Anz is a

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DJ and producer. Originally from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and based out of

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, Anz has released five EPs and two production mixes on labels including

Ninja Tune Ninja Tune is an English independent record label based in London. It has a satellite office in Los Angeles. It was founded by Matt Black and Jonathan More (better known as Coldcut) and managed by Peter Quicke and others. Inspired by a visit ...

. She also founded the label OTMI.

Early life

Anz was born in

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. Growning up, her family listened primarily to

Afrobeat Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that involves the combination of West African musical styles (such as traditional Yoruba music and highlife) and American funk, jazz, and soul influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersectin ...

and Ghanaian highlife music, influencing her later style. Anz attended university in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

, eventually moving to

Career

After gaining some exposure with a series of mixes self-published to

SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...

, Anz released her first EP, ''Invitation 2 Dance''. Anz's career developed significantly during the

Covid-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

as a result of her prolific releases during the period. She quickly became known for her annual production mixes, starting with ''Spring/Summer Dubs 2019''. Partially as a result of the popularity of the mix, in 2020 Anz was awarded "Breakthrough DJ" by

DJMag ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lat ...

. Her next production mix, ''Spring/Summer Dubs 2020'', received positive reviews, with Resident Advisor acclaiming its breadth, describing it as "fanned out over 30 plus tracks of singular UK funky, 2-step garage, dubstep and jungle." In 2021, Anz's EP ''All Hours'' garnered additional critical attention. Several publications praised the EP, in particular for its instrumentation, intensity, and rave influence.

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

described the EP as a breakout, specifically as "step up to the major leagues for a producer who can find magic in the murkiest nightclub corner."

Style

Anz is known for the volume of her releases, having released several 90-minute production mixes. Her production pays homage to historical and experimental club music. Generally, her productions are cheerful in tone but fast-paced.

Discography

DJ mixes

* ''Spring/Summer Dubs 2019'' (2019) * ''Spring/Summer Dubs 2020'' (2020)

Extended plays

* ''Anz EP'' (2017) * ''Invitation 2 Dance'' (2019) * ''Loos in Twos'' (2020) * ''OTMI001'' (2021) * ''All Hours'' (2021)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anz Black British DJs British women in electronic music Living people Year of birth missing (living people) DJs from London Ninja Tune artists