Purple Sneakers resident DJ.
Genre clashing mix-dude, mixing all the indie-pop party shit in the world!
Mixtape samples at www.myspace/welovephdj
PhDJ is a disc jockey, business dude, amateur film-maker and an all round party guy. His real name is Martin Novosel and not only is he founder and owner of hip record label, club & event promotion company Boundary Sounds but he is also one of Australia's highest profile indie party DJs, and self-proclaimed spokesman for a generation of left-of-centre party-goers and music lovers.
After living in London for three years, overstaying his visa and getting fired from a string of day jobs for DJing and partying too much, Martin moved back to Sydney to avoid extradition. A few mishap attempts at regular jobs later Martin established Boundary Sounds - a company responsible for releasing Sparkadia's debut record, establishing Sydney's longest running indie club, as well as Australia's most recognizable indie club brand Purple Sneakers, and also released a slew of other records, clubs and events. Featured in a list of Australia's Top 30 most influential people under the age of 30 (FHM 2006) PhDJ is what press would call an organically rising star.
So much does his reputation precede him that prior to LA-based DJ AM's last trip, Am's people called PhDJ's people to ask PhDJ to throw a party for the man. And he did. It was off the hook. Likewise Converse recently chose to showcase PhDJ in their 100 years of Converse ‘Icons' campaign as a representative of a generation of up and coming creatives alongside local and international superstars including M.I.A., Sid Vicious, Karen O, Billy Joe Armstrong, Daimon from Sneaky Sound System, Common, Joan Jett, James Dean and others.
Whilst DJing at last year's Splendour in the Grass the Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner told PhDJ that he was one of the best DJs that he'd seen.
As a DJ PhDJ's mashed up versatility behind the decks is hard to match. He is just as comfortable touring internationally, playing super clubs and playing at festivals to thousands as he is playing in the front room of a mates' house party. And similar to a house party he happily plays anything from indie to hip hop, and electro, rock, Baltimore, crunk, punk, or whatever it takes to get a dance floor jumpin. His adaptable style is evidenced by the vast variety of supports he's performed which include Le Tigre, Chk Chk Chk, Ratatat, VHS or Beta, DJ AM, The Presets, Le Tigre, Good Charlotte, Lily Allen, Ian Brown, Chicks on Speed, Midnight Juggernauts, Princess Superstar, Death Cab For Cutie, Liars, Mattafix, Souls Of Mischief, Roots Manuva's MK, The Crystal Method, etc etc, you get the idea...
PhDJ and the Purple Sneakers DJ crew are one of the only Australian DJs diverse and popular enough to be able to be booked on large-scale dance festivals as well as band-driven line ups. In a little over the past 12 months PhDJ has played Splendour in Grass, Good Vibrations, Falls Festival, Parklife, The Great Escape, Playground Weekender, We Love Sounds, Come Together Festival and many more.
Never one to remain idle, with his business securely established, 2008 has seen PhDJ have time to get stuck into remixing and production work. Forming a partnership with local producer Black Anthony to create production duo Dept. (pronounced ‘department'). Dept. has in its infancy already completed official remixes for Walter Meego, Yacht, Dukes of Windsor, Sneaky Sound System, Sparkadia, Bluejuice, and The Dirty Secrets, which will all be getting blogarrific very soon.
In addition to music production PhDJ has taken his love of independent music and taken it upon himself to explore the ambiguous concept of ‘indie' on film. Set for completion in 2009 the project sees PhDJ interview personalities and key players that have contributed to the development of the term and the music that has shaped it.
