I know what you’re thinking. It’s September 11th and there’s a picture of a guy who looks like he’s just emerged from a 48-hour flight from Tazmania just to get home. Don’t be fooled by appearances.

Sam Hell is Jim Holland, an edgy enigmatic northern breaks DJ who’s recently been signed to UK breaks label Sinister Recordings. Jim is scarily talented: his debut single on Sinister, ‘Stay Out All Night’, which was released in July 2007, has already received much accolade from the industry, attracting fans such as Soul of Man, Dreadzone, Crystal Method, Elite Force and Annie Nightingale.

Although it’s early days for Sam Hell, in the past couple of months he’s remixed “Alright DJ” by Idiotbox for emerging US house label Hardplace Records and “The Lords of Eldorand” by Beat Monkeys for Brighton Breaks (released this month).

In real life, Jim is a pretty unassuming, very cute guy with a quiet intensity that is striking. However, he’s hardly the spawn of Satan as the picture or the name suggests. I first met Jim this summer, in the most unlikely of places: in a barn, in the middle of a field, in the middle of nowhere at a secret festival organised by some mutual friends. I was quickly impressed with Jim’s shit-hot set that included a strategic mixture of everything dancy – breaks, techy house, electro. It wasn’t even dark outside and the place was heaving. Hands down, it was one of the best, if not the best, sets of the weekend.

After buying Jim a drink, I learned that he hails from a place called Preston, which I originally thought was Scotland (and kept saying all night –oops) – I stand corrected, it’s actually somewhere far up north of England, parallel to the Yorkshires and just northwest of Manchester. Although he reckons that being from up north doesn’t have much bearing on his music, I disagree. His tracks are moody and raw, and after listening to the mix he made especially for Trash Menagerie, my ears felt raped. Jim’s mix for TM is very different in style and atmosphere to the set I saw him do earlier this summer. He’s a diverse DJ, I like his sensibilities a lot, and from what I can see, I think he’s made a nice little dent in the breaks scene for sure.

As per normal, I had to ask all the dumb questions, just because I can and ‘cuz I wanted to know.

Amy Riley: Enquiring minds want to know: what gives with the photo? That doesn’t even *look* like you. (But who am I to say?) Is there a story there?

Sam Hell: It’s me without glasses and a bit more hair…

Amy Riley: How long have you been making music?

Sam Hell: Been making music for about 8 years, breaks (properly) for about 2.

Amy Riley: What got you into breaks?

Sam Hell: I guess people like Adam Freeland, the Prodigy and BT’s “Movement in Still Life” got me into breaks.

Amy Riley: What music were you making or into before that?

Sam Hell: Was in a rock band playing bass. (very cool)

Sam Hell’s follow up to “Stay Out All Night” is “Bone Snow”, which is released on Sinister Recordings in November and features a remix from Dopamine (on the TM mix). Although Jim keeps it on the down low, I reckon he’s got a lot more up his sleeve. You know what to do.

Buy:
http://www.juno.co.uk
http://www.streetwisedigital.co.uk/

Listen:
http://www.myspace.com/samhell2006
http://www.sinister-recordings.com

Sam Hell’s mix for Trash Menagerie — 11th September 2007

[display_podcast]
Tracklisting:
Sam Hell – Bone Snow (Dopamine Remix)
Uberzone – 4 Bit
Hi-Fi Bugs – Don’t Die, Don’t Kill Anyone
the Beat Monkeys – Steelz Loves the Cock (Nectarios Remix)
Chris Lake – To The Point (BSOD Remix)
Matt Rock – What U Feel (Deadmau5 remix)
D. Ramirez – La Discotek (Darren Emerson Remix)
Stanton Warriors – Shake It Up (Hook n Sling Remix)
Digitalism – Idealistic
the Gossip – Listen Up (Punks Jump Up Remix)
Freeform Five – No More Conversations (Switch Remix)

A special thanks to Marek Richter, owner of Brighton Fusion, who hosted the mix at the last minute when I was too busy being an idiot savant.

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