Born Simon Aussel in Nantes, France,Simo Cell is a dynamic musical force who reshapes sound contours. Blending the grit of UK bass with a rich palette of influences—Parisian house, even classical—his emergence as a globally recognized producer and DJ is a story of constant reinvention. The latest chapter of this story sees Simo Cell take to the Control Club decks on Friday, January 17.
Friday, January 17, 2025
NIGHTSBASSTECHNOHOUSE
ctrl NIGHTS: Mor Elian [USA-DE], Simo Cell [FR], Chlorys, Dumitrescu, George Heerd, Victor Bercea
Raised in a musical home, both Simo Cell's parents were accomplished guitarists, instilling within him an appreciation for composition and the importance of experimentation. This foundation manifested in formal classical guitar training, but by his late teens, he found himself more drawn toward electronic music. Tracks by pioneering UK bass artists and the Bristol underground scene offered a blueprint for fusing bass-heavy grooves with emotive sensibilities. However, despite this observation, it was clear that he wouldn't simply follow the genre's established structure—he would rewrite it as he went.
Simo Cell's first significant releases—on Dnuos Ytivil (a sublabel of Livity Sound) and Fragil Musique established his connection to the Bristol underground. Filled with unpredictable rhythms and deep, resonant basslines, these releases drew comparisons to scene stalwarts Peverelist and Hodge, all while signaling something distinctly Simo Cell. His tracks carried a textural depth that spoke of years of experimentation and influences that extended far beyond Bristol.
As a DJ, Simo Cell has built a reputation for unpredictability. His sets often bounce between dubstep, techno, breaks, and ambient. Whether headlining Parisian clubs or gracing stages at festivals like Dekmantel (where he is a staple), his performances are thrilling and, most importantly, intellectually engaging affairs. Take the 2019 Boiler Room x Dekmantel set, for example. In stitching together a high-energy tapestry, the performance left the audience visually in awe. Other landmark performances include Saint-Étienne's 2024 Positive Education Festival (going b2b with CCL), a 2022 performance at Berlin’s Säule, part of the Berghain complex, and Lyon's Nuits Sonores.
In the studio, Simo Cell's productions have grown increasingly experimental. Releases like5 Party Mix (2018) and his Hodge collaboration,Drums From the West (2021), create tracks that defy easy categorization. His 2023 debut album,Cuspide Des Sirènes, eschewed the club-ready bangers of his earlier career in favor of more introspection and cinematicism across themes of enchantment and unease.
Beyond his own work, Simo Cell founded TEMƎT Music in 2018. Named after a Tuareg word meaning "connections," TEMƎT's releases span left-field club sounds and experimental compositions. Operating between Paris and Nantes, TEMƎT's catalog includes standout projects like E-Unity'sDuo Road EP, Elise Massoni'sStraight is a Lie EP and Simo Cell's ownYES.DJ, a mini-album and fanzine celebrating dance music culture through reinterpretations of diverse beat styles. The label's roster features a mix of rising talents such as Less-O, Lolito, Second., and Vina Konda and also engages in community-building through workshops and masterclasses.
Whether through the heady basslines of his earlier works, the introspection of Cuspide Des Sirènes or the innovation fostered through TEMƎT, Simo Cell's contributions reverberate across dancefloors and headphones alike.
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