Gabriel & Dresden

The trance outfit Gabriel & Dresden, formed by San Franciscans Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden, surfaced in 2001 amid the height of the American electronica surge. Fifteen years of DJ experience had shaped Dresden, whose tastes had been formed by new wave, alternative, and industrial dance, while Gabriel, a CalArts music alumnus and programming prodigy, had already invented loop-driven composition through his Mixman software.

Their introduction occurred at the Miami Winter Music Conference when Gabriel was distributing copies of his first single to working DJs. Dresden, then scouting talent for Pete Tong, passed the record along; Tong aired it on his program. Later, when Tong commissioned a remix from Dresden, the DJ enlisted Gabriel’s assistance, and the partnership took shape. They began by producing remixes, then issued their own debut single, “Lament,” in 2002. International breakthrough arrived the next year with “As the Rush Comes,” credited to the trio Motorcycle that also featured vocalist Jes. Their treatment of “Beautiful Things,” drawn from Gabriel’s parallel project Andain, likewise achieved widespread success.

Nettwerk signed the duo in 2004; they appeared prominently on the label’s Bloom compilation, which they assembled and mixed themselves. Their self-titled first artist album followed in 2006, reflecting a song-oriented approach colored by pop and rock elements and yielding the singles “Tracking Treasure Down” and “Dangerous Power.” Toolroom Knights, Vol. 2 appeared in 2007. Two consecutive victories at the Miami Winter Music Conference earned them the Best American DJ award before they parted on amicable terms in 2008 to pursue individual work.

Reconvening in 2011, initially for festival dates, they sustained the collaboration and delivered Mixed for Feet, Vol. 1 on Armada that same year. Live performances, a monthly Internet radio program, and occasional single releases continued until a 2016 crowdfunding effort financed their next studio album. Upon completion, Above & Beyond’s Anjunabeats label acquired the project. The Only Road, released in December 2017, retained the song-centric focus of their earlier album yet adopted a retro, synth-pop aesthetic. A third album, also crowdfunded, followed more rapidly; Remedy emerged in 2020 on Anjunabeats. Created in the pair’s secluded Spokane, Washington studio, the record drew from the restorative qualities of the natural world and included vocal contributions from Sub Teal, Jan Burton, and Centre.