“DJ Yoda was instrumental in creating the bootleg ‘cut-up’ mixing style. Whilst most other ‘superstar’ DJ’s were macho-postulating and demanding huge fees, Yoda was doing it for laughs… Nearly a decade later, in an era of playlist-skipping and remixes of bootlegs of bootlegs, he’s more relevant than ever.”
XYZ Magazine, February 2010
Duncan Beiny aka DJ Yoda is no ordinary scratch DJ. His seminal How To Cut & Paste series showcased a tongue-in-cheek mixing style that prompted Q Magazine to declare him “one of the ten DJs to see before you die”, whilst Hip Hop Connection voted him “one of the top three DJs in the world”.
From hip-hop beginnings, DJ Yoda has evolved in the past ten years, using his turntable skills and diverse influences as varied as Funk, B-more, Kuduro, Reggae, Drum ‘n’ Bass and even Big Band Swing and Country & Western to make unashamed party music. He can be found cutting the Indiana Jones theme with woofer-worrying Dubstep or The Muppet Theme with MIA. His shows are peppered with Film, TV and YouTube samples and visuals that lift his sets to new and stratospheric heights.
Trail-blazing into the world of the audio-visual he pioneered a new artform, using cutting edge technology that he has been instrumental in developing, to scratch and mix visuals on top of his DJ sets in the clubs. Starting out by re-scoring both ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ on the festival circuit in 2003 and 2004, DJ Yoda went on to transform the average night out into a fusion of clubbing and the movies. His recent AV tours have included “DJ Yoda Goes To The Movies”, “Magic Cinema Show” and “National Video Vacation”.
DJ Yoda recently released the fourth and fifth instalments of the ‘How To Cut and Paste’ mix CD series, moving even further away from the hip-hop template into un-chartered musical territory. Blowing the barn doors off for a wild hayride into the heart of Country & Western, Vol. 4 was a truly surprising and groundbreaking edition, whilst ‘The ‘30’s Edition’ (Vol. 5) featured the kings of swing retooled with raw 21st Century beats. It scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in iDJ magazine, and has thrown the doors wide open for the series’ future.
For his debut album ‘The Amazing Adventures Of DJ Yoda’, released to critical acclaim in 2006, he produced tracks with Biz Markie, 2005 MOBO-winner Sway, Princess Superstar, Jungle Brothers, MC Paul Barman, and a host of other vocalists. He has also made music for Film, TV and Advertising and is currently finishing a new artist album.
Recent highlights for DJ Yoda include:
- Selling out London’s Koko on his critically acclaimed ‘Magic Cinema Show’ tour.
- Performing alongside the likes of Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson and Fatboy Slim.
- Being nominated for a Sony Radio Award in the ‘Music Special’ category for his “Cut & Paste” documentary for BBC Radio 1.
- Winning the Contemporary Classical Album of 2009 at the Independent Music Awards for the Heritage Orchestra feat DJ Yoda’s G. Prokofiev Concerto For Turntables & Orchestra.
- Producing an hour-long music documentary for BBC Radio 1’s 40th birthday, mixing-up highlights of their history as part of their official anniversary celebrations.
- Releasing the critically-acclaimed Fabric Live 39 mix CD.
- Working with Dame Evelyn Glennie on a genre-defying collaborative live show.
- Mixing up the Champions League highlights for ITV’s Champions League Final.
- Performing with Lily Allen providing exclusive visuals.
- Creating a special Michael Jackson tribute Mini-Mix for Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show
- DJ’ing to packed-out clubs everywhere from China to Brazil to Australia.
- Playing on the same bill as Steve Martin, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock at the HBO Comedy Festival in Las Vegas.
- Showcasing a one-off AV mix at the DMC 25th Anniversary Championships, detailing the competitions incredible highs from the past quarter of a century in his own inimitable style.
‘Last year’s live show have afforded him legendary status in turntablist circles’
Guardian Guide, October 24, 2010
‘Get ready to take your brain to the third dimension as the awesome mash-up party turntablist DJ Yoda pushes his art to the next level’
Time Out, November 11, 2010
‘The master of rapid-fire cut and paste mixing’
Till Late, October 2010
‘The cheeky AV turntablist brings his newest show to the most impressive screen’
Metro, October 4, 2010
‘For the uninitiated DJ Yoda is no ordinary DJ’
Liverpool Echo, September 24, 2010
‘Incorporate him into a full-on wild, three-floor, thousand person party – with 250 performers and acts, stilt walkers, face painters, walkabout characters, 25-piece live carnival bands – then you’ve really got something special’
Brighton Source, September, 2010
‘Let the good times roll as DJ Yoda cuts, mixes and blends film samples and TV ads into a hip-shaking feelgood hip-hop soundtrack.’
Independent, August 7, 2010
‘Everyone loved him’
Daily Record, July 9, 2010
‘The highlights from this year’s shindig are too many to mention; DJ Yoda playing a dubstep remix of Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ in a forest clearing proves a great way to spend an afternoon’
The Fly, June 2010
‘DJ Yoda is the capital’s ultimate party starter’
Time Out, May 6, 2010
‘DJ Yoda – the world’s nicest DJ’
Time Out, May 6 2010
