FERGIE has been there, seen it, done it and got the t-shirt.
Over the past 12 months, he’s found time for reflection and to reconnect with himself. Now based in Vegas and a resident at infamous club, Hakkasan Fergie is returning to his roots and adopting a more techno sound with new track Alpha Centauri.
The Northern Irish DJ has always been able to evolve and change according to the backdrop of the ever changing music scene. His journey back to the studio has allowed him the chance to experiment with new sounds, while taking inspiration from the UK’s golden era of electronica, that is a true reflection of who Fergie is and where he comes from.
A man who has done no less than 13 Essential Mixes, Fergie is still to this day the highest entry into the DJ Mag Top 100, going straight in at #6 on his debut appearance on the poll. Additionally, he also held his own Radio 1 show for 5 years and this new release sees him perk up on Armin van Buuren’s Armind label. Earning support from the likes of Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Rebūke, Eats Everything and Alan Fitzpatrick, Alpha Centauri is storming dance floors this summer on Armin van Buuren’s Armind label. A real techno tour-de-force, the track is just out and is already picking up plaudits from a diverse cast of names, with everyone from Matador to Eats Everything lending their full support.
We thought it a good time to check in with the man himself and he gave us the lowdown on some of his favourite techno anthems of all time. As you might imagine, it’s quite a list!
Moby – Go – Woodtick Mix (Instinct Records) 1991
“It’s very hard to do a top 10 techno classic list without this track from Moby. It’s the most mellow of all the tracks in this list but perhaps the most epic and elegant.”
Slam – Positive Education (Soma) 1995
“The biggest offering from the Scottish techno duo. This track is such a part of techno culture, to the point of being institutionalized. I remember getting this track as a kid, and well, I feel the same about it now as I did then. It was a huge honour to be asked to remix this piece of history.”
Laurent Garnier – Crispy Bacon (F Communications) 1997
“I was very late onto this for some reason and I only got my hands on this vinyl while playing a set in the infamous Turnmills nightclub in London. A DJ friend of mine requested that I play it for him, so he gave me his personal copy, which of course I still have to this day! He was never getting that back.. silly boy!”
Joey Beltram – Energy Flash (R&S Records) 1990
“Well what can be said about this track that has not been said already?! They don’t come much bigger than this. If you want to describe the techno vibes of the early 90s all you have to do is simply play this track. It’s dark, it is haunting… the vocal that comes in ECSTASY ECSTASY sends shivers down my spine to this day. What an epic track, I love many of Bertram’s productions but this I just couldn’t leave out of my top 10.”
Mental Cube – Q (Buzz Records) 1991
“I first heard this in a Belfast rave in Northern Ireland when I was just 12 years old. The year was 1993 and there was a bomb scare in the building. Everyone had to leave, but we got back in a few hours later and this track was played and wow it was pure bliss. Hands in the air, glow sticks, masks and vix… take me back.”
20HZ – Capricorn (DFC) 1993
“Such a unique track at the time; it’s very percussive. Then the bells mix with the vocal that would drop in “1,2,3,” then the whole club would lose their minds.”
Joey Beltram – My Sound (R & S Records) 1991
“Yeah, well… he ought to be in this chart at least twice! He was the man with many bangers up his sleeve. He could just get them out quick enough; an absolute classic that the hardcore rave guys played as did the techno crew.”
Frank De Wulf – The Tapes (Music Man Records) 1990
“This track was classic Frank. He was way ahead of the game and again, like Beltram, was just exploding out of the studio with these epic offerings that have stood the test of time.”
CJ Bolland – Camargue (R & S Records) 1992
Modular Expansion – Cubes (Music Man) 1990
“One of my favorites on the list. Again this is Frank de Wulf under his pseudonym Modular Expansion. An absolute power player in the game. This was a mainstay in everyone’s set and an absolute mega tune.”
Fergie’s Alpha Centauri is out now via Armind. Buy/listen to the release here and keep up with Fergie on Facebook and Instagram.
