Tony Lionni

Tony Lionni (Ostgut Ton / Freerange / Wave Music)

Chicago and Detroit have been mentioned repeatedly when describing Tony Lionni's original productions, but the Berlin resident has yet to play in America. Growing up in Manchester with a father who was also a DJ, Lionni was exposed to good music at an early age. He also had the advantage of being exposed to black music in Mancurian clubs before it even reached the Haçienda. "For me, when I write house music I think of it from a hip-hop perspective.", he says. Larry Heard is a name that has been drawn for comparison, but Lionni also cites Ron Trent, Theo Parrish and Kerri Chandler as of some of his greatest influences. Reviews of his work commonly note that while his style draws heavily from classic Chicago house and Detroit techno, his take on the resulting hybrid is undeniably fresh and all his own.

Since his glorious 12 track album for Jimpster's 'Freerange' records and the massive anthem that was 'Found A Place' on Ostgut Ton for Berghain (which was voted as one of the top classic house tracks of the decade), Lionni went on to release a 10 track album for Kerri Chandler's Madhouse records and various EPs on other credible imprints such as Versatile, Mule Music, Defected and Aesthetic Audio. His musical style has gained him plaudits and support from press the likes of DJ Mag, Mixmag, Groove, De:Bug, Trax, Tsugi and XLR8R. His tracks are a regular fixture with DJs such as Francois K, Derrick May, Josh Wink, Ewan Pearson, Anja Schneider, Steve Bug, Jimpster and Sebo K to name a few.

With more timeless pieces in the making and fresh releases forthcoming, there is still much to hear from Tony Lionni.