Kurtis Mantronik – Journey To Utopia

Any new release of Kurtis Mantronik is received with anticipation, so when a new studio project is about to released on Street DNA (part of the legendary Streetsounds stables) there is going to be a huge amount of interest. Kurtis has the ability to always reinvent himself and “Journey To Utopia” demonstrates how not only in tune Kurtis is to the sound of the street, but to also innovate. “Journey To Utopia” includes 8 innovative, dynamic and exciting new tracks, a sonic experience.

Kurtis Mantronik is universally considered to be one of the most iconic and inspirational DJ, producer, artist and musician of our time. One of the most influential Hip Hop producers of the 1980s, Kurtis Mantronik returned in the mid-’90s with a solo career, fitting in well with the legion of big beat artists/producers he had inspired and spawned several hits as an artist, producer and remixer, that continued well into the noughties. In many ways, Kurtis Mantronik is the sonic godfather of much of what has gone on in Hip Hop in the last few years, such as the use of 808 drum sounds to create moody music meant to transcend the genre.

As the founder member and leader of ‘Mantronix’, Kurtis produced numerous Hip Hop and Electro Funk classics, including “Bassline”, “Ladies”, “King Of The Beats”, “Take Your Time”, “Simple Simon”, “Scream”, “Who Is It”, “Needle To The Groove”, “Fresh Is The Word” and “Got To Have Your Love”. Mantronix underwent several genre changes from its original, heavily synthesized old school Hip Hop and Electro-Funk to House music.

Kurtis was one of the pioneers and creative geniuses of drum machine-based Hip Hop, using his Roland 808 to produce ground-breaking hardcore Rap records for T La Rock and Just-Ice (cited as the start of Gangster Rap), at the same time he was making his mark on Electro, Freestyle and later, House. Kurtis produced one of freestyle’s most seminal tracks, in Joyce Sims’ “(You Are My) All And All”, as well as Joyce’s other international hit, “Come Into My Life”. “(You Are My) All And All” was the first song to feature (808) hi-hat triplets sequenced on a drum machine. Does that make Kurtis ‘King of the Beats’ Mantronik the true pioneer of the Trap genre? It also deserves a mention that T La Rock’s “Bass Machine” was pivotal to the development of another Southern-based club sound, Miami Bass.

As well as his own projects, Kurtis produced and remixed tracks for Kylie Minogue, Junior Senior, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, Victoria Beckham, Michael Gray, Liberty X (which covered Mantronix’s “Got To Have Your Love”), Mim (the featured vocalist on Mantronik’s 2003 EP release “How Did You Know”) and the global hit Kurtis Mantronik Presents Chamonix “How Did You Know (77 Strings)”. Kurtis remixed classical composer Steve Reich’s “Drumming” and was enlisted for two remixes of the title track of the Shirley Bassey remix album “Diamonds Are Forever”. In addition to record production, Kurtis produced music for the ‘Dance Dance Revolution’ and ‘TrickStyle’ video game series.

The ‘King of the Beats’ is back in 2015!

A Street DNA release available on CD & Digital

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