracks from his new tech-minimal project, Raudive (pronounced raw-deev), have gotten the attention of other well known artists / deejays, showing up in sets from Daniel Bell to Ricardo Villalobos. Oliver noted, “What was happening a lot in the late nineties was techno music was becoming very narrow minded, so this was a chance for me as an artist and a producer to experiment with different ideas; I thought it was apt to use a different name for that.  It means I can make music inspired by house, experimental, different things..it’s a way for me to be diverse and using a name for that will let people know that there is a change of gear.”

Due in part to the different styles of music Oliver produces, it has worked well for him to collaborate with numerous record labels, such as Blueprint Records, Klang Elektronik and Poker Flat.  Certainly, Oliver has experienced the trials and tribulations of running a record label and found that it can be a difficult task.  His relationships with various labels have afforded him the opportunity to now concentrate solely on his music.  “The biggest challenge of running a label is being on top of it and not allowing people to take advantage of you.  There has to be a balance between making money and making music.”

As I peered over Oliver’s shoulders watching his quick hands mix, equalize and add effects to multiple tracks while he kept a close and engaging bond with the dance floor, I reflected on why I choose to come to these events.  For me its a chance to hear new sounds, have new experiences, and be surrounded by an open minded community of music lovers.  Mission accomplished.

Relevant Links:

Beatport: digital downloads

Resident Advisor: event pictures

You Tube: Raudive @ MTV Szilveszter 12/31/2008

My Space: Oliver Ho