“Anyone can play a familiar track that’ll make the crowds go crazy. The challenge is finding a sound that no one knows and evoking the same reaction.”

Marketing director by day, producer and DJ by night, and label head always, Matthew Smit, better known as his artist name Shmitty, is an LA-based minimal techno visionary that has been performing, promoting, and throwing events for nearly a decade. The Netherland-born artist’s career launched when he moved to Los Angeles in the early 2010s, performing at small clubs and throwing his own parties.

The Netherlands-born talent covers a wide range of sounds, from groovy down tempo and house-laced deep cuts to cultish techno and murky, industrial cadences. He crafts meticulous arrangements that showcase his deep knowledge of music and ability to get any crowd moving. Some of his notable releases include “Claves & Warps (Original Mix),” “Pressurize (Original Mix),” and “Zero (Shmitty Remix).”

Shmitty’s involvement in the scene goes beyond performing. The techno artist got involved with the mega-event throwers Insomniac a decade ago, where he now serves as their marketing director and works closely with their subsidiary Factory 93. Throwing, promoting, and performing at events led to the start of Shmitty’s own record label and event company, Minimal Sessions, in 2016. Much like his own music, Minimal Sessions focuses on dark driving techno, showcasing artists like Half Robot, Brand, Mike Techh, Unlighted, and DJ WestBeat.

Shmitty’s name can be found all over, from festival lineups and residencies to event production credits. His reputation is built on the countless hours spent performing and producing events in Los Angeles, but has been solidified nationally. The established artist performs at clubs like Create and Exchange LA, where he holds residencies. He’s also brought his full-spectrum sound across the nation, performing at festivals such as Escape from Wonderland, Skyline Festival, and EDCLV.