> livesets.mixtapes
> remixes.mashups.originals
>bio
Starting in the mid-90s, under the moniker DJ White Russian, Fiksel quickly became the defacto after-hours dj for much of Chicago's vibrant theatre scene which served as his entry point into the world of theatrical design and composition.
In the 2000s, Fiksel dove into Chicago’s growing downtempo culture and was a regular contributor to Q101’s “Sonic Boom”, Chicago’s only underground dance music radio show. In 2004, he created Seeking Wonderland, a live music project comprised from an ever evolving ensemble of musicians, exploring the intersection of jazz and dj mentalilty. With SW, Fiksel crafted various live performances and featured them in multiple recordings and film or theatre scores.
In the 2010s, Fiksel leaned into his love of the remix, and started creating and performing original custom mash-ups and remixes, collaborating with the likes of Chicago Children’s Choir, The Fly Honey Show, Leo Burnett and DanceWorks Chicago, sometimes working with his long time colleague, Miles Beyond (Miles Polaski) as The Ordeal - a dynamic dj duo dedicated to hyperactive genre-bending mashups.
As we head into the 2020s, the scope is wider than ever - spanning from minimalist electronica to deep cuts of 60s funk and afrobeat to the flavor-fluidity of the most recent young talent - and Fiksel continues to focus on custom experiences. He has dj-ed at the finish line of the New York Marathon, performed at Lollapaloosa on a hybrid Pyrotechnic/DJ performance object created with New Moon Chicago (formerly Redmoon), and continues to rock dance floors in Chicago and NYC including various private and public events for corporate clients such as Louis Vitton, Anthropology and Adidas.
Born out of youthful celebration, the DJ aspect of Fiksel's career has proved to be a persistent one. It has informed his approach to live performance and composition, created a signature aesthetic and continues to influence his vocabulary of music and design. It is an ever-evolving exercise in reflection on modern art making, on and off the stage, and will undoubtedly create more multi-disciplinary opportunities in theatre, dance, film, music and beyond.
