Kirk Degiorgio

Kirk Degiorgio is a UK techno producer and DJ from Stepney, East London, who is associated with techno, Detroit techno, house, electronica and jazz. He is best known for recording as As One, and he also works under Future/Past, Super-A-Loof and Critical Phase. His label work includes Applied Rhythmic Technology, which he launches as ART and later relaunches as Op-Art.

Early life and musical influences

Degiorgio is raised in a family with broad musical interests. His mother, Janet Feld, follows London’s mod scene and supports groups such as The Kinks and The Who. His family also has a notable pop connection through Marc Bolan of T-Rex, who is his cousin. When the family moves to Suffolk, he continues building his record collection through radio and tape recording, drawing on soul, funk, disco, electro and black music broadcasts. Early influences include Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Sly Stone and Roxy Music, as well as DJ mixes and radio shows from Tony Prince, Robbie Vincent, Tony ‘Shades’ Valance and Greg Edwards.

DJ culture and early club experience

His first club experiences come through under-18 nights in Ipswich, where he hears early electro and NY disco-boogie. Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock”, Grandmaster Flash’s “Adventures On the Wheels of Steel” and Double Dee & Steinski’s “Lesson One” are important records for him, and he begins experimenting with tape-deck mixing and basic turntable techniques. He also develops through local and London club scenes, including visits to Zero 6 in Southend, The Goldmine in Canvey, Tartan House in Colchester, Flicks in Dartford, The Wag, Shoom, The Trip and Spectrum, as well as warehouse parties and raves.

Sweat, Reckless and the London scene

In 1986, Degiorgio helps run Sweat, a club night in Ipswich that draws a large crowd and becomes known locally after a disturbance outside the venue. He DJs there with Floyd, playing hip-hop, rare groove and early house. He later moves to Richmond, West London, to study History and takes a job at Reckless Records in Soho after meeting the manager, Patrick Forge, through the Sweat night. At Reckless he works in an environment tied to the London rare groove scene and broadens his knowledge through record buyers, DJs and visiting collectors.

Detroit techno, The Black Dog circle and early releases

By 1990, Degiorgio is deeply interested in Detroit techno and follows Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. He meets Derrick May at an Inner City show in Kentish Town and later travels to Chicago and Detroit, where he visits figures connected to Transmat, Metroplex and KMS. Around this time he begins working with Andy Turner and Ed Handley, whom he knows from local breakdance events; they later become part of The Black Dog and Plaid. His early demos lead to releases under Future/Past and As One, including material issued through B12 Records and later Planet E.

Applied Rhythmic Technology and Op-Art

Degiorgio forms Applied Rhythmic Technology as a label for his own work and collaborations with Ed Handley and Andy Turner. Early ART releases connect him with R&S and with projects involving Carl Craig, B12, Matt Cogger and Richard James/Aphex Twin. He also collaborates with Grant Wilson-Claridge on the compilation The Philosophy of Sound & Machine, which brings together artists linked to the early UK electronica scene. Later, he relaunches the label as Op-Art, naming it after his interest in Vasarely and optical art. Releases on this later imprint include music by Photek, Autocreation, 4th World, Paul W. Teebrooke/Stasis and Sensurreal/Gerd, alongside material reflecting techno, drum and bass, breaks, ambient and trip hop.

As One, albums and collaborations

As One becomes Degiorgio’s main recording identity. He releases the albums Reflections and Celestial Soul on New Electronica, then The Art of Prophecy on Shield and later signs the Future/Past name to R&S. His work develops towards a mixture of techno, jazz, soul and drum and bass influences, especially on In With Their Arps & Moogs & Jazz & Things on Clear and Planetary Folklore on Mo Wax. Planetary Folklore uses session musicians and rare analogue synthesisers, and features Carl Craig and Ian O’Brien. The album becomes his best-selling release and leads to further work in advertising, including music for Adidas and Fanta campaigns.

Later labels, radio and production work

Degiorgio continues to DJ internationally and is associated with mixed-format sets that combine vinyl and Ableton Live. He is described as the first known professional DJ to use Ableton Live alongside vinyl, and his FXMix01 CD is presented as an early Ableton mix album. He records mix albums such as Check One and Synthesis, and he helps compile the Soul of Science series with Ian O’Brien. From 1998 to 2001 he appears on the R-Solution Radio show with Dego, Marc Mac and Phil Asher on Kiss FM, an important platform for the broken beat scene. He also remixes artists including 4 Hero, Carl Craig, Common Factor, Papo Vasquez, Beanfield, Tony Allen, Ptaah, Azymuth and Coldcut.

Other projects

Degiorgio works under several aliases and on collaborative projects. Super-A-Loof is used for joint work with other artists, including the Sky EP series with Jimpster on Exceptional Records. Critical Phase is his collaboration with Dan Keeling, and the pair also work with Alex Bond on the joint ART-New Religion compilation The Electric Institute, which includes “Whatever Happened To the Cosmic Kid”, co-written with Dan Keeling and Chris Martin of Coldplay. He also produces Brothers In Sound for Regal, works as co-writer and producer for The Beauty Room on Peacefrog, and records a follow-up to Planetary Folklore for Archive.