Tiger Moves to Shanti

The bohemian Berliner, a star of the Prenzlauer Berg district Jan Simon, also known as DJ Shir Khan, is a master of creating images and PR technologies. In his biography, he attaches about five images of tigers, concealing his true face behind the playful mask of a character from the Mowgli cartoon. Playfulness is perhaps the most suitable word to describe his music, belonging to the same genre of bootlegs as 2Many Djs, Freeform Five, and Optimo Djs. However, Jan's taste is more versatile, and his playing is more remote, fun, and tipsy. For this, he is loved by Vice magazine and radio stations - from BBC Radio 1 and XFM to Play FM and East Village Radio New York. By the way, many of Simon's mixes can be listened to absolutely for free on www.myspace.com - dj shirkhan. He is a vivid example of a new generation of club DJs, for whom the concepts of 'techno' or 'house' mean absolutely nothing. DJ Shir Khan not only does not adhere to one style - he barely has enough 4-5 musical directions for a two-hour performance. Simon's music is rich in MTV recognizable samples overlaid on fashionable techno: roughly speaking, Missy Elliott raps under Thomas Andersson's 'Washing Up'. In Shir Khan's sets, pop and bastard-pop clash, baile-funk befriends old-school hip-hop, and the intricate 'Marionette' by Matthew Johnson collides with White Stripes. Despite the extreme eclecticism, the rhythm does not falter, and the tension properly intensifies over time. Jan skillfully keeps the dance floor in sync, thanks not least to his excellent mixing technique and flawless sampler work, which he always carries with him on tour. In May, the unexpected visit of the tiger DJ was disrupted at the Bebe Bar, which was then operating on the 'Valery Bryusov' boat. Now Shir Khan is cautious - demanding to sign countless contracts and specifying every detail of his short stay in Moscow. He was supposed to play at the birthday party of the glamorous business guru Azamat Tseboev and then appear at the popular bar 'Krysha'. But as it is known, Krysha is currently experiencing unforeseen difficulties, and Tseboev's birthday was canceled at the last moment. As a result, the performance had to be hastily moved to Shanti. If the arrival of Jan for his regular visitors becomes a reason to party to the fullest and forget for a couple of hours about the minimalist techno like a rich widow's tea, then the mission will be accomplished. And flying back to Berlin, Shir Khan will purr contentedly, stroking his tiger mustache. (C) Time Out Moscow

July 28, Friday at 0.00, DJ Shir Khan (Germany) performs at Shantifriday