Wippenberg (DE)

In 2004 Wippenberg released the two ‘Elemental EPs’, which included the tracks ‘Fire’, ‘Water’, ‘Earth’ and ‘Air’. They drew strong support from the highest echelons of the DJ hierarchy and pushed the Wippenberg name firmly into the headlines. The EPs release prompted close associates Cosmic Gate to collaborate with Wippenberg on their ‘Earth Mover’ album with the track ‘Guess Who’. Around the same time he completed work on his next single ‘Promised Land’, and with it came a new label relationship with Dutch heavyweight independent High Contrast Records. The track (which featured the vocals of Tiff Lacey and was remixed by Nic Chagall) beat the drum hard for what was to prove his renaissance record. In 2008 ‘Chakalaka’ (partnered by the B-side ‘Drumster’) exploded into the clubbing consciousness, thanks in no small part to major 3 monthlong floor and radio hammering from Tiësto and Armin Van Buuren. As was always Wippenberg’s desire the tracks started to chip away at the stylistic borders of dance and came to enjoy heavy deck support from Sebastian Ingrosso, Eric Prydz, Eric Morillo and Dirty South, amongst a multitude of others. The track maintained a grip on the No.1 chart position on Beatport for an incredible 12 weeks. Late that year and branching further out still, Wippenberg launched a new nom-de-plume Sphaera. The tracks ‘Front & ‘Back’ were released on Black Hole Records to, once again, broad DJ acclaim. Famously, Wippenberg carved his name deep into the heart of the mid-90s dancefloor with his very first track - the unforgettable, speaker-assaulting ‘Neurodancer’. Released on Hyper Hype, it became an import smash and was picked up by Hooj Choons off-shoot Prolekult. To this day ‘Neurodancer’ rests as one of the hardest-to-find and most in-demand pieces of dance vinyl in the world - regularly changing hands for many times its original price. No Wippenberg biography would be complete without mention of Wippenberg's remix and spinning work. Behind the decks his characteristic musical taste, which can be categorised into one certain genre, as he loves the freedom to mix different stlyes, has started to generate huge demand. Meanwhile he is touring all around the world from Germany to Russia, from Australia to Brazil, even the people of India or Qatar fell in love with the Wippenberg sound. It has seen him blaze a trail at Europe’s leading festival events like Trance Energy, Mayday or Mysteryland and rock at Armin Van Buuren’s ASOT400, as well as dozens of other, clubs, festivals and tent-poles events. At the remix end of the mixing desk, Wippenberg has refashioned countless tracks of A-List production outfits, like Sebastian Ingrosso’s MGMT ‘Kids’ sampling classic-tune „Kidsos“ and Rank 1’s Trance Energy 2009 anthem ‘L.E.D. There Be Light’. But he also refined releases from Tiësto, Tocadisco, Above & Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, Cosmic Gate, Gabriel & Dresden, and Super8 & Tab. Most recently he remixed danish high-flyer Aura Dione’s new single „Song For Sophie“ and gave her pop-ballade a classy progressive house outfit.