iamxl is Jon Hamlin…
Jon has been a DJ since he was 10, no joke. He got his start mixing tapes using two dual cassette decks and running a line input with a mic to drop samples. His parents used to hate it when he had the volume full blast on MuchMusic’s RapCity to record the latest tracks from Gangstarr, Black Sheep, and NWA. Yes, he started as the stereotypical white suburban child fascinated by the world of gangster rap. Boyz N The Hood on repeat, Malcom X hat on sideways, Jon got into the world of dj’ing on DJ Basss and friends, a Rogers TV community access show which was abruptly cancelled after the word Shit was broadcast live to an audience of 12-14 year old viewers. Hearing Eric B & Rakim’s – Paid in Full (coldcut remix) was a turning page in Jon’s life. He had never heard anything like it. The way they weaved samples throughout the track was fascinating and opened his eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. One of the pioneering multi-format dj’s in Vancouver, he was a mash-up artist before the term even existed. Known by his peers to be able to mix just about any genre into a seamless blend of pure party magic, Jon has left a trail of satisfied party goers wherever he has played.

Professionally Jon has worked throughout the Vancouver club scene and has influenced many dj’s that have come up within that scene during the last decade. He has held down residencies at clubs throughout the Lower Mainland. In 2006 he moved to London, UK and spent 3 years dj’ing across Western Europe and throughout the UK and Ireland. Playing clubs and bars in the most unique settings and scenarios broadened his horizons and helped him to gain new perspectives on nightlife experience worldwide.

In 2008, iamxl remix productions began to appear online and began circulating amongst various dj’s the world over. Jon developed the iamxl persona to symbolize and celebrate musical diversity and his remix credits exemplify this. His main sources of inspiration come from the 1920’s Dada movement in Switzerland and the Fluxus period of the 1960’s. His pastiche of musical tastes makes it hard to sum up or quantify this dj but he wouldn’t have it any other way. iamxl remixes are now well regarded and seen by many to be on the cutting edge of musical creativity and originality. The iamxl remix of Deadmau5’s – Faxing Berlin not only brought about the re-release of a classic downtempo track, it also included the vocal arrangements of Milwaukee, Wisconsin rock/pop group Fever Marene and added a human touch to a electronic masterpiece. Picked up early by global dj’s including Tommy Trash and Dani Deahl, the single, under re-release, is racing up the Billboard Dance charts. His one-off B’more remix of John Lennon’s – Woman was featured in Rolling Stone magazine and was downloaded 60,000 times in one week! New remixes of Joy Division – Atmosphere (featured on his Spring Promo) and The Bloody Beetroots ft. Steve Aoki – Warp, are once again putting Jon into the spotlight and helping him to carve his name into the Vancouver dj scene.

After only returning to Vancouver in the middle of March 2009, Jon is determined to make an impact on the Vancouver electronic and party scene. Expect big things from iamxl in 2009, this is just the beginning. His new record label Technologywillsaveus is launching late in 2009 and is looking to bolster its current roster with fresh new talent throughout the year.