In his zone from deep house to techno, Ben Annand pairs impeccably smooth mixing skills with a dynamic style that keeps the music moving, artfully playing with breakdowns and spending most of his time in the mix.
“For me, a great mix is the interplay of 2 unique pieces of music, creating something greater than the sum of the parts – and a great set weaves those mixes into a musical flow you can’t help but lose yourself in on the dance floor.”
Ben fell in love with dancing and rave culture in 1995, and learned to mix in 1996. Just 2 years later he became resident dj at the famed Moontribe Gathering, and started his own production company, Tropical. The first half of his career was mostly focused on DJing abroad, with 13 trips to Moscow’s Propaganda club, travel across Russia, Spain, and Mexico, an appearance at Wiggle at Fabric in London and two at the Labyrinth Festival in Japan.
In more recent years, Ben Annand became a top West Coast festival DJ, and recently played a standout set at his 5th consecutive Lightning in a Bottle (CA). He has also appeared at Sunset Campout and Desert Hearts (CA), Oregon Eclipse (OR), Photosynthesis and Cascadia (WA), Shambhala and Motion Notion (BC, Canada).
As organizer of Tropical, he’s donated over $32,000 to charity, hosted zero-waste events in Hawaii, and presented gender-balanced dj lineups. Most recently he launched Bridge to Paradise / Music-Friendly DJ Booking to connect other organizers with stunning venues similar to the ones he’s used for Tropical. Whatever his project, Ben Annand is always contributing, and always thinking outside the box.
