Andrew Spence - Nu Orbit Apocalypse - 2005

Biography of Andrew Spence

Spence's skills on the Technics have gained him undeniable respect as one of Canada's top Breakbeat DJs. Now with emerging prowess as a producer and saxophonist, he is rapidly becoming a certifiable triple threat in the modern music scene.

Andrew Spence was born on June 10 in the mid 70s and grew up in Coquitlam BC. He took piano lessons until the age of 13 then switched his focus to the saxophone. Showing natural musical ability, he excelled on the horn and earned awards at national levels for his soloing. In 1988, young Spence picked up his first set of decks and began spinning hip-hop and R&B at house and hall parties. He was truly a wax pioneer in the suburbs of Vancouver. After high school, he drifted away from the saxophone and sold his decks and wax.

The silence didn't last long as Drew found himself hanging around in Vancouver's underground electronic music scene. 1994 rolled around and he was back spinning, only now he was blending up rude electronic rhythms, most notably Breakbeats. In a short time he was playing around Vancouver's warehouse circuit as DJ Slim, a name that fit his slender physique and freestyle mixing technique. Slim quickly became a staple in the electronic music underground by amazing party-goers across Canada and the western U.S. with his deep mixes and furious scratching. With the emergence of pop icons and too many hip hop 'Slims' to shake a stick at, he has long since put the DJ Slim moniker to rest and is now billed simply as Andrew Spence or Spence. He remains notorious for delivering intensely skilled DJ performances that shock trainspotters and fellow DJs alike.

In early 2001, Andrew picked up a saxophone for the first time in many years and the reunion has been prolific. He quickly aquired a mic rig and introduced live saxophone into his DJ sets. The result is a stunning performance by a veteran turntable technician and gifted instrumentalist. In the past 6 years Spence has elevated his musicianship through private study, performance, experimentation, and university level scholastics. His sax stylings have been featured on Vancouver house labels Leaf and Village, as well as on the world's biggest Breaks label, Thursday Club Recordings.

Currently, Spence is currently signed as a producer to Toronto's Purephunk Recordings, and now puts out tracks as 'SineCircle'. He spins for local Breaks squad, 20Hz, among others and is considered a venerable DJ talent from coast to coast and abroad. He plays sax with Vancouver's favorite funk machine, Five Alarm Funk as well as with many other acoustic and electric groups. Spence's future focus will remain on composition, production, and performance in both the electronic and acoustic realms.