John Heckle is a British house, techno and acid house producer signed to Mathematics Recordings. He works in an abstract, experimental style and is also active as a DJ and live performer.

Career

He first gains attention in Liverpool, performing on three decks at Alcatraz under the arches of the Cavern Club when he is fifteen. Regis and Surgeon hear a demo of his music and pass it to RSB Records, leading to the release of a track on vinyl in 2006 under the name Hek. The Murder Boys later play that record on a BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale session.

He then holds a residency at Rehab, an event at the Lemon Lounge in Liverpool. The night runs with a policy of not booking major names and offering free entry, and it attracts crowds from as far away as Glasgow and Dublin. He settles into a peak-time slot there until the event ends after its third birthday.

During this period he also takes on more production work, including a release made in aid of a Parkinson’s disease charity. He performs around the UK with live and DJ sets that add Roland drum machines to his sound. Production then becomes less central for a time while he focuses on the quality of his performances.

Mathematics Recordings and later releases

After a two-year break from releasing music, he returns to production in 2009 after being inspired by Mathematics Recordings, particularly the work of Jamal Moss, whom he travels to Belgium to see perform. He and his brother Bill buy a Roland synthesizer, which helps shape a new production style that also feeds into his DJ sets.

He signs to Mathematics Recordings in 2010 and releases the Life On Titan EP. That is followed by a track on Tabernacle Records, a contribution to Music from Mathematics Vol. 7, and the 2011 EP The 4th Dimension. In 2011 he also releases his debut album, The Second Son, and another Tabernacle Records EP, Extrovert/Introvert.

Performance

He continues to perform using hardware alongside changing vinyl selections.