Astrix

Avi Shmailov (Hebrew: אבי שמיילוב) under his stage name Astrix, is an Israeli trance music DJ and producer specializing in the subgenre of Progressive psychedelic trance.

Not to be confused with asterix.

This article is about a person named Astrix. For "asterisk", see Asterisk (disambiguation). For other uses, see Asterix (disambiguation).

Astrix
Astrix performing in Moscow in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Avi Shmailov
Born	(1981-12-05) December 5, 1981 USSR, Caucasus
Genres	Psychedelic trance
Occupation(s)	Musician, DJ, record producer
Years active	1995–present
Labels	HOM-Mega Productions, Spiraltrax Label Group, Tokyo Productions, Plastik Park, Shamanic Tales
Associated acts	Infected Mushroom, Alien Project, Astral Projection, Atomic Pulse, G.M.S., Alpha Portal

In 2006 Astrix reached #41 (+34 rise) in DJMag's "Top 100 DJs" yearly rank along with a rise of several other Israeli musicians (the highest being Infected Mushroom at #9),[1] marking a significant proportion of the Israeli electronic music scene. In 2007, Astrix reached #18 on the list.[2]

Early career

Astrix was born in the USSR, to a Mountain Jewish family in the Caucasus and grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel. He began recording music under the name Astrix in 1997, sometimes misconceived to be taken from the Asterix comic books. An interview on UK clubbing website Harderfaster.net revealed the name was chosen for simply sounding good, and not directly influenced by anything in particular.

1995–2002

Astrix started as a DJ in 1995 playing alternative and 1980s music. It was during this time that he learned about electronic music. In 1997 he began his first in-house studio recordings using a personal computer. He discovered trance in 1997 after being invited to a trance party. "At first it was a very new and strange experience for me and I couldn't find myself, but I was impressed by the energy and the impact that the music had made on the people at the party."[3] At the beginning of his career in the late 1990s he produced tracks in the "nitzhonot" style of trance, an anthemic offshoot of Goa trance. His first tracks were "In Peace" and "Eakhis World," which both appeared on the nitzhonot compilation Ptzatzot 3.

2002–2010

In 2002, Astrix signed to the EDM label HOM-Mega productions with his debut album Eye to Eye. In a 2003 interview Astrix said that he worked on three albums by Alien Project, but its maintainer Ari Linker did not give him credit.[4] Touring after the Eye to Eye album release and working on other projects did not leave much studio time for Astrix and it took two years to write his second album, Artcore, which came out in 2004. He also produced the albums Nu-clear Visions of Israel (TIP.World, 2003), Psychedelic Academy (Hit Mania, 2005) and Astrix & Friends (DJ mag, 2007).[5] In 2009, Astrix's label, HOM-Mega Productions, was the first to release a digital album from Astrix on a USB flash drive, One Step Ahead (HOM-Mega Productions, 2009). Astrix then undertook an almost nonstop worldwide tour.[6]

Festivals included Dance Valley, SW4, Creamfields, Love Parade, UAF, Planeta Atlantida and headlined nights in the best clubs and venues such as Alexandra Palace, Brixton Academy, Pacha, Ministry of Sound, The City, Volume and Nox.

2010–present

Over the last couple of years, studio time was a rare commodity for Astrix, but nevertheless he managed to find the extra hours to work on his third studio album for HOM-Mega productions. Red Means Distortion is the result of some very late night sessions.

The Acid Rocker EP, which was released in August 2010,[7] was the first release from the next studio album, Red Means Distortion. As bonus material, it included a remix by trance artist Pixel of "Closer to Heaven" featured vocalist Michele Adamson, and a fresh new GMS 2010 remix to Astrix's "Eye to Eye". In September, a month after the Acid rocker EP was released, the third album Red means distortion was released.[8] Starting in August 2010, Astrix has been creating mix sessions titled Trance for Nations.

Musical style

Astrix says his music has solid, driving basslines and ascending melodies.[9] Many would consider his style to be a crossover between "full-on" and the "clubbier" end of Trance, exemplified by his Psychedelic Academy Mix.[10]

Author Graham St John, of the book The Local Scenes and Global Culture of Psytrance, noted about Astrix's sound, "crisp spacious acoustics".[11]

Influences

Astrix has been cited as being musically influenced by Infected Mushroom. "I look up to them for inspiration and for some kind of spiritual fuel as it were." Other influences include Linkin Park and Paul Van Dyk. "I also have a love for alternative bands like Linkin Park, and as electronic producer I like Paul Van Dyk, he inspires me very much to see how well you can mix business with music and how big you can become from something that was so small in the beginning."[12]

Discography

Albums

Astrix released five full-length studio albums at the record label HOM-Mega Productions, based in Israel.

In his albums Astrix collaborated with artists who were also involved in the psytrance scene, such as Infected Mushroom, Atomic Pulse, Domestic, Sub6, Psycraft, Xerox and Illumination.

Eye to Eye

Eye to Eye, 2002, HOM-Mega Productions,[13][14]

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Life System	07:29
#2	Crystal Sequence (feat. Atomic Pulse)	08:13
#3	Infected Mushroom - Wider (Remix)	07:23
#4	Massive Activity (feat. Domestic)	08:23
#5	Eye to Eye	06:38
#6	Side Effect (feat. Atomic Pulse)	07:04
#7	Scientific Reality (feat. Atomic Pulse)	08:51
#8	FeeL.S.D	07:05
#9	Valirus (feat. Atomic Pulse)	07:38
#10	Freestyle Cafe	07:49

---

Artcore

Artcore, 2004, HOM-Mega Productions / Vision Quest,[15]

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Poison	07:32
#2	Monster Remix (feat Infected Mushroom	07:40
#3	Tweaky	06:54
#4	Techno Widows	07:33
#5	Artcore	07:05
#6	On Fire	06:24
#7	Underbeat	06:47
#8	Sex Style	06:50
#9	Beyond The Senses	07:45

---

One Step Ahead

One Step Ahead, 2008, HOM-Mega Productions

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	I Scream	07:00
#2	Lost Inside	08:06
#3	Control Me (XI Remix)	07:18
#4	Future Music & 3rd Time Lucky (Live Mix)	08:14
#5	Just in Time	09:54
#6	Touched	06:04
#7	Sex Style (Krunch Remix)	07:53
#8	Sex Style (XSI Remix)	08:30
#9	Sex Style (Analyser Remix)	08:03
#10	Sex Style (Rewind Evolution Remix)	06:17
#11	Sex Style (4-Play Remix)	08:37
#12	Sex Style (Vogue Remix)	07:56

---

Red Means Distortion

Red Means Distortion, 2010, HOM-Mega Productions / Vision Quest

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Acid Rocker	07:40
#2	Mir (written by Guy Salama)	08:17
#3	Take A Shot	07:59
#4	Shakta - Lepton Head (Astrix Remixed Version)	07:07
#5	Antiwar	07:37
#6	Dharma	08:55
#7	Sparks	08:31
#8	Delirious - Silver Sky (Astrix Progressive Edit)	07:28
#9	Emok & NDSA - Harbour Candy (Astrix Prog-Psy Edit)	07:45
#10	Infected Mushroom feat. Perry Farrell - Killing Time (Astrix EP-Ver. Psy Remix)	07:13

---

He.art

He.art, 2016, HOM-Mega Productions

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Shamanic Tales	13:01
#2	Deep Jungle Walk	09:15
#3	Alien Turned Human	08:08
#4	Valley of Stevie (w/Ace Ventura)	08:41
#5	He.art	08:01
#6	Agate (w/Ritmo)	08:43
#7	Sapana (Album Ver.)	08:37
#8	Awake the Snake (W/Tristan)	08:23
#9	Conquistador (Astrix Remix)	09:43

---

EPs / Singles

• Coolio, 2004, HOM-Mega Productions
• Coolio (12"), 2004, Tokyo Dance
• Closer to Heaven (12"), 2005, Tokyo Dance
• Future Music EP, 2007, Spiral Trax
• Acid Rocker EP, 2010, HOMmega HD
• Reunion, 2011, Plastik Park
• Type 1, 2012, HOMmega HD
• Stars on 35, 2012, HOMmega HD
• High on Mel, 2013, HOMmega HD

---

Compilation and mixes

Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel

Nu-Clear Visions Of Israel, 2003, TIP.World,[16]

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Sub6 - Pounding	07:04
#2	Astrix - Disco Valley	08:07
#3	Psy Sex - Alien Cop (Goblin Remix)	08:38
#4	Hujaboy - Flake	07:23
#5	Cosma - Nonstop	07:25
#6	Xerox & Illumination - Temporary Insanity (Mix)	07:05
#7	Delirious - Dynamic Force	07:40
#8	Psy Craft - Top Gun	07:38
#9	Astrix & Atomic Pulse - Valirus (Sub6 Remix)	05:56

---

Psychedelic Academy

Psychedelic Academy CD 1, 2005, Hit Mania

Track Number	Title	Length
#1-01	Astrix - Follow Me	08:37
#1-02	Delirious - Dance Flow	07:25
#1-03	Black & White - Geronimo	05:30
#1-04	Domestic - Limited Addiction	05:35
#1-05	Chakra - Atomic Base	06:07
#1-06	Sub6 - Buttersonic (GMS Prog-trance Remix)	06:04
#1-07	PsyCraft - Computech	05:29
#1-08	Xerox & Illumination - The Vision	05:37
#1-09	Psysex - New Wave Hooker (Domestic & Pixel Dynamic Duet Remix)	06:56
#1-10	X-Noize - The Sperminator	06:40
#1-11	Psysex & DJ Slider - Tribal Dance	05:55
#1-12	Dali - Colors Band (Astrix Compilation-based Remix)	06:09

Academy Anthems CD 2, 2005, Hit Mania

Track Number	Title	Length
#2-01	Astrix & DJ Highguy - Chaos	07:52
#2-02	Delirious - Silver Sky	08:02
#2-03	Cosma - Nonstop	07:22
#2-04	PsyCraft - Memory Flash	08:49
#2-05	Xerox & Illumination - Tribal Metal	07:17
#2-06	Astrix - Coolio (Infected Mushroom Real-Psy Remix)	08:17
#2-07	Dali - Colors Band	06:53
#2-08	Sub6 - Ra He'ya (ft. Michele Adamson)	07:16
#2-09	Psysex - New Wave Hooker	07:22

---

DJ Magazine Presents: Astrix & Friends

DJ Magazine Presents: Astrix & Friends, 2007, DJ Magazine,[17]

Track Number	Title	Length
#1	Astrix - Future Music & 3rd Time Lucky (Live Mix Version)	08:01
#2	Sub6 - Saved	05:21
#3	Domestic & Wrecked Machines - Bloom on Day	03:09
#4	Xerox & Illumination - No Way Out	03:36
#5	Delirious - Dance Electric	04:57
#6	Intelabeam (ft. MC Jah-Natan & Efrat Dahan) - One Minute	03:29
#7	PsyCraft (ft. Michele Adamson) - Follow the Line	03:09
#8	Pixel & Wrecked Machines - Mother Funker	05:50
#9	Astrix - Adventure Mode	05:11
#10	Black & White - Dirty Herring	03:22
#11	Krunch - Syncopat	03:43
#12	Chakra - Montezuma's Revenge	02:42
#13	Astrix x Sub6 - Control Me	05:24
#14	X-Noize (ft. Tom C.) - Voice Tweaker	06:50
#15	Dali - Unconditional Love	06:26

---

Releases on compilations

• "Chaos: Digital Oracle
• "Poison (Wrecked Machines Remix)" Map of Goa Vol. 3
• "Closer to Heaven" Goa - Neo Full-On
• "Future Music" Goa - Neo Full-On & Progressive Trance Vol. 4

Appearances

DVD videos

• The Gathering, 2002 - 2007, Vision Quest Productions
• X-Mode Vol. 6 Back to the Future, 2004, Tokyo X-Ray Studios Productions
• Supervision - NTSC/PAL, 2006, Tip.World Productions
• Boom Festival 2008 - We Are All - NTSC/PAL, 2009, GoodMood Productions
• The Beach 2009, FinePlay Records Productions

Touring

Astrix has been touring in the US,[18] Europe,[19] Australia and India.[20][21]

• EDC Vegas,[22]
• Burning man
• Beyond Wonderland and Summer Music Festival (USA),
• Summer Stomp Festival,[23]
• SW4 and BoomTown Fair (UK),
• Earthcore (Australia),[24]
• VuuV Festival(Germany),[25]
• Tomorrowland (Belgium),
• Tomorrowland (Brazil),[26]
• OZORA (Hungary),[27]
• Psy Fi and Dance Valley (Netherlands)
• Weekend Festival (Finland & Estonia)
• Airbeat One (Germany)
• Tribe
• XXXperience (Brazil)
• Emmaboda (Sweden)
• Inox (France),
• BAT (Argentina)
• Euforia Festivals (Poland) [28]

And to venues such as Brixton Academy, Ministry of Sound, O2 Arena, Pacha, Privilege, Exchange, Avalon and AgeHa.[29]

References

1. "Top 100 DJs".
2. "Top 100 DJs".
3. Chaishop: Astrix Archived June 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine — interview and biographical info
4. Interview with Astrix at IsraTrance.com, 01/2003
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
6. "Astrix". www.mushroom-magazine.com.
7. EP information
8. Red Means Distortion information
9. "Interview with Astrix: Psychedelic Academy 2 preview". 2005. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
10. "Interview with Astrix". IsraTrance Forum.
11. Graham St John (2010). The Local Scenes and Global Culture of Psytrance. ISBN 1136944346.
12. 4Clubbers: Interview with Astrix written by Caroline Banx
13. http://www.ivibes.nu/index.php?article=1615 ivibes.nu: Albums reviews
14. http://www.isratrance.com/cd-reviews/astrix-eye-to-eye-d438.html isratrance.com: Cd-Reviews
15. "Astrix - Artcore (HOM-Mega Productions)". forum.isratrance.com.
16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2016-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
18. "Interview with Astrix - United States Trance Movement". usatrancemovement.com.
19. "Astrix - Exposed Magazine". www.exposedmagazine.co.uk.
20. "DJ Astrix -". 8 October 2008.
21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
22. https://www.insomniac.com/media/astrix-drives-his-fans-insane
23. "ASTRIX SUMMER STOMP FESTIVAL 2015 at Delhi - Events High". Events High.
24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
25. "Triskele Exclusive Interview : ASTRIX @ Vuuv Festival : 7-11 August 2014". www.triskelemanagement.com.
26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
27. "Interview with ASTRIX - 06/12/2014".
28. https://euforiafestivals.pl/mevents/euforia-festival-2019-jubileuszowa-15-edycja/
29. "Astrix's Upcoming Gigs". gigs.gigatools.com.