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profile:jeff_mills
Approved 2025/08/02 14:16 by admin (version: 1) | Approver: @moderator

Jeff Mills

Detroit techno pioneer known for cinematic soundscapes, futurist concepts, and live hybrid performances.

🧠 Biography

Jeff Mills (born June 18, 1963 in Detroit, Michigan), also known as β€œThe Wizard”, is an American DJ, producer, and composer. He co-founded the Underground Resistance collective in the late 1980s with 'Mad' Mike Banks and Robert Hood, a movement rooted in socio-political rebellion and sonic experimentation. In 1991, Mills left UR to pursue a solo career, founding Axis Records the following year in Chicago.

A key figure in shaping minimal techno, Mills is known for high-speed mixing using three decks and a Roland TR-909. His performances often incorporate conceptual themes drawn from science fiction, space travel, and philosophy.

Mills has worked extensively with orchestras and museums, bridging the gap between electronic and classical forms. He composed and performed scores for silent films such as *Metropolis* and *Woman in the Moon*, and released *Blue Potential* (2006) with the Montpellier Philharmonic. His film projects include *Man from Tomorrow* and *Life to Death and Back*, shot during his residency at the Louvre in Paris.

He created multiple sublabels including Purpose Maker and Tomorrow, and continued innovating with works such as *Where Light Ends* (2013) and *Tomorrow Comes The Harvest* (2018) with Tony Allen. Mills has also exhibited sculpture and visual art internationally, including β€œThe Visitor”, inspired by a 1950s UFO encounter.

His enduring influence spans techno’s early militant underground to its modern symphonic horizons β€” celebrated not only by electronic communities, but by cultural institutions and collaborators across genres.

🎧 Notable Releases

  • '1992' - Waveform Transmission Vol. 1 - [Tresor]
  • '1994' - Cycle 30 - [Axis]
  • '2000' - Metropolis – Original Soundtrack - [Axis]
  • '2006' - Blue Potential (Live with Orchestra) - [Sony Classical]
  • '2013' - Where Light Ends - [Axis]
  • '2018' - Tomorrow Comes The Harvest - [Blue Note / Axis] (with Tony Allen)
  • '2022' - Mind Power Mind Control - [Axis]

🌍 Gigs & Festivals Played

  • Tresor (Berlin)
  • Berghain (Berlin)
  • Movement Detroit
  • Sonar Festival (Barcelona)
  • Dekmantel (Amsterdam)
  • Louvre Museum (Paris)
  • Jewish Community Center – Woman in the Moon Live Set (San Francisco)

πŸ—’οΈ Notes

Known for integrating science fiction, philosophy, and futurism into both sonic and visual works. Dubbed β€œmaster of the 909” and referenced by Eminem for his early Detroit radio sets.

wikiDJ Artist Schema
Artist/DJ Namejeff_mills
Real Name : Jeff Mills
Press Photo
RoleDJ, Producer, Artist/Musician, Label Owner
Genre(s)Peak Time Techno
Country of ResidenceUnited States of America
State / TownDetroit
Affiliations (Residencies, Collectives)Founder of Axis Records; Former member of Underground Resistance
SoundCloud URLsoundcloud.com/…
Beatport URLbeatport.com/…
Spotify URLopen.spotify.com/…
Bandcamp Linkjeffmills.bandcamp.com
Instagram Linkinstagram.com/…
Facebook Pagefacebook.com/…
External Press Kit URLaxisrecords.com/…
Official Website URLaxisrecords.com
Labels Released OnAxis Records, Tresor, React, Purpose Maker
Page Status
Approved
profile/jeff_mills.txt Β· Last modified: by admin