DJ Draeke

Born in Milan (Italy), I have always been fascinated by Music in all its forms:
as a kid I grew up listening to various pop groups as well as to famous Italian
ballad composers. In my teenage hood I discovered rock, metal, punk & ska music and
I was frequently going to concerts and events of every genre.

It was only in 1997, when a friend brought a CD back from Holland, that I discovered
Goa Trance. He made me a tape cassette that included the tune
"Quatermass - Kali" and that was the first ever Goa track that I've heard.
As I noticed that I kept on listening to only that track on the cassette,
it was logic for me to ask my friend to borrow me the compilation.

From there I started to discover labels, projects and artists with the help of the internet.
But it was only in 1998, when I met another guy coming back from London that I could learn
much more of this scene for me so new. He told me about all the parties he had been to
and specifically he spoke to me about labels such as Dragonfly, Flying Rhino,
Return To The Source, Twisted, Transient and he gave me a CD called
"A Voyage Into Trance".  It was then that the very well known Goa Trance virus struck me.

I soon enough wanted to know all about this mind expanding, spiraling and twisting music
that hooked me listening for hours non-stop. So I decided that I wanted to
spread the message of this harmonic beautiful music and to do so I had to become a DJ myself.

So after some hard work as a computer technician lasted some months I could afford to buy
myself my very fist console, 2 CDJ 500 and 1 DJM 300 by Pioneer.
This is still the setup I have at home and the one I use to prepare my mixes shared online.

As a matter of fact I never used the infamous Tracktor program as I think it makes it all too
easy and doesn't leave the options a real gear gives you. It may be technically 100% perfect
but I prefer human skills to be honest and when I see a real talented DJ playing I like it.
Whenever I see music loaded on a program it just loose the magic for me.

In September 2008 I opened up DAT Records to release old-school unreleased
tracks that were available only to DJ and on DAT tapes back then.

GIG History

• 1998 Kapodanno Alternativo at New Year's Eve in Milan.
  Organized the event with a friend. We did setup 2 different rooms.
  
  
  
  
• 2000 London Hostel Party: I was spinning at this Hostel where they wanted
  to promote new talents. Guests were happy to hear a different sound.
  
  
  
  
• 2001 Contact Trance Party in Milan, New Year's Eve at Qube Club
  In this occasion I was spinning in the Chill-Out Area
  
  
  
  
• 2004 I was playing regularly at Storto Café Club.
  
  29 Apr 2004 Contact Trance Bar
  draeke / guido blasterix
  
  
  
  06 May 2004 C-0-n-T-@-c-T
  draeke / young (etnica.net)
  
  13 May 2004 C-O-N-T-A-C-T BAR
  draeke (softpsy / melodic / oldschool)
  
  20 May 2004 CONTACT TRANCE BAR
  draeke (softpsy / melodic / oldschool)
  
  27 May 2004 CONTACT TRANCE BAR
  draeke (oldschool goa) / xemo
  
  03 Jun 2004 CONTACT Trance Bar
  draeke (oldschool goa) / don don (goa trance)
  
  10 Jun 2004 CONTACT TRANCE BAR
  draeke (oldschool goa) / franco rossi (lotus omega)
  
  17 Jun 2004 CONTACT TRANCE BAR
  draeke (oldschool goa) / fleps (lotus omega)
  
  05 Dec 2004 Psychedelic Chill @ Aperitivo
  
  
  
  31 Dec 2004 New Year's Eve @ Le Scimmie - Milan
  Played from 11PM to 8 AM nonstop.
  Most intense experience ever, not to repeat!
  
  
• 2005 Aperitive Sessions
  
  10 Jun 2005 Happy Hour @ Station Cafè
  (chill-out / soft goa)
  
  17 Jun 2005 Happy Hour @ Station Cafè
  
  
  
  
• 2007 Moved to Montevideo (Uruguay) for 6 months to master my Spanish.
  
  17 Sep 2007 Lounge Session @ Secret Location - Montevideo (Uruguay)
  (chill - ambient set)
  
  
• 2008 Back to Milan
  
  1st May 2008 : MAY DAY Street Parade - Milan.
  This was a blasting time, I played all new school Goa Trance and
  trancers + ravers present did have a great time.
  Tracks that had a marvellous impact were by Synsun, Filteria & Khetzal.
  
  
  
  18th May 2008 - Draeke @ Globe Cafè - Milan
  (chill-out / ambient / electro)
  
  5th Jun 2008 @ Rick's Cafè - Milan
  (chill-out / ambient / electro)
  
  13th June 2008 @ Le Trottoir - Milan
  (electro - progressive house/trance)
  
  
• 2009 SunTrip vs. The Elements: Belgium, 8th May.
  My biggest GIG, played a great set of retrodelic unreleased music from DAT.
  People liked most: Infinite Zen, Lotus Omega, Jaia, CHI-AD, Elysium, Etnica.
  Thank you Anoebis & Mars for the wonderfoul time!!