Justin Reed

Born in Evanston, Illinois Justin was raised on a steady diet of Chicago house, dance and golden era hiphop during his teenage years. Chance exposures to Brian Borden and Traxx opened his eyes to the world of the dj in 1990. Justin officially started his dj career in 1996 while attending Kalamazoo College. This time it was exposure from Detroit and Windsor techno artists like Rolando/Underground Resistance, Richie Hawtin and the Plus 8 crew. Shortly after starting on his first pair of practice decks in Kalamazoo Justin met and began collaborating with Midwest techno stalwarts Jay Denham/ Donnel Knox and Fanon Flowers. A series of events and endless inspiration would follow. After school Justin moved back to Chicago and had a stint on WNUR streetbeat with a weekly DJ show featuring house, techno and classics. in 2000 he joined together with some like minded locals and formed illmeasures - a promotions crew that has become known for underground loft parties around chicago's industrial core. In 2004 Justin had the rare privilege of releasing a remix (Stax - Jazzbug (DJR MIX) for his favorite record Label - Derrick Carter's Classic Music Company. In 2005 a collaboration with Chicago DJs Shaka 23 and Monna led to a track released on Stax's Abicah Soul with the Young Future Vol. 2 EP. In 2006 he cofounded a regular Chicago event - RESONATE that ran for 11 consecutive years with a breakoff initiative THE FREAKEASY (a wildly successful underground promotions initiative) beginning in 2008 and running to this day (he officially ceased direct involvement with the freakeasy in 2000). In 2012 Justin began a collaborative relationship with classical composer and DJ Mason Bates Including Mercury Soul events continuing to the present day featuring live performances from Kate Simko, Rob Garza, Will Magid, Gavin Hardkiss, Zoe Keating as well as SF Jazz Legends: The Jazz Mafia. in collaboration Bates - additional institutional work was done with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Anna Clyne and co-production of and performances for a events at The John F Kennedy Center for the performing arts in Washington D.C. including artists tycho, Mouse On Mars, Thievery Corporation and synth rock group Survive supporting their Stranger Things live show. During a covid hold on live events in 2000 Justin founded the deep electronics label Machine Tone Music with partner Aex Ramsdell. In 2022 his first solo EP, Chakrat EP, under a new alias, Floodreed, was released.