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DJ Morgan, producer and founder of HardNRG.com – one of the first major online platforms to promote hard house across the United States, showcasing exclusive sets from leading artists around the globe.

His own productions and DJ mixes blew up his international profile, seeing him tour extensively and earn a reputation as a highly influential figure in the early US hard dance movement. “When I went to my first rave, it all came together – a scene developing before my eyes, opening me up to entirely new ways of thinking about music,” he recalls.

The 1990s US dance scene was raw, experimental, and fiercely inclusive. “Everyone was welcome. Positive vibes came in, and out went the punk rock and industrial angst,” says DJ Morgan. While Europe evolved into a vast festival culture, America’s underground stayed stripped-back and communal. “Out of a thousand records, you might find twenty or so dedicated to harder styles,” he remembers. The arrival of early internet record hubs like Juno Records and Banging Tunes finally gave him access to the European records that would later inspire his mission.

In 1999, DJ Morgan launched HardNRG.com, one of the world’s first free online mix platforms – years ahead of SoundCloud or Mixcloud. “The goal was simple: get mixes from the best artists across Europe to ravers for free, and help spread the music across America.” The site became a global hub for hard house mixes. It featured some of the era’s biggest names, including Andy Farley, Anne Savage, BK, Captain Tinrib, Dynamic Intervention, Lisa Lashes, Karim, Lisa Pin-Up, Nick Sentience, Rodi Style, and Superfast Oz.

Building on that success, DJ Morgan co-founded Lotek Records, releasing tracks from Defective Audio, Dynamic Intervention, Pranksterz, Rubec, Chris C, and Madam Zu while producing his own material for Lotek and releases on Kaktai & DIP Records, including No Law, Unknown Technique, and Severe Trauma, rooted in harder-edged trance and NRG.

DJ Morgan helped pave the way for the early hard dance scene in San Francisco. “We started a club night and threw several underground parties while helping others in the scene put on events,” he explains. “Many of our DJs went on to play across North America and internationally. I had a great run of it myself, playing regularly across the US and Canada, and as far as the UK, Finland, Japan, and Australia.”

In parallel, he built a career in the video game industry, working with Activision, Sega, EA, and Blizzard on projects for major franchises including Command & Conquer and Warcraft. “My background in music allowed me to immediately speak with audio designers and engineers to hit the ground running,” he says.

Now based in Thailand, Morgan has returned to DJing with a renewed focus, performing across Techno, Hard Techno, Hard Trance, and Psy-Trance. “I play what I like, rather than chasing what is popular. This way, I’m playing the music I love and am excited to share with everyone.” With upcoming gigs in Bangkok, before heading to Pattaya and Phuket, the former US hard house pioneer continues to connect with audiences by combining the underground energy of his past with today’s global hard dance revival.

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/djmorgan303
Instagram @djMorgan303
Website: www.djMorgan.com

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