Vandal is one of the alias’ of DJ & producer Sam Evans. Vandal music is combination of a love of electronic music with a lifelong addiction to metal & punk. Through his Vandal guise Sam has created creating some truly global underground and dare we say it timeless anthems that have established him as a key figure in the world of Breakbeat and alternative electronic music. His combination of trademark heavyweight breaks & beats, dirty electronic basslines and twisted techno bleeps & beeps have gained him huge respect from his peers and the critics and resulting in both critical and commercial success, amassing a legion of fans and selling10s of 1000s of records and downloads. His DJ talents have taken him all around the world from Shanghai to San Francisco, Moscow to Seoul and pretty much every European country that has a nightclub!
The year 2001 saw Vandal’s first vinyl outing came via the respected Welsh label Plastic Raygun, a remix of kitsch German pop group “Stereo Deluxe”. Although the last track of four on the 12, it took everyone by surprise by becoming the most popular on the record, even the don of electronic music, Andrew Weatherall, championed the remix. With the Weatherall seal of approval Vandal was up and running. His debut single “Delivering The Goods” came out in 2001, also on Plastic Raygun label. It featured two tracks ‘Boom Stick’ and ‘Mam Tor’, two truely original heavyweight electro/breaks crossovers that immeadtiatly established Vandal as a key new figure in the rapidly growing world of breakbeat. American magazine XLR8R made ‘Delivering The Goods’ Breaks Single of the Month and stated; “Vandal is severely in the place”. NME raved about it, BBC radio 1 played it and all the top DJ’s supported it. By the end of 2001 Vandal was voted fifth best producer in the world and “Boom Stick” was voted third best single of 2001 by Breakspoll (International Breakbeat Awards). Not bad considering he only released one single and a couple of of remixes over that 12 month period.
Over 2003 a string of successful singles for Plastic Raygun and remixes for artists like Jean Jacques Smoothie, Paolo Mojo and Stabilizer followed. Winning praise and support from some of the biggest DJs in the world, the likes of Adam Freeland, Daddy G (Massic attack), Plump DJs, James Zabelia and even Paul Van Dyke all showing their Vandal love.
In late 2004 Vandal left Plastic Raygun and sent a demo to Meat Katie, the respected DJ who had just set up his fledgling label LOT49. The track was called Mad As Hell and it was signed up within a day of the label receiving it. This tune defined the phrase ‘it blew up!’ It’s safe to say this was a run away success. Over the summer of 2005 Mad As Hell was literally everywhere, destroying dancefloors around the world and tearing up the global airwaves. Even Zane Lowe, one of the most influential alternative DJs of recent times, made Mad As Hell the hottest record in the world and single of the week on his Radio 1 show resulting in live interview on air.
2006 through 2008 things became really hectic. With Mad As Hell taking Vandal’s profile to an all time high the following LOT49 singles ‘Obey’, ‘Idiots’ and the Blende collaboration ‘Healthy Boy’ further cemented Vandal in the big league of electronic music, ‘Idiots’, backed up by a class Audiojack remix, spent over a month in the overall top 10 sales chart on Beatport. Following on from these singles sam completed numerous remixes for a range of acts including The Rogue Element, Futureheads, Operahouse & Elite Force. During this period Vandal completed his 4\super th\nosupersub guest mix for the legendary Annie Nightingale and her Radio 1 show, Pete Tong showed his love and Vandal music was featured on everything from Compilations to computer games, climbing DVDs to cop show, CSI!. Vandal also finally began gaining recognition for his much lauded DJ sets. Taking his bag electronic sounds to the far reaches of the planet. 2007 saw Vandal start a hugely successful residency in Berlin, which still runs to this day. 2007 was also the Vandal played Fabric for the first time.
In 2009 Vandal released monster singles like the huge ‘Captain Magic’ and the Hyper collaboration, “Fugazi”, the tunes gained support from the likes of Groove Armada, Elite Force, Arveene & Misk & The Whip. Vandal also delivered remixes of Product 01, Them:Youth, Tape The Radio & Delta Fiasco. 2009 was also the year he made his 10th appearance at Fabric, during those appearaences Vandal has shared bills with the likes of Adam Freelend, Stanton Warriors, Skream and James Lavelle .At the end of ’09 Vandal launched his brand new label Benefit Recordings, the first release being the fierce ‘Big Dog EP’.
The trend of each year becoming bigger continues into 2010. Already this year Vandal has released his monster remix of Dylan Rhymes & Tom Real’s ‘Godzilla’ and his ‘Mad As Hell’ track has been sampled by Elite Force for his ‘M.A.D’ track. The rest of the year looks even more promising. Alongside building up his label Benefit, this summer will also see the release of Vandal’s debut album which will be supported by a promo campaign featuring four LOT49 singles. There will also be remixes for labels like Beats We Trust, Dusted Breaks, Get Electrified, Ape and Yellowfinger out later in the year. In the mean time enjoy his latest offering on Lot49, The Trasher EP, featuring 3 transcending club bangers, “They’re Here”, “Tonight We Ride” and “Smell The Glove” that have been part of our armory for the last 6 months, tearing up floors around the globe from Berlin to Istanbul, Moscow to Sheffield.
Lot49’s latest sonic adventure sees label stalwart Vandal return to the fore with this monstrous Thrasher EP. Vandal’s previous releases such as ‘Mad as Hell’, ‘Obey’, ‘Idiots’ and last year’s ‘Captain Magic’ have gained him a reputation for producing no nonsense, energy fuelled floorfillers and this EP is no exception.
Here Vandal has crafted 3 genre transcending club bangers that have been part of our armoury for the last 6 months, tearing up floors around the globe from Berlin to Istanbul, Moscow to Sheffield.
Enjoy!!
Vandal “The Street Is Watching” DJ Mix – April 2010 by LOT49
Tracklist
Computer Juice ‘Computer Juice’ [Turbo]
Miles Dyson ‘Frogs & Toads’ [Plasmapool]
Erol Alkan & Boys Noize ‘Death Suite’ (DJ Mehdi EDIT) Vandal Edits the Edit Edit [Boys Noize]
Mr Tools ‘Sexy Doll’ (Vandal Remix) [Get Electrified]
Herve ‘Zombies’ [Cheap Thrills]
Randolph & Mortimer ‘ORBTL’ (Black Sushi Remix) [Benefit]
Felix Cartel ‘Love’ Vandal needs more drums Edit [Dim Mak]
Vandal ‘They’re Here’ [LOT49]
Roland M. Dill ‘Low Go’ [Trapez]
Vandal ‘Big Dog’ (Fussy Boy Remix) [Benefit]
Vandal ‘Smell The Glove’ [LOT49]
Boy 8-Bit ‘The Keep’ [This Is Music]
Slyde ‘Move Ya Body’ (Rolla Mix) [CDR]
Vandal ‘Tonight We Ride’ [LOT49]
Bloody Beetroots ’31 Seconds to Die’ [Dim Mak]
BEATPORT: http://bit.ly/9cOOGs
VANDAL MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/vandallot49
VANDAL TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/samvandal
VANDAL FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/9cV2ig
VANDAL SOUNDCLOUD: http://soundcloud.com/vandal
LABEL: http://www.lot49.co.uk