OXIA delivers an hour of uplifting energy…
For over two decades, OXIA has stood as one of France’s most respected DJs and producers in electronic music. His iconic track Domino, first released on Kompakt in 2006 and reissued on Sapiens in 2017 with a new remix package, has since surpassed 150 million streams. Two years later, his Cercle live performance gathered over a million views within days, reaffirming his status as a global force in electronic music.
His latest release, Aelle, is a finely crafted 12-track album that bridges the energy of the dance floor with the intimacy of personal listening.
On this Balance Selections mix, the veteran selector keeps the energy alive from start to finish with a blistering 17 tracks in one hour. Featuring music from Nicolas Masseyeff, HotLap, Simone Vitullo, and more, it’s a powerful set of big-room sounds that effortlessly bridges the space between underground house and techno.
Tracklist
01. OXIA – Colors of Life {Diversions Music}
02. Simone Vitullo, Simone Burrini – Aroma {AXEPT}
03. Luna & Lenthe – Wanting More {Magnifik Music}
04. Leo Gira – The Walk {Magnifik Music}
05. HotLap – Get Enough {Unreleased Records}
06. Felipe Puertes – Dope Shit (Darmon & Baron Rework) {Make The Girls Dance Rec.}
07. Anthony (GR) – Messs {Sudam Recordings}
08. AANN, Anchi – Lost in Space {Ritter Butzke Records}
09. Chemo (IL) – Glock 43 {Marginalia}
10. Ramyen, Amour Propre – Stuck {Rose Avenue}
11. OXIA – Run {Diversions Music}
12. Alicia Hahn – Broken Synths {Reba}
13. SOMMA, LE YORA – Chrome {LE YORA}
14. Mauez – Let Me (Dodi Palese Remix) {Beton Brut}
15. Alessio Cristiano – Feel You {TAU}
16. Emiliano Demarco, Amancay, RADON (AR) – Grain {Amancay}
17. OXIA, Nicolas Masseyeff – Faces {Diversions Music}
Name: Olivier Raymond
Location:Grenoble, France
Alias/Producer name: OXIA
Labels affiliated with: Diversions Music
I was drawn to music from a very early age. My parents weren’t musicians, but they listened to a lot of music, mostly French singers, but it was disco that really caught my attention. I still remember seeing Cerrone live with my parents; it was unforgettable.
Later, I discovered funk on my own, and that became a real passion. We even started a funk radio show when we were teenagers, with friends. But I also listened to other styles, like new wave or Italo disco, and then house music came along when I was still a teenager.
So it was actually in the mid-80s. I didn’t realize it right away, it happened gradually. There were tracks we thought were funk, but they started to sound a bit different.
In fact, that was the beginning of house music. Naturally, I found myself listening to more and more of it, and only later did I realize what was happening.
The first time was probably at a dance at the campsite where I was on vacation with my parents. I think I already knew then that I wanted to learn how to DJ.
But I have another memory: I was about 12 or 13 when I won a contest on a local radio station and got invited to the studio. During the show, a DJ was mixing live, he was playing funk, and I think that’s when I truly realized I wanted to become a DJ.
It’s always too difficult to answer that question, because there are so many, for different reasons and at different times. I’ve always listened to a wide variety of styles, both in electronic music and in other genres, so so many influences.
A full album, I think it’s Cigarettes After Sex‘s latest album – X’s. I really like this band, which I’ve been listening to for several years now. They make very soothing music.
I use a Mac with Logic Audio. Although I still sometimes use hardware, including a Virus, a Nova, Juno-106, I mostly work with plug-ins these days. Some of my favorites are from Arturia, Native Instruments, Plugin Alliance, Waves, Universal Audio, as I have an Apollo interface. I use Focal and Mackie monitors.
For my DJ set, I use Pioneer V10, three CDJ3000 and one RMX1000. I play using three CDJs, as I almost always have two tracks running at the same time, and even three. This setup helps me keep the energy and intensity going throughout the mix.
I like to use effects from the V10 and RMX, which it really adds something extra to my sets.
I’ve just released my album ‘Aelle’, and for now, there’s nothing else planned. I’m working on new stuff, but it’s still too early to say when and where they’ll be released.
For this mix, I spent time experimenting with different combinations of tracks, exploring how grooves, melodies, and rhythms could flow together. Then I let my inspiration take over, mixing everything live in my studio and simply following the feeling.
There are three tracks from my latest album, released on our label Diversions Music, including my collaboration with label co-founder Nicolas Masseyeff, alongside other tracks I’ve been enjoying playing recently.
Altogether, they reflect the sounds that are inspiring me right now.
It’s very difficult to choose, there are so many, but I’ll go with the first one that comes to mind. An old house classic…
The French movie: The Count of Monte Cristo
It’s a French series called Kaamelott.
I don’t really have a specific favorite destination, because I like to change things up when I travel. I enjoy relaxing, idyllic places with a beach, but also dynamic cities.
