RIP Dave Twomey

Dave Twomey has lost his three year battle with cancer. 

As reported by Resident Advisor earlier this week, Dave Twomey had been diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer and passed away while receiving treatment in Vietnam. He had been keeping friends, family and followers updated with his progress via his blog mindlessfulness, while also raising money for the Yes 2 Life charity which you can still donate to.

Originally from Bristol, Twomey moved to Japan where he lived for eight years, becoming an important figure of Tokyo's techno scene as a DJ, live act and producer. In 2009 he launched the deep sea themed Mariana, an event series to book acts such as Peter Van Hoesen, Mike Parker, Abdullah Rashim and local artist Wata Igarashi.

In May this year Twomey launched the Mariana Wax imprint with a various artist EP featuring himself as Tr nch, Mike Parker and Wata Igarashi. It's a record that beautifully captures Twomey's fascination with the deep blue - specifically the deepest part of the world's oceans the Mariana Trench - and his love for sub-aqueous techno.

Twomey introduces Mariana Wax 000 with his ambient "Challanger Deep" (The Challenger Deep is the deepest known point in the Earth's seabed) and features an interview with the French marine explorer Jacques Picard recounting his 1960 journey to the bottom of the ocean. With five minutes of tonal pulsations and bubbling bass that fathoms deeper by the bar, the 12" version reaches its run out groove and narratively transitions into a 2013 remaster of Mike Parker's throbbing "Below Zero". A beautifully curated A-side.

In 2011 Twomey's watery synthesises appeared on a collaboration with Japanese act Iori, with the two supplying "Barreleye" for Volume 3 of the 61 Center Returning series for Van Hoesen's Time To Express label.

You can listen to a recent set Dave Twomey played as Tr nch at the Mariana Wax launch party recorded in Tokyo earlier this year.

Our thoughts go out to Dave's family and friends.