Keith MacKenzie

Genre: Electronic

Origin: United States

Chicago-based breakbeat music stalwart Keith MacKenzie is the driving force behind the long-running Illeven:Eleven Recordings label and crew. Under his stewardship, the label built a reputation for releasing quality collaborations from a diverse roster of artists, making it a Beatport mainstay in the process. As early proponent of the “booty bass” sound, he’s dropped singles on likeminded labels like Zone Records, Hot Cakes and Punks and toured the globe in support. In 2012 Keith teamed up with long-time creative collaborators Fixx and D:RC to form Smookie Illson, a new bass music alias as an outlet for studio experiments that sometimes fall outside the umbrella of breakbeat music. The trio found their footing in the nascent EDM scene and started churning out remixes and originals at a brisk pace. Their 2013 bootleg remix of Yo Majesty’s ‘Club Action’ turned into one of the longest-running festival season selections, gaining support year after year from some of the bass scene’s biggest names. Having been involved in dance music long enough to watch it grow into the big business it is today has taught Keith the value of being self-reliant and staying insulated from flash trends. This knowledge and experience has allowed him to maintain his steady rising career arc as both artist, label boss and esteemed party rocking DJ.

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