Hi, i'm

Erik Smeets

Founder &
    Owner.

Erik was born in 1979. His formative years were sound tracked by acts like Jean-Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd and Ben Liebrand. Inspired by the sounds of synthesizers and drum machines, he immersed himself in the world of electronic music. Armed with a dual-deck cassette player he compiled House tapes that quickly won popularity among primary school classmates.

In the 90s, New Dance Radio was hosting a mixing contest in which Erik (DJ Haze) was declared the winner. During his live set on the radio, a scout from ID&T, the legendary Dutch event organizer, walked into the studio. The scout wasted no time in extending an invitation that would change the trajectory of his career — an offer to perform at Thunderdome on Tour, one of the most iconic and influential brands in the Hardcore music genres.

 

In the early 2000s he found himself drawn to the allure of Techno music, crafted a mixtape together with DJ Abyss and decided to send their creation to Q-dance. Impressed by the blend of Techno and Hardtrance music, the Q-dance team extended an invitation to join the ranks of Qlubtempo’s resident DJs. This residency was a launchpad for DJ duo Haze & Abyss. Performances at major festivals and clubs made them ambassadors of the Harder styles.

 

As the duo navigated the evolving landscape of the music industry, their partnership faced discord, leading to a mutual decision to part ways. The divide marked the end of an era for Haze & Abyss.

Erik shed his former DJ name, emerged as DJ Artic and found himself gracing the stages of iconic festivals and renowned clubs again around the world.

 

During this period, he met Sander on Deepack’s Harcopy label and noticed that something magical happened when they were in the studio together. This was the start of a long-term collaboration as a producer duo and more importantly, as best friends.

 

From humble beginnings as a mixtape seller to a dynamic force in the music scene, his story is one of determination, creativity, and love for music that sparked his musical odyssey. A passion ignited in the hallways of primary school developed into an audio production company.

 

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