Speedy J

by Sean Cooper
Jochem Paap, aka Speedy J, is a Rotterdam-based techno musician whose polished blend of melodious electro-pop with a harder, more Detroit-fueled edge has been among the most highly-praised of post-rave European techno. The Dutch rep in Richie Plastikman Hawtins Plus 8 label, Paap was equally well-known as a club DJ (his nom de record is in reference to his prowess on the cut) before deciding in 1997 to curtail his DJ engagements and focus on his music. His 1993 debut LP, Ginger, was an engaging blend of ambient textures and hard, crisp beats, and was immediately smacked with the intelligent dance music tag, aided by the inclusion of a pair of tracks on the first volume of Warps influential (Artificial Intelligence) series. Paap has since released several follow-ups under the Speedy J moniker (G-Spot, Public Energy No. 1, A Shocking Hobby) and two solo albums in an ambient series for Fax titled Vrs-Mbnt-Pcs 9598 (just re-insert the missing vowels for a quick translation). Hes also recorded a scattering of material as Public Energy for Plus 8, as well as for his own Beam Me Up! label before discontinuing the latter in 1996. He is cofounder of a Dutch remix network, dedicated to bringing Dutch electronic musicians in contact with one another and fostering collaborative projects, and previous to his moratorium on the DJ circuit was known for his commitment to bringing dance-based experimental electronic music to a wider audience, playing out often in unlikely combinations with groups like Cypress Hill and Henry Rollins. In addition to his original recorded work, Paap has also remixed tracks for Secret Cinema and Sven Väth. [See Also: Jochem Paap]