Mikael Johnston | |
|---|---|
 Headshot of Mikael Johnston | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mikael Wesley Mathew Johnston |
| Born | December 29, 1973 Dover, Delaware |
| Origin | San Francisco |
| Genres | Electronica, house, dance-pop, trance, rock, hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer, audio recording, mix and re-recording engineer |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, synthesizers, drums, vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Mephisto Records, City of Angels Records, Warner Bros. Records |
| Member of | Mephisto Odyssey |
| Website | Pop Twist Studios |
Mikael Johnston is a musician, producer and remixer who got his start in the industry in electronic dance music. Johnston is a founding member of the San Francisco electronica music group Mephisto Odyssey, which originated in the early 1990s. [1] Following the release of several singles, including "Dream of The Black Dahlia" on his label, Mephisto Records, Johnston signed with progressive West Coast label City of Angels, home to The Crystal Method.
In the late 1990s, Johnston collaborated with Jane's Addiction on a series of remixes for their maxi single "So What" under the name Deep Red. A recording contract with Warner Bros. Records soon followed. While at Warner Johnston worked with industrial metal act Static-X on a remix for their single, Push It (Static-X song). This eventually led to their collaboration on the song "Crash," which combined alternative and electronic elements and later became a video directed by Len Wiseman that appeared on MTV and in the film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. [2] Johnston's other projects include Deep Red, Seraphim, The Swerve and Dresden and Johnston.
"Some Kinda Freak," written by Johnston under his artist name, Mephisto Odyssey, is featured in the film Hostel [3] by Eli Roth. Johnston's remix of "Love Dump" by Static-X, also under the artist name Mephisto Odyssey, is on the soundtrack of Valentine (film). [4]
Johnston is one half of the electronic dance music duo Dresden and Johnston [5] with Dave Dresden of Gabriel and Dresden. Dresden and Johnston's remixes of Lily Allen ("The Fear") and Nadia Ali (Love Story (Nadia Ali song)) both hit #1 in the Billboard Magazine Hot Dance Club Play Chart in 2009. [6] Other remixes by the duo include "The Unbreakable" by BT, "Better Man" by JD Webb, "Black Rainbows" by The Crystal Method and "Hello Seattle" by Owl City.
In 2025, a 25th anniversary remix of "Crash" is planned for release, featuring a 4K version of the original video. A new version of the song, "Crash Reborn," includes a revised chord progression and guitars by Brad Gillis and vocals by Wayne Static, with a video co-directed by Wiseman and William Instone. [7] [8]
Johnston was the rerecording mixer and dialogue editor for the film "Butchers Bluff" in 2024. [9]
