To try to label John Roman is to date yourself – the reclusive producer/DJ whose appetite for innovative music is exceeded only by his obsession for creating it. At 22, his original tracks “Sala” and “Petrified” have already graced Laidback Luke’s BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix and Brodinski’s Fabriclive60 CD, respectively. With additional supporters ranging from Riton, Mehdi (R.I.P.), Sinden, Fake Blood, Harvard Bass, Mele and even Skrillex, its hard to imagine a sound so unique and widely appealing if you haven’t heard it already. So, go now… listen.

Raw, rhythmic, sample-heavy and instantly danceable – Roman’s music cuts straight to the bodies on the dancefloor and the mind of the listener. At once a rejection of the mainstream’s neon hedonism and the elitist underground’s critical constraints, Roman channels the angst and aggression of youth with the sophisticated wisdom of a veteran househead. It’s this rare combination that’s earned him official remixes for Crookers (Mad Decent), Sinden (Grizzly), Nouveau Yorican (Defected), Sound of Stereo (Lektroluv), and critically-acclaimed EPs on Plant Music and Idiot House.

In his DJ sets, Roman borrows from techno, bass, house, garage, dubstep, and hip-hop to erect his uniquely dark and primitive vision of the future: a post-apocalyptic rave of wild, pounding rhythms and throbbing, industrial synths. With one deck entertaining while the other educates, Roman’s forward-thinking virtuosity never clashes with the groove, only enhances it; giving crowds not just what they want – but what they never knew they needed.