Public Energy | en

Public Energy is an alter ego of dutch DJ and producer Jochem Paap, better known as Speedy J.

He is based in the city of Rotterdam. His breakthrough came with the release in 1992 of the minimal techno track Pullover. Subsequently his material became more mellow as he moved away from the hardcore sounds that were then becoming popular in Belgium and the Netherlands.

His debut album Ginger (1993) was released on Richie Hawtin's Plus 8 record label in the US, while in the UK it was part of Warp Records' Artificial Intelligence series of electronic listening music. A further, more introspective release, G-Spot followed in 1995. Afterwards his work, which included Public Energy No.1 (1997) and A Shocking Hobby (2000)) became more experimental, importantly influencing the development of what is known as "intelligent techno".

"Upon first impressions, Public Energy No.1 highlights a big departure from previous Speedy J offerings... in a complete role reversal, it enters upon an iconoclastic electro territory more familiar to admirers of such other purveyors as Autechre, the Aphex Twin, Mike Paradinas and Martin Damm in his Steel persona," wrote Andrez Bergen in 1998 for Australian magazine Inpress.

The album Loudboxer (2002) saw a return to a more minimal four to the floor style of techno.

He collaborated with Mike Paradinas on the project Slag Boom Van Loon, through which they have released two CDs on Paradinas's record label, Planet Mu. In 1999, he also released two ambient albums for the FAX +49-69/450464 label under his real name. .