Biography
Vienna-based pair dZihan & Kamien, whose names are voiced Jay-hahn and Kammy-en, craft a downtempo blend of soulful house that recalls the work of Jazzanova, P'taah, and the Naked Music collections. The duo first gained traction in 1996 when the single “Der Buch” gained heavy play in European clubs and surfaced on multiple compilations. Their debut full-length, Freaks & Icons, arrived in late 2000.
Sarajevo native Vlado dZihan was raised amid musicians and, as a drummer, earned local recognition before contributing to the Arizona Dream film score that featured Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway. During studies in Vienna he encountered production partner Mario Kamien. German-born Kamien, whose background encompasses Italian and Polish roots, shared dZihan’s fascination with Near Eastern traditions—particularly those of Turkey—and a fondness for Arabic strings.
Drawing on these overlapping tastes and experiences, the pair issued Freaks & Icons through their own Couch Records imprint. The album centered on downtempo-house textures built from samples drawn from traditional Near Eastern sources and was preceded by the three EPs Tearroom 2004, [B]efore [A]fter, and Code: No Pork Please. The mix collection Refreaked followed a year afterward, with Gran Riserva arriving in 2002.
Sarajevo native Vlado dZihan was raised amid musicians and, as a drummer, earned local recognition before contributing to the Arizona Dream film score that featured Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway. During studies in Vienna he encountered production partner Mario Kamien. German-born Kamien, whose background encompasses Italian and Polish roots, shared dZihan’s fascination with Near Eastern traditions—particularly those of Turkey—and a fondness for Arabic strings.
Drawing on these overlapping tastes and experiences, the pair issued Freaks & Icons through their own Couch Records imprint. The album centered on downtempo-house textures built from samples drawn from traditional Near Eastern sources and was preceded by the three EPs Tearroom 2004, [B]efore [A]fter, and Code: No Pork Please. The mix collection Refreaked followed a year afterward, with Gran Riserva arriving in 2002.
Albums
Singles
