With a father harbouring a deep interest in computer music and the burgeoning rave scene in the provincial South of England, Jamie Russell aka Hypercolour’s Cedric Maison had a path mapped out for him pretty early on. Late nights listening to ‘borrowed’ mixtapes from his dad’s collection indoctrinated the young lad with some of Chicago and Detroit’s finest output.

Derrick May, Sneak, Todd Terry and Mood II Swing all figured in Russell’s formative education, resulting in the usual unhealthy obsession with vinyl which defines those who now who were sucked into dance music in the 1980s and ‘90s. This early influence paired up with teenage years of Sasha, Eddie Richards and Tyrant can still be heard in Jamie’s sets – hypnotic, groove based house with hints of techno which captivate as much as they motivate dancefloors.

Promoting nights was the next stage for the then Oxford based man and his Playground nights grew so quickly that it outgrew Oxford and London became its new home – complete with an army of new regulars checking out the likes of Will Saul, Switch and Paul Woolford at the much lauded party. It was here where Russell rolled out the Cedric Maison moniker and took up the warm up reins, a role which is taken extremely seriously to this day. The night hit most of London’s best venues in The Cross, 333, The Key and Egg before it closed its doors so attention could be focused elsewhere.

That focus was Hypercolour, an imprint set up with close friend and producer Alex Jones in 2006. Hypercolour was set up to release music the pair are passionate about and can now list itself as one of the UKs foremost house/techno labels, having released tracks and mixes from the likes of Glimpse, Kris Wadsworth, Matt Star, Peace Division and Mark Henning to rapturous response from jocks, clubbers and press alike.

Now well established as an A&R, Promoter and of course a DJ, Mr Maison is a regular fixture on the DJ circuit, not only with official Hypercolour events at the likes of East Village, T Bar but with gigs across Europe. His Djing style is as forward thinking as it is timeless, a fact which has seen him snapped up as a resident at Steve Lawler’s VIVa parties as well as receiving praise from just about every “big name” he plays with.

Things look pretty good for Cedric Maison / Jamie Russell, not bad for a man with a distinct identity crisis…