Umek — Techno DJ & Label FounderAbout Umek
Uroš Umek, known as UMEK, is a Slovenian DJ from Ljubljana and a pioneer of the country's electronic music scene. He began DJing in 1993 at 17 and established a foundation in techno before moving through periods of tech-house and more commercial sounds, then returning to darker techno under his Zeta Reticula alias. In 1999, he co-founded Consumer Recreation and Recycled Loops with Valentino Kanzyani. He later founded the techno label 1605 in 2007.
That year also brought a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix and a DJ Mag Top 100 appearance, a poll in which he remained present through 2015. His radio show, Behind The Iron Curtain with Umek, launched in 2011. UMEK made his first Tomorrowland appearance in 2012 and played the Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas mainstage in 2013. His 2010 releases OMGWTF and Back In the Race both reached number one on Beatport, while later work included a 2015 collaboration with Waka Flocka Flame.
In 2010, he partnered with former Slovenian President Danilo Türk on an anti-alcohol prom campaign. Across labels, radio, international festival sets and a return to dark techno, UMEK's DJ career remains closely tied to the development of Slovenian electronic music.