Patrice Baumel

Patrice Baumel is a DJ and producer based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, originally from Freital. Born in 1975, he works in techno, minimal techno, deep techno and tech house, and is associated with Amsterdam’s electronic music scene.

Background and style

He is born in Germany and lives in Amsterdam. His approach to music centres on the dancefloor, with DJ sets and productions that use contrasts of cold and warm, soft and hard elements. He describes his sound as “Mutant Pop”, a term he uses for a hybrid form of modern dance music that combines different styles into a single, unified whole rather than a simple mix of genres.

He grows up listening to 1980s synth-pop such as Yello, Depeche Mode and Cabaret Voltaire, alongside artists including Frank Zappa and John Coltrane. His father is a music journalist, which contributes to that varied musical background. He becomes interested in electronic dance music in the early 1990s, during a period when illegal warehouse parties are common in Germany.

DJ career

Baumel starts DJing and secures a residency at the BASE, then one of East Germany’s leading clubs. He plays alongside Richie Hawtin, Laurent Garnier and Claude Young, developing his skills in mixing, track selection and crowd control. He also performs widely, with appearances at venues including Panorama Bar in Berlin and Lov.e in São Paulo.

He holds a monthly residency at Club 11 in Amsterdam and runs the “360” nights there with musical partner Nuno dos Santos. The number 360 also appears in his wider work as a reference point for these events.

Production work

His production career gathers momentum after he is selected as the Dutch winner of the Red Bull Music Academy 2002. He travels to Brazil for studio work with Adrian Sherwood and Gilberto Gil, an experience that pushes him further into production. His debut single is released on Trapez Records in 2005 and is titled from his “Mutant Pop” idea. He later releases “Just Electricity” on Trapez, which receives a strong response internationally.

He is described as an active figure in electronic dance music for many years, with a focus on emotionally contrasting, rule-breaking club music.