DJ Pinnacle is the performance name of Dave Ralston, a UK hardcore and freeform producer and DJ. He develops a style that draws on UK hardcore, bouncy hardcore, uplifting and darker freeform, with breakbeat and drum and bass also appearing in his sets.

Background

He starts listening to rave music while still at school, with hardcore becoming a particular focus after hearing an old Slipmatt tape in 1995. He then turns away from commercial dance compilations and begins collecting tapes and CDs across different styles. By 1999 he buys his first pair of turntables and starts building a record collection while shaping his own mixing style.

DJ work

After playing at university events for several years, he appears at hardcore nights including Total Eclipse and Hardcore Connexions in 2006. In the same year he also plays an old skool 94 set for Watford’s Musik 4 You. His bookings later include Raindance, History of Hardcore and Ballistic Beats. He holds a residency with Viva La Hardcore, first at the Well Music Venue in Luton and later in Kettering, and he also plays club dates at Club Life in Vauxhall.

He gains a weekly slot on History of Hardcore Radio and later secures airtime on Kraftyradio.com, which he describes as a major internet radio station for hardcore.

Production

DJ Pinnacle begins studio work in 2006, which leads him to study music production and sound engineering. He becomes more active in the studio in 2007 and continues developing his home-production work.

His productions include Can't Get You Out Of My Head, co-produced with Seany Tee and signed to Trackmaster Music, the label founded by Cruze, Breaks and Friction. Another track, Put Me In The Mix, appears on the Platinum Rave Weekender album mixed by DJ Vibes. He also signs Non Stop Hardcore to Thin n Crispy. Two further tracks, Every Time and Feels Like Heaven, are co-produced with DJ Nostalgic and signed to Raw Elements; Every Time also appears on 15 Years of Hardcore, mixed by DJ Vibes.

He also finishes a remix of the freeform track Filling Me With Desire for a remix competition.