Joyhauser

Born out of a deep passion for electronic music culture, Joyhauser is one of the most exciting, incendiary acts in today’s techno scene. Since their emergence in 2017 the notorious duo has smashed dance floors across the world, picking up a huge following and gaining support from many of the scene’s most influential figureheads, including Amelie Lens and Pan-Pot and Adam Beyer. A few short years after they emerged on the scene, they were picking up bookings at highly-respected club spaces all over the world; traveling from their native Belgium to North and South America, across Europe and beyond. Their music has a unique flavour, combining influences from techno, trance, Belgium’s own distinct rave sound and a myriad of other styles. Preferring not to rush, the duo cultivated and nurtured the music over many years before presenting it to the public, as a result Joyhauser’s music stands in a class of its own with releases on Terminal M, Second State and Kraftek. Part of Belgium’s new generation of exceptional techno talents, Joyhauser are a potent partnership with the drive, determination and experience to deliver each and every time…

The culmination of a friendship formed in 2004, Joyhauser represents the combined talent of Joris Cielen and Stijn Vanspauwen. Both men hail from Bilzen, a small town in Belgium where they found a common bond through their love of music. Starting out as party promoters, they organised events in their hometown which filled dancefloors right from the start. Their fate was sealed during a visit to seminal festival I Love Techno in 2006, when music really began to take over their lives. DJing separately to begin with, their parties gave them the space to evolve and experiment, eventually deciding to team up on the decks.

In 2017, 13 years after they first met, Joris and Stijn conceived Joyhauser as a vehicle for their DJ and production endeavours. From the outset Stijn, an out and out perfectionist, was adamant they wouldn’t release anything until he thought it was good enough. So they took their time, patiently refining their productions, honing a style that was unique to them and holding off releasing their music until it felt right. Parallel to their studio work, Stijn and Joris were building their reputation as DJs in Belgium and beyond, becoming respected selectors with performances at many of Europe’s best-known clubs and festivals including Awakenings, Extrema Outdoor, Tomorrowland and Pukkelpop. They also became part of the family at Labyrinth, one of Belgium’s premier electronic music clubs.

The hard work and patience paid off and their 2018 release ‘Galaxy Phase’ sent Joyhauser into the stratosphere, their melodic yet potent sound captivating techno lovers across the globe. By taking their time, the duo managed to go against the grain and create their own unique identity. It’s a sound that is instantly recognisable as the ‘Joyhauser sound’: Deep and melancholy with repeated motifs, contagious rhythms and powerful energy all wrapped up in their own distinctive flavour. Years of experience on the decks, and the dance floor, permeate into their productions meaning every track gives ravers an energy-fuelled, emotive encounter.

Support has come from far and wide, the sublime sound resonating with fans, peers and older heads latching on to their music. Following ‘Galaxy Phase’, they were signed to Monika Kruse’s Terminal M, with the ‘C166W’ EP. Raw and dynamic with scintillating harmonies and rousing melodies, the release reinforced their reputation and their international profile grew in stature. Bookings began to increase and Joyhauser’s tour schedule included peak-time sets in London, Beirut, Berlin, Istanbul, Bogota, Kiev and many more. Their ascendance up the ranks has been swift, but they remain level-headed, maintaining a selective approach with when and where to release their music. A killer remix of ‘Hypnotized’ by Amelie Lens on Second State picked up 8 out of 10 in Mixmag’s August 2019 issue, smashing club and festival dance floors all over the planet.

With plans for an album and a live set in the pipeline, the duo are working on taking things to the next level, with the intention of making people happy at the core of their output. Thoughtful, passionate, hard working and talented, Stijn and Joris are bringing fresh energy and ideas to the techno world, inspiring their peers and elders alike. With Joyhauser, the future of techno is in good hands…