Royal Sapien

Royal Sapien is New York City-based producer and DJ, Ben Mautner. He grew up in the Midwest United States and was producing, DJing, and promoting raves by age 15. Over the next several years he'd release bootlegs that would receive international radio play and #1 chart positions at top record shops while running the popular Internet radio station Olaris Network, the precursor to Ben's own Olaris Records. All this led to more high profile work for the likes of Oxyd Records in Italy, whose release of Salt Pervert's "5am Soho" remixes reached #1 on the DMC Buzz Chart, and Fade Records in New York, where Ben crafted remixes for Funk Harmony Park that landed at #1 on Santa Monica's mega-station KCRW's top requested songs chart for three weeks in a row. In 2007, Fade released their massive retrospective Audio Tour 2, mixed by Royal Sapien and Chris Fortier, a musical and technical masterpiece that was awarded five dancing men by DMC Update and featured prominently by Ministry of Sound. 365Mag declared Audio Tour 2 "One of the best thought out mix compilations released to date." You've heard Royal Sapien's original productions and remixes in the sets of DJs like Chris Fortier, Hybrid, Armin Van Buuren, Matt Darey, Hernan Cattaneo, Jimmy Van M, Jondi and Spesh, D:Fuse, Chloe, Pole Folder, Jody Wisternoff, Madoka, Opencloud, and many other choosey humans. Look for Royal Sapien releases on his imprint Olaris Records out of Brooklyn, as well as Fade Records, Looq Records, Proton Music, Polytechnic Recordings, Toes In The Sand, EQ, Elektrotribe, Airport Route, Strater Records, and other fine labels. The trademark funky progressive Royal Sapien DJ skills have recently been showcased on John Digweed's Transitions on Kiss100, the Transitions Podcast, XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Proton Radio, Frisky Radio, the Balance Record Pool Show, The Genre Show, Audiophonic, Global Scum paired with Dave Seaman, and dozens of other broadcasts. Ben hosts Royal Sounds on Proton Radio, a three hour monthly mix that represents his live sets, in addition to his monthly show Movement on Frisky Radio that explores progressively eclectic sounds. The free Royal Sapien Podcast can be found on iTunes.