Hometown: Brighton, UK
Label: Metropolis Records USA - Wakyo - Japan - Hommega Europe
Management: Barbarian Inc
Website: www.junoreactor.com
Sounds Like: Juno-Reactor
Genre: Electronica
Juno Reactor ranks among the all-time greats of electronic music as essential innovators. From their 8 studio albums, “Transmissions” being the first Trance album, Scoring many films to performing their stunning live shows around the world at major music festivals, Glastonbury, Roskilde, Fuji Rock, The Glade, Boom, Ozora, and many more.
Juno Reactor are known for their cinematic fusion of electronic, global influences, and a dynamic orchestral approach, working with composer Don Davis for the score of The Matrix Trilogy. Central to the project is Ben Watkins and his collaborations with a constantly changing ensemble of musicians from across the world.
2016 opens up a new chapter with The Mutant Theatre show, a combination of Juno Reactor’s powerful onstage presence and two visually stunning performance groups from Russia, Agnivo and Stigma. Bringing a new dimension and unique touch from the creators of the Bible of Dreams.
The Current line up consists of Ben Watkins – Budgie (drums) – Johann Bley (Drums) – Taja Devi (Singer – Slovenia ) Hamsika Iyer (Singer – India) – Amir Haddad (Guitar – Spain) – Sugizo (Guitar – Japan)
2015 saw Juno Reactor tour the world, Europe, Japan, China, Australia and North & South America, far from taking it easy in their 24 year JR released a album of remixes of “The Golden Sun…”
Juno Reactor was formed as an art project in 1990. To collaborate with other artists, producing music that was not commercially driven, to create experimental music soundtracks that would work with installations, and film projects. An example in collaboration with Norma Fletcher (Artist) Driving a S.A.M. surface to air missile around central London, past Parliament square, Downing st, up Whitehall, and eventually installed in an ex war burns hospital, Regents Park.
The Golden Sun Of The Great East is the 8th Juno Reactor Studio album.
The album further hones the exotic mix of surging trance beats, cinematic vision and lustrous world music flavors which characterized its predecessors, from propulsive turbo-opener ‘Final Frontier’ to evocative satellite serenade finale ‘Playing With Fire’ and its panoramic chorale of synths, strings and haunting voices.
In between, tracks such as ‘Invisible’, ‘Guillotine’ and ‘Trans Siberian’ surge on mammoth waves of sparkling riffs, turbulent drums and Diva vocals, all directed by Watkins’ unique sense of drama. While ‘Tempest’ and ‘Zombie’ introduce horror movie atmospherics, ‘Shine’ and ‘To Byculla’ hop off the pounding beats express to deliver a subtler strain of exotic, emotional flow.
Studded with future classics, the album seems built for a stratospheric live show
“Opening with the classic Conquistador II , Juno Reactor reminded of that cinematic line 'you had me at Hello'. It was a thing of beauty. Poised like a Worshipful Master, Ben Watkins in his low top hat takes to the Infest stage and commanded the Juno Reactor circus that is about to commence...
This is Burning Man material....it's global and primal and goes to show that the likes of Watkins are throwing the gauntlet to the next generation to step into the ring but bring their pistoleros. Incredibly polished; if you get the opportunity to see Juno Reactor live, do not miss it! Well played, Infest....well played.”
Agro Fi / Fi Killeen - Side -Line Magazine
“If judgement day passes, and the Judeo-Christian God comes back to offer His opinion of the living and the dead, I can be sure, without a doubt, that The Golden Sun of the Great East will be the soundtrack playing gloriously in the background.”
Zachary Houle - Popmatters
“‘A resounding achievement…one of the great electronica releases of the year.’”
ZACHARY HOULE - Pop Matters
“‘…genre-transcending masterwork…a perfect fusion of world music, electronic dance music/trance, rock music and a few kitchen sinks for good measure.’”
JAMES MOORE - Independent Music Promotions
“‘[Juno Reactor] continue to break barriers and take their unique blend of trance, electronic and world music beats to new heights…takes you on a cerebral journey that other types of electronic or dance music rarely so often do.’”
GIL MACIAS - - Blurt
“Blogcritics magazine
"Gods & Monsters" Album Review”
Lou Novacheck - BC Music
“Playboy interview with Ben Watkins”
Gilbert Macias - Playboy
“San Francisco "the Independent" Live review”
Janine Kahn - San Francisco Weekly