Aristofreeks

Aristofreeks appeared during the mid-2010s with a clutch of disco updates, but the duo has deeper roots in dance music. Max Martire came up on Ibiza as a DJ and has held residencies at Space and Amnesia. At the former venue, he helped establish the successful after-hours Space Terrace. Nicknamed "the surgeon" (not to be confused with Surgeon) due to his reputation for precise mixing, Martire takes credit for a role in the development of EDM. He met established producer Shanti Matkin (aka Shanti) while working on a studio project. The two opted to work together as Aristofreeks and released their first singles in 2014 and 2015. The tracks alternately updated, sampled, and emulated classic Chic Organization hits, including "We Are Family," "Good Times," and "Thinking of You," with help from Kathy Sledge (of Sister Sledge) and the Next Step (additional Chic associates and disco queens Alfa Anderson, Luci Martin, and Norma Jean). Martire and Matkin quickly developed a large portion of material and took it to stages outside their Ibiza base. ~ Andy Kellman