Mason (musician)

Mason (born 17 January 1980; Iason Chronis) is the stage name of Dutch music DJ & producer. He had a number one on the UK Dance Chart in 2007 with his track "Exceeder". Exceeder had originally been an instrumental and had received a vinyl only release in the UK in 2006. The new version of the track, "Perfect (Exceeder)", featured vocals from Princess Superstar and reached number 3 on the national British chart in January 2007. The number was a big hit in many countries worldwide. He also had pop chart success in the Netherlands and Belgium with his song "Runaway", which was a modern version of "Runaway" by Eruption, and with "Boadicea", featuring Róisín Murphy.

Mason has released music on numerous electronic music labels, such as Great Stuff Recordings, and Fool's Gold Records, and remixed artists such as Moby, Jack Garrett, Steve Aoki, Hadouken, Don Diablo, Mat Zo, 2Unlimited, Mylo, Worthy, Tommy Trash, Martin Solveig, Robyn and Gabriella Cilmi. In 2008 Mason launched his own label Animal Language. In 2011 he released his debut album They Are Among Us, which featured collaborations with Róisín Murphy, DMC, Sam Sparro, Kurtis Blow and Aqualung. In 2014 the second Mason album ZOA was released, featuring Jocelyn Brown, Zoot Woman, Rouge Mary (Hercules & Love Affair) among other featured artists.

In 2015, "Papapapa" on Loulou Records reached the number 1 position on Beatport. In the same year Mason released his Nite Rite series, a collection of numbered Nite Rites, released on each full moon. Nite Rite Ten featured Danielle Moore from the UK indie band Crazy P on vocals. In 2015 he also collaborated on releases with German house acts Moonbootica and Sharam Jey. He also remixed fellow Dutch acts Kraak & Smaak, Janne Schra and Arling & Cameron this year.

In 2016 Mason signed to Island Records, and began work on material with US hip hop artist Azealia Banks. However after racial and homophobic comments by her on Twitter, he ceased the collaboration and started to work with UK grime artist Stefflon Don, which led to the "Fashion Killa" single release, that reached a number 4 position on the UK dance chart. This song was also used for television ads for Boohoo, Deezer and America's Next Top Model. The song was widely supported on BBC Radio 1 and other UK national radio stations. He also mixed and compiled the Toolroom Miami Poolside album this year, which was released on Toolroom Records.

Mason is Iason Chronis. He was born in Amsterdam to a Dutch actress Adrienne Kleiweg and Greek sculptor Jorgos Chronis. Both his sisters have been tv actresses too. He began learning the violin at age 6. In 1987, he sang in the 8th version of the Kinderen voor Kinderen choir, and would continue to do so until the 12th version in 1991. In 1995 he started doing DJ performances, initially in and around Amsterdam, but later abroad. In 1999, he took a four-year course in Music Composition and Performance, which he graduated with honours and for which he received an award from the Dutch Royal Family. He used his violin skills during his DJ-sets between 1999 and 2005. During his world tour with Tiësto in 2004, he played the violin during a live performance of Lethal Industry. In 2006 Coen Berrier (born 17 April 1979) joined in the studio and during live shows, but left Mason in 2014. Berrier has had earlier chart success with 'Husan' by Bhangra Knights.

Mason plays live shows as well as dj sets, and performed at festivals like Sensation White, Dance Valley, Tomorrowland, Nature One, Creamfields, Global Gathering and clubs like Fabric, Ministry Of Sound, Green Valley, Space Ibiza, Zouk, Octagon, Air and many others in more than 50 countries around the world. Mason is the organiser behind several parties throughout the Netherlands, including the Animal Language Kafe Rave and Avondwinkel at Club Nyx in Amsterdam. He is also on the members board of Buma/Stemra.

Remixes