Bio

Michael Lang, aka DJ Chamelion, discovered electronic music at a fairly young age. While living with his grandparents in rural Arkansas in the mid-90s, he heard “The Sign” by Ace of Base. It was far different from the country and oldies his grandparents primarily listened to. He was intrigued by the synthetic beats of the popular 90s song. He quickly sought out other music with a similar danceable rhythm. His musical discoveries of the time included mostly radio-oriented dance-pop, such as La Bouche, Real McCoy, Jocelyn Enriquez, Robert Miles, etc.

Some friends in high school noticed his love of 4/4 beats and suggested that he attend rave parties in the area. They also opened his mind to more underground dance music. He quickly grew to enjoy progressive house, trance, and drum and bass. Near the end of 1999, a friend he met online took him to his first rave, where he was instantly enamored with the culture, the people, and, of course, the music. Michael moved to Arkansas again in the summer of 2000, but he did not leave his love for the music behind, as he quickly made friends and attended massive raves thrown by Cybertribe in Little Rock.

Michael’s motivation to DJ was sparked by a simple mixtape. While attending a party in Memphis in late 2001, he bought a Frankie Bones mixtape. As he listened to the tape on the way back home, he was enthralled by the raw aggression and abrasiveness of techno, a type of dance music he had never been introduced to until then. He quickly grew an interest in the art of DJing itself, taking time to watch different DJs, gaining a better understanding of their musical tastes and their methods behind the decks.

During a riverside party in the summer of 2002, Michael purchased an old set of turntables and mixer from a couple of friends. He quickly started gathering records and fooling around with his newly acquired equipment. A few months later, with the help of a friend and Cool Edit Pro, he recorded his first mix and slipped it in the hands of Kevin Tidwell, a Little Rock DJ and promoter, while at a local club known as the Checkmate Club. Not long after, Kevin contacted Michael inquiring if he would like to play at Checkmate. Michael seized the opportunity and procured his first gig one week shy of his 21st birthday.

Known at that time by the alias of Michael Circo, Michael intrigued his listeners with a blend of devilishly hard, funky techno with occasional hints of electro. These were styles of music uncommon with the Arkansas dance music scene. With each passing party and club event he played, Michael’s style got progressively harder, occasionally delving into schranz territory at times.

As the years passed – and his tastes expanded – Michael grudgingly weaned himself off hard techno and sought a new direction in his sets. The BPMs slowed somewhat, but the music he played was good as ever. Michael branched out considerably, playing groovy, mellow techno, funky and progressive house, still with hints of electro.

Around this time, Michael decided to re-christen himself as Chamelion. The alias reflected on his adaptation to the musical surroundings around him (while staying true to himself and the music he loves). With the exception of two letters, Chamelion contains an anagram of Michael, hence the spelling.

Pigeonholing Chamelion to a specific genre of music is an impossible task. He plays what he feel will move a crowd the most, while sticking to the 4/4 beats he cherishes. He has been known to play house, techno, electro, electro house, breaks, progressive, and trance….sometimes all in one set. He manages to genre-hop like few others, while maintaining a continuously fiery vibe in his music.

Michael’s accomplishments in the past year have been impressive.

-He has spun in Believe Productions’ third installment of the Nightmare on Wax Halloween-themed events.

-He has played twice at Club Discovery, the most prestigious dance club in all of Arkansas.

-He assisted in promoting (and played) a local show, in December 2007.

-Another big break presented itself when Michael played for the first time at The Rev Room, a bar/club in downtown Little Rock. He opened for Jen Lasher and Jeremy Dawson of (the DJ of Shiny Toy Guns) that night.

Michael is one of many great Arkansas DJs on the rise. As of February 2008, he has hosted monthly mixes online known as Adaptation Sessions, showcasing his versatility in mixing and wide range of musical tastes for willing ears. One never knows what to expect with each new mix! The remainder of 2008 and beyond holds nothing but promise for this underrated scene veteran. Chamelion has expressed interest in producing original material, so keep your eyes peeled and ears open for new tracks as well!