Aki Bergen is a quiet, unassuming chap, which makes his full-on prowess within clubland all the more fascinating. The Rome-based DJ and producer – real name Simone Bocchino - has achieved loud and great things over the past three years, ever since the release of breakthrough track Jazzy Stuff in 2009 under another pseudonym, Neuroxyde. That fizzing, sax-loopin’ house lick has propelled Bergen further than he could ever have imagined.
“It’s [Jazzy Stuff] been a smashing breakout tune for me, indeed” he begins. “My explanation for this? Well… I suppose all producers in their careers have their own breakout spot with a certain track; my time came in 2009.”
Such casual philosophising does Bergen’s (or rather Bocchino’s) CV a huge disservice. He started following the European techno seen as a young teen, quickly progressing to local but steadily rising DJ work under the DJ Satomi alias and then collaboration with producer Andrea Prezioso, who was to become something of a “precious” mentor figure over the following years.
Prezioso nurtured Bocchino to the point of his first studio production in 1997 (Electricity as The Saint-derived Simon Templar) and, in turn, his first professional studio base. Various punchy, tech, pop and hip-hop-flecked singles arrived on key Italian labels such as Dancework and Ipnotika during the early Noughties (Bergen working alongside others as Supasonic, B-1 and back as Satomi) which rocketed him up several key European music charts. DJ Satomi’s 2004 single Castles In The Sky was a particular hit on the continent and in the UK, crossing over in the biggest way imaginable.
During the latter half of the decade Bocchino’s versatile sound toughened and deepened, leading to the setting up of his own label Neurotraxx in 2008 and his first official work as Neuroxyde. Sharp tech-house driven releases including the Galaxia and Ad Astra EPs followed and then, on Starlight Music, Jazzy Stuff alongside Doomwork.
“I just have to thank all of the people who have been supporting since then and still are” he reflects. “I always wanted to be in music. It is my life; I had such passion and love for music as my career that working longer and longer hours for this purpose became such a pleasure. I made the right decision.”
Of course, where Bergen’s origins and early career have been dominated by harder shades of dance, his most recent attention-grabbing thrusts (actually as Bergen) have been decidedly smoother and more soulful. The shift is certainly ‘on trend’ but it’s hard to believe fads are behind Bergen’s creative re-routing.
“My love for soulful sounds has always been there” Bergen confirms. “The years of producing went by and I was being affected by so many tunes, as a result this love was slowly increasing and making this other side of me come out… converting my own productions and changing my name.”
Bergen isn’t just Bergen these days. The jumping between that moniker and his earlier, angrier Neuroxyde tag continues apace, the latter throwing out well-received productions such as Andromeda and last year’s aptly-titled Balls around slick Bergen bullets like Pure Fashion, Feel So Good and I Hate Aki Bergen (all last year).
“It’s funny, because often people think that Neuroxyde and Aki are totally different personalities; two different individuals” Bergen smiles. “I don’t think that having more than one identity is a must, I just saw myself producing different kinds of styles and changing, so I thought the best idea would be sorting out my productions and splitting them under two names. With this, people found it much easier to distinguish and connect with my house and techno productions.”
Undeniably, for all the alias interplay, current creative momentum is with ‘Aki Bergen’. Aside from studio productions, several remixes have been blasted out under his name – wide-ranging house ‘updates’ of everyone from Miguel Migs and legendary disco diva Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King (polished, radio-friendly) to Bjorn Wilke & Someone Else (on Get Physical, properly underground). In between have come commissions for Papa Records, Mousse T’s Peppermint Jam, Toolroom, Milton Jackson, Ralphi Rosario and jazz-ster Kevin Yost. An impressive, kaleidoscopic repertoire….
“From a very young age I had a devotion for techno and minimal sounds, which then was one of the most popular sounds in Europe, but later on I’ve grown up musically and have found myself in the house music genre” Bergen explains. “My biggest influence comes from the fathers of house such as Danny Tenaglia, Mousse T, Frankie Knuckles and Louie Vega to name a few. I’ve also been attracted to those making a change on the scene like Cassius, Daft Punk and the Prodigy.”
Bergen continues: “Musically right now I'm going through a transition change, which means that I’m experimenting in the soulful house and nu-disco genres, but this doesn't affect my love for deep house music at all. I love it all. This change is also the reason why I’m building up to a brand new concept addressed only to soulful house fans – it’s a new record label basically.”
Bergen, who already runs the well-established Neurotraxx imprint and its subsidiaries Neurotraxx Gold and Neurotraxx Deluxe, will launch Crazy Puppets Music in the coming months. “I’m thrilled about this new challenge I’ve begun” he says; “I can’t wait to see those Crazy Puppets jumping into the music scene as soon as possible.”
Talk of Crazy Puppets brings us back to that highly interesting point about Bergen’s relatively sedate personality. Can a DJ or producer really have one in 24-7 clubland?
“I am probably atypical, my own nature is quite far from musical stereotypes, I agree” he pauses. “I am just what I am. The fact that I’m more reflective rather than composed doesn’t affect at all my presence in the way I'm performing or in general in the music scene. Often things can be deceptive. Well, you can see how loud and exuberant I am through my music! I presume this is the best way to express
yourself….”
More power to Bergen that he finds himself able to juggle his multiple musical commitments in such a way that allows clear-cut, no-interruption time with his family. Right now in fact Bergen is at home in Rome looking after a poorly family member.
“It has been a hectic time at home right now” Bergen cautiously confides. “But everything is going to be alright. When I was younger and my father was saying me “8pm, it’s time to have dinner” he meant it was time to be together, so just stop doing what you’re doing and share your thoughts with your parents. I have realized the real meaning of his words in adulthood. The way I see it is I’m a no-one without the possibility to share myself with whom I love. Definitely music is all around me but it wouldn’t be like that without the help of my wife and my family as well.
“It’s not always easy to balance work and family moments at the same time, but I’m really happy about the fact that they are supporting my love for music and the way I’ve chosen to live and get along; so thanks to them things are much simpler. It’s all about compromises; from my side I’m trying to be as typical as I can be regarding to my family commitments.”
Bergen’s future plans will revolve around developing his various labels, producing new studio material and pro-actively establishing collaborative projects. “I want to see my labels rising up, by collecting great artists and their tunes across all different dance genres, and trying to satisfy my fans as much as I can. If I can achieve all that I will be more than delighted,” he concludes.
The fragile state of Italy’s economy doesn’t help matters but Bergen is quietly (rather appropriately) confident that his and his labels’ stock will continue to rise. “The electronic scene still has a lot to give” he states. “There are too many records now and too many money-driven webshops [online record shops] but people who didn’t have a clue of deep house, or techno or dubstep before are now exploring these worlds and so the dance scene has got a long-term future. I do my own thing to be honest but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the future generations.”
Words: Ben Lovett
