“For this special occasion, I’ve shared a 2-hour mix that was recorded live at Fusion Festival 2022 on the Panne Eichel Floor which is run by the Kater Blau crew in Berlin. I feel that a live mix is the most authentic way to represent a DJ. There is nowhere to hide. Fusion Festival in my view is one of the top 3 festivals in the world.” – Patrice Bäumel
Patrice Bäumel, one of the world’s most arousing acts, is bringing his HALO concept to Denver with an all-night-long immersive experience in collaboration with Whirling Dervish Productions. The event will take place on Saturday, July 23rd at ReelWorks Denver, starting at 8 PM. Purchase your tickets here.
Patrice Bäumel is a Lisbon-based DJ and producer who has carved a unique path through the world of techno. His releases on influential labels such as Kompakt, Afterlife, Anjunadeep, Crosstown Rebels or Get Physical have contributed to joyful moments on dance floors around the world.
A lot of who Patrice is today is a reflection of his upbringing. Born into Communist East Germany, his musical imprinting was heavily influenced by his father – a music journalist – who exposed him to a vast array of music from a very young age. Many thousands of hours spent listening built the foundation of his musical universe. Strong influences were bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, and Yello.
Aged 14, Patrice witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the turbulent years of regime change from communism to capitalism. Suddenly, his world became a lot bigger. At the age of 16, he spent a year on a student exchange program in Utah, which he credits with reaching a new level of independence and turning the boy into a man. Upon his return to Germany, the techno wave had hit in a big way. Patrice was hooked instantly. At 17, he started DJing. His style was heavily influenced by the local record store, the legendary Hardwax. Chicago house and Detroit techno became the bedrock of his sets.
Two years later, Patrice moved to Amsterdam in search of a more cosmopolitan life. There he really got stuck into the music scene, enjoying the rich local nightlife. For years he mostly played bars, small venues or would throw parties so he could play while at the same time working various jobs – from call center agent to computer programmer – to make ends meet. These years were pivotal for building the skill set and understanding for the dance floor necessary to become competent behind the decks. It was not until well into the 2000s that he had any sense that this might grow into something more than a hobby. Participating in the 2002 Red Bull Music Academy in Sao Paulo made him realize that music was his life mission. He decided to take a shot at producing.
In 2005, Patrice released his first record, ‘Mutant Pop’ on Cologne-based imprint Trapez. A few years later, his strangely unique but powerful track ‘Roar’ on Get Physical was picked up by DJs worldwide and gave him a first modest breakthrough on the international scene.
Residencies at Amsterdam’s legendary clubs 11 and Trouw followed. Patrice describes Trouw as a “happy place that embraced everybody”. It was the best schooling he could possibly have asked for. Here he could flex his musical muscles, going as dark as he liked and perfecting the difficult art of extended sets, sometimes for up to seven hours.
After Trouw closed, Patrice went through a difficult time without a musical home and with his career taking a dip. He realized that in order to become a meaningful contributor to the music scene, he had to first work on himself. His approach to everything was examined: Addictions and a lack of self-discipline had to be overcome. Blaming and complaining had to make way for accountability. The focus shifted from self-gratification towards serving his audience with music that created a maximum amount of good energy on the dance floor.
Patrice’s back catalog is proof of his journey, featuring not only remixes and EPs for the world’s top labels but also looking deep into his own rich history for mix series such as Global Underground, Balance, and his much loved Essential Mix.
HALO opens a new chapter in Patrice’s career. The brand serves as a personal platform to release his music and host a series of events featuring all-night-long DJ sets. The intention is to create meaningful real-world human connection and fostering a culture of participation instead of mere consumption. This incapsulates Patrice’s philosophy who sees music first and foremost as a tool to bring people together and create a sense of oneness.
The lights go off. The record starts. We dance.
