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About
Nicholas C. Raftis III grew up in Detroit with a robotics engineer for a father, wandering through giant industrial buildings full of massive mechanical machinery, eyes widened by their astonishing complexity and accuracy, inspiring his young desire to create. Thus began his experimentation with programming and electronics early on in grade school, building small electronic devices, simple analogue synthesizers, and programming video games and generative audio visuals in Basic and C++.
Later on as a teenager, during the explosive birth of the electronic music culture, his first performances were in similar industrial warehouses in the heart of Detroit. Performing his very first live sets for crowds of thousands alongside the early icons and innovators of Techno such as Juan Atkins, and Aux-88, and hip-hop legends Wu-Tang Clan. Interpolated amidst the Techno and Hip-Hop scenes, he produced for many Detroit Hip-Hop artists, receiving praise from Virgin A&Rs, and astounding local rappers and producers.
At 17 he caught the ear of Aphex Twin's Rephlex records in the UK with his first ever demo cd, and later signed with Planet-Mu to release OOO "Upon Cycles" receiving much praise from critics :
"Upon Cycles is a rich enough slice of music to satisfy the most demanding fan of sharp electronic music...this record is, behind its enigmatic cover, a mine of sounds, textures and beats....As first albums go, Upon Cycles is as near perfect as it gets. With an impressive control over his work and a creative approach to sonic structures, OOO’s Nicholas C. Raftis is likely to rapidly become a name to count on. As Upon Cycles progresses, it dawns on the listener that there aren’t any boundaries Raftis cannot push down, and that this album is simply the expression of a small part of his talent. 4.5/5 ." - themilkfactory.co.uk
"Only two circles are needed to form the sign for endless. The possibilities for OOO aka Nicholas C. Raftis III are also endless. He chose to build sounds into delicate, post-modern, complex structures of what is only badly described as electronic music. Greatly talented with the gift of almost intuitively finding the right beats and sounds to put together, he stays with computer-generated sounds that range from old keyboards to the fringes of power-electronics and the rhythm-bastards of old Warp-records. All mashed into one big pile of beautiful art, like a glass-tower or an ice-sculpture of the most fragile and filligrane design. Yet never foregoing the pounding basses and the long-winding floors of sounds. Everything moves, everything changes. " - monochrom.at
He has collaborated with Warp Records artist Jimmy Edgar on a full length album that is soon to be released. He also is working with New York based Film and TV composer Omar Jon Ajluni, and “Aviary Ghost’s” Stephen Kemsley on a band project named “Sun Room Generator”. In 2007 he collaborated with Paul Gaeta aka Panther God, to curate and release “Silicon Graffiti” a compilation on Circuitree Records, featuring Jimmy Edgar, Machinedrum and many others. It was featured as the #1 new electronic release in the Tokyo based Warszawa Records store. He performed many shows in Detroit, New York City, Georgia, and North Carolina, opening for Bassnectar, Otto Von Schirach, Mindelixir, Venetian Snares, Richard Devine, Jimmy Edgar, and many others.
Most recently he has begun releasing under the pseudonym Axiom Crux, with a compilation appearance on “Funerals and Banks” and an EP titled “Praxis Escapism” on Abstract Logic Recordings, which quickly hit the charts at #5 on addictech. His debut show with this moniker headlining Bass Church 3 on July 29th, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina to a crowd of 1,000 people. Soon thereafter opening for Bassnectar to a crowd of 1,500. He released a free remix of Sarah Brightman’s “Figlio Perduto” on Bwompbeats.com blog. He also has upcoming releases on the Japanese label Made in Glitch, an EP on Detroit Underground, and an EP on Circuitree Records.
He has been commissioned to create cutting edge interactive audio/visual installations and performances of synchronized music and animation, in his custom self-programmed software at renoun art venues including Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami, Miami Art Museum, and Cranbrook Art Community in Detroit. He has published albums and compilation appearances on Planet-mu, Sublight, Detroit Underground, Abstract Logic Recordings, Melted Mailbox, Circuitree, Catalogue and Rolax record labels. He has animated television commercials and segments for MTV, PBS, Boomerang Channel, Hersheys, Twix, Tylenol, Mercedes, Nissan Altima, Sprite, Visa, Tag body spray, Nestle, Ford Focus, Glade, Malibu Rum, Budweiser, Miller Lite, Guinness and more. He has written award winning scores for independent films and television including Sesame Street, and had his video artworks screened films in festivals and museums worldwide.

high pitch warble synth woooooooot!
Sooo good!
tokyo silly putty gangsters sludge
dope regardless.
@Axiom Crux: just vocal harmonies of "aahs" no lyrics. already have an idea for the harmony!! if you want it..
I wanna sing on this.
Yeahhhhhhh!
You are getting sick with it man, your woopin my ass right now, Im in the bleachers watching you like an old man fan boy ;)
I fuukin lub yo wip snares bro! and the heavy non literal dubstep bass.
@danimaal: Awe thanks Dani! <3 miss you brother! Ill be back and living in south beach soon!
@mirandarae: in your minds eye
You should put this on youtube with a weird video of some sort, anything really... even your logo, and just I dont know, something you deserve way more attention then you are getting..
Seriously gibroni, this is my probably 10th time today listening, post post post dub dub step step shuffle switchup selecta mind grime up to the prime time!
@JiRiKi: hehehehe, thanks for the critique, this was published about 8 years ago or more on vinyl ;) it was an experimental track on an experimental label, more autechre or aphex twin influenced, thus the broken beats. It was funny because it was my first vinyl and I actually set the tempo to have a sine lfo so that it is practically impossible to beat match and mix hah! ;P
@datamouth: seriously every time I listen to this part I get so geeked!! your the man with crash cymbals and pretty melodies
@shenanigans.TV: yessir!
sickness!
lush
nice!
weeeeeee
Word! Bawawawawawabawaba
THis is soooooo ridiculously sick!!! Two of my current favorites!
such an awesome mix
So ridiculously dope
Seriously, damn.. killed it!!!
The original gangsters of DSP throwing DOWN!! Amazing! My heroes! When did you do this jam??? Fernando, Rom and Josh.. Seriously... wow.
I love that lead, reminds me of sonic the hedgehog.
Dance party!
Sooooooo dope
Oh my god classic! Blast from the past. Good work!
Dope!
cold spine indeed!
This is my favorite track by you thus far! Incredible!
a-maze-ing!
this is one of my favorite songs at the moment, I want to remix it soooooooo bad! Though it is perfect as it is..
Robot Laser master flex strikes again! Top notch as always!
Is this all you or are there other peoples tracks in the mix? I would love a track list if there is other peoples stuff..
Dude Franky! What!!! you are the man!! I love the stuff you have been playing out and making, really.. keep down this road.. I love it!
@PleiadianPlus1: Since its for a contest, I figured the judges would be a bit ear fatigued after hearing 200 8 minute long house remixes.
Your remix is actually quite good, your comments taste like canned spam though :P