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What makes Ben Hudgins (aka DJ Abstract) so unusual?
Perhaps it is the incredible diversity of his musical tastes.
From down tempo, ambient, dub, jazz and blues to drum ‘n’ bass, techno, trance, and breakcore to hiphop, house, and club music, there is almost no genre in which Ben does not have some interest.
Though primarily a chill-out DJ, he has spun at gothic-industrial nights, punk-metal nights, and drum ‘n’ bass-breakcore nights, as well as jazz brunches, weddings, and other more formal events.
His fascination with music in general fuels his desire to play whatever suits the moment, whatever is required.
With a collection of thousands of recordings, he also has the tools to follow through on this desire.
Ben began DJing Philadelphia house parties in the late 1980s, followed by a bi-weekly dance event during his years as a student at the University of Pennsylvania (1988-1992). Upon graduating, he took a two year hiatus from spinning before moving to New York City, at which point he took up residence as the chill-out lounge DJ for one of New York’s premier gothic-industrial nights, Contempt, providing relaxed atmospheres of ambient and down tempo to dancers who were in need of solace. It was during this residency that he met and befriended Angelique Turner, proprietor of Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s experimental music night, DBR. Angelique subsequently invited Ben to take up residence at DBR, which he did until the night closed in late 2004. It was during his tenure here that Ben spun some of his most diverse sets, successfully incorporating many seemingly unrelated styles into a smooth yet challenging listen. Since the closing of DBR, Ben has spun at several one-off events at venues like the Frying Pan, CBGB’s Gallery, Twirl, Remote, Demarrara, and the Lucky Cat, always searching for new, exciting musical experiences. From cutting edge tracks of experimental electronic and reaching back to the beginnings of modern music with early blues and jazz recordings, the breadth and depth of his music passion ensures that he will always have something marvelous for you to hear, be it known or new to you. |