Ariel (DJ)

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Ariel
Ariel at bagleys.jpg
Ariel performing in London's Bagley's Studios nightclub at King's Cross, 1998.
Background information
Birth nameAriel Belloso
Born (1967-09-14) 14 September 1967 (age 57)
Origin Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Genres
Occupations
Years active1982–present
Labels A&M Records, London Records, MyDust

Ariel Belloso (born 14 September 1967) is an Argentine, UK-based DJ and record producer. He began his career playing new wave and disco music at clubs in the city of Rosario during the early 1980s, later moving to Buenos Aires. In 1991, after spending eight months in Ibiza, he relocated to London, where he was influenced by the early house and acid house sounds.

Contents

While DJing during the 1990s, he combined the sounds of hard house and trance. He was the first Argentine artist to enter the UK Singles Chart's top 40 with his single, "A9". In 2001, his musical style went to a Latin-influenced house and techno sound, which he produced and performed through his 7-year weekly residency at London's club, Fabric.

History

Early years (1983–1996)

Ariel was born into a nightclub-owning family known as Katanga in the city of Rosario, Argentina. Inspired by his older brother, he took up his first residency at Dimension in Rosario, a 2000-capacity nightclub. More residencies followed, including Mengano, Metro, Lager and Damasco. On New Year's Eve, 1985, Ariel ended his residency at the nightclub Dimension with a set performance of 17 hours.

After completing secondary education, Ariel attended Rosario University of Economics, studying for 2 years before deciding to leave.

He arrived in Ibiza, Spain, in the spring of 1991. He then met the Pacha resident DJ Alfredo, also from Rosario. Soon after Ariel played his first European set at club Pacha in Ibiza, this was followed by guest spots in Lola, Es Paradis, including one gig at the recently launched terrace at Space. [1] Meanwhile, Ariel was photographed by art designer 'Trademark'.

1996–2010

In 1996, Ariel opened a weekly residency in London. He was offered a ten-hour-long set in the second room of Bagley's Studios in Kings Cross (now renamed Canvas) for the weekly Saturday night named "Freedom". Three months later, he moved to the main room, where he performed for 8 hours. [2] On 21 August 1998, The Evening Standard newspaper in London ran a 2-page article citing Ariel's "Techno set at Bagley’s" as the main cause of Class A drug consumption in the King's Cross area of London.

Ariel performing in Fabric on 9 July 2006 Ariel Fabric.jpg
Ariel performing in Fabric on 9 July 2006

Ariel has been a resident DJ at London's Fabric since its opening in 1999. Ariel left Fabric on 8 October 2006 after a 7-year-long residency (approximately 400 gigs). [3] His party "Latinaires" took place once a month, [4] along with the weekly event "The Gallery" for 2 years (2002–2004). In 2004, Ariel launched "Manteca", a weekly Latin music club, at Freedom bar in London's Soho. [5] [6]

In May 2000, "A9" was featured as Mixmag ’s Big Tune of the Month.

In 2005, Ariel began a partnership with young producers Alex Celler and X Green to co-produce further music projects, and in March 2007, he officially launched his digital record label MyDust. Ariel toured Australia in 2008, playing venues in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. In 2009, Ariel released his album, "Camará". [7]

2010–present

In 2011, Ariel was featured in the London magazine Out Front.

In 2016, the Ministry of Sound website published an article titled "Stars of VHS". [8] Video footage of DJ Ariel's performance at Bunker nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 9 October 1994 has been included in the 2023 documentary Comandante Fort. [9]

Music

Ariel's early musical influences include early new wave music and the disco sounds of Talking Heads, Blondie, Kat Mandu, The Clash, The B-52's, Flash and the Pan, and Gino Soccio, as well as Latin American rumba.

Ariel's debut single, "Deep", released in 1997, was a hardhouse and trance record, released on Wonderboy Records and entered the number 1 spot on the UK Official Dance Chart. Ariel had multiple commissions for remixes. Some of these remixes include Marmion's "Schöneberg", Vincent De Moor's "Flowtation", Dj Sandy Vs Housetrap's "Overdrive", Storm's "Time to Burn", Lil Louis Vs Josh Wink's "French Kiss" and Darude's "Sandstorm". [10] Meanwhile, Ariel also released a series of more underground records, including The End EP and "Icebreaker/Time". In 2000, Ariel released "A9", which went on to become a UK Top 30. [11]

In March 2007, Ariel started releasing his tracks on MyDust. Some of those tracks were made but never released. [12]

Club residences

Residencies

The main room in Bagley's studios Ariel at bagleys warehouse.jpg
The main room in Bagley's studios
Ariel at the Home Of La Troya, 30 December 2006, in Ministry of Sound, London Ariel ministry.jpg
Ariel at the Home Of La Troya, 30 December 2006, in Ministry of Sound, London
YearClubLocationSchedule
1982–1986DimensionRosario, ArgentinaWeekly
1986–1987El Almacén de Fulano / La Ventana / MenganoRosario, ArgentinaWeekly
1988LagerRosario, ArgentinaWeekly
1989–1990PaláRosario, ArgentinaWeekly
1990MetroRosario, ArgentinaWeekly
1991Lunes Locos Pacha / Thursdays Es Paradis / Catwalk Bar / Lola / AngelsIbiza, SpainMonthly
1992–1994Village Youth Limelight / The Playground, Iceni / BrownsLondon, UKWeekly
1992–1993Basement, Sundays Kudos / Attitude LegendsLondon, UKWeekly
1993Fuct CrewsLondon, UKWeekly
1994–1995LovezooNeuchatel, SwitzerlandMonthly
1994–1995Ritual XenonMadrid, SpainMonthly
1995ZapBrighton, UKMonthly
1995Ritual Velvet UndergroundLondon, UKWeekly
1995–1996Prism Underneath BagleysLondon, UKWeekly
1996–20018 Hour Sets Dancehall, Freedom BagleysLondon, UKWeekly
1999–2006DTPM, Room 2 FabricLondon, UKWeekly
2002–2004Latinaires TurnmillsLondon, UKMonthly
2004–2005Manteca Freedom BarLondon, UKWeekly
2005–2007Home Of La Troya Renaissance Rooms / Ministry Of SoundLondon, UKQuarterly
2006–2007Discotec (Lounge Mondiale) The EndLondon, UKBi-monthly
2006–2008Matinee Area / FabricLondon, UKMonthly
2007Gorgeous SpaceIbiza, SpainWeekly
2007–2008Smartie Partie TurnmillsLondon, UKQuarterly
2007–2009HeavenLondon, UKWeekly
2009–2011Onyx, AreaLondon, UKWeekly
2010–2015Room ServiceLondon, UKMonthly

Personal life

An advocate of Orthopathy and raw foodism, Ariel has taken time off from music since 2008 to study natural health, and has written and published a succession of books on the topics of natural health and nutrition. His has traveled to 40 different countries over the last 15 years.

Selected discography

Some selected discography: [13]

Albums

Singles/EPs

Remixes

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References

  1. "Ibiza 1991". 17 November 2010.
  2. "Freedom @ Bagley's". Oag.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
  3. "Ariel leaves Fabric". Discodamaged.com. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
  4. "Latinaires @ Turnmills". Thisislondon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
  5. "Manteca @ Freedom Bar". Rainbownetwork.com. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
  6. "Manteca Music". Discojunkie.net. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 14 May 2007.
  7. "Bandcamp" . Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  8. "Ministry Of Sound" . Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  9. "Starplus" . Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  10. "Sandstorm No.1". Popgram.fi. Archived from the original on 19 May 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
  11. "The Official Charts Company: Ariel". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  12. "MyDust Records". Discogs Entry. Retrieved 16 July 2007.
  13. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Ariel+(3). As presented in Discogs online database
  14. 1 2 "The Official Charts Company: Ariel". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 13 May 2007.