Mike Dierickx Explained

Mike Dierickx
Background:	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth Name:	Dirk Dierickx, name change to Mike Dierickx in 2000
Alias:	Push, M.I.K.E. Push, Solar Factor, The Blackmaster, Return of the Native, Plastic Boy, Retro-Active ..
Birth Date:	1973 2, df=yes
Birth Place:	Antwerp, Belgium
Instrument:	Keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming, engineering
Genre:	House, techno, trance,
Occupation:	Producer, DJ, remixer, composer, songwriter
Years Active:	1992–present
Label:	Filth on Acid, FSOE, Armada Music, Bonzai Records, Push Forward
Associated Acts:	Armin Van Buuren, Tetsuya Komuro, Rank 1
Website:	www.mikepush.com

Mike Dierickx (born Dirk Dierickx on 20 February 1973), and most commonly recognized under the aliases Push or M.I.K.E. Push, is a Belgian DJ and Producer. Best known for the song "Universal Nation", he has also released other club singles including "The Legacy" and "Strange World".^{[1] [2]} His style is primarily trance and darker [retro] techno.

Biography

Producing and DJing under the name M.I.K.E. Push, he has been releasing records under the guises: Solar Factor, M.I.K.E, The Blackmaster, Return of the Native, Plastic Boy and Push. In total, he has used over 85 different aliases throughout his career. As a DJ, Mike's style is similar to the music he produces, mostly progressive trance.

As an 11-year-old boy, he discovered the potential of samplers and keyboards, with his interest in electronic music developed further over the next years.At the age of 18, Mike handed his first demo tape to the Antwerp-based record company, USA Import. Shortly after, his first record, "Vision Act" was released through the Atom label in 1992. Mike released a series of records before he signed up with Lightning Records (Bonzai) in 1996.^[3]

Push became well-known and in 1998, Universal Nation won several dance awards, including a platinum award for selling over 25.000 vinyl units & Spotify streaming award, and is recognized as one of the classic dance-records of the trance era.^{[4] [5]} His Push follow-up single "Strange World" was also a hit and played throughout hundreds of clubs all across Europe.^[3] This was followed by another release, "The Legacy", once again topping most dance charts across Europe and entering the British National charts at #22.^[6] Over the years, Mike received several music awards including best club singles and best dance-producer, France Media award, and entered the national Top 40 in the UK six times.^[6]

Mike also teamed up and produced remixes for Sinéad O'Connor, Moby, Armin Van Buuren, Bomfunk MC's, Ayumi Hamasaki, Bloodhound Gang, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.^{[5] [3]}

Push spawned six official albums: From Beyond, Electric Eclipse, Global Age, Together We Rule The World, Neon Life and Scope.

Discography

As Push

Albums

• 2000 From Beyond (Bonzai Records)
• 2002 Strange World Japan Edition (Avex Records)
• 2004 Electric Eclipse (Bonzai Records)
• 2009 Global Age (Armada Music)
• 2018 Together We Rule The World (Mostiko)
• 2020 From Beyond Album Sampler E.P. (Bonzai Classics)
• 2020 Neon Life (Push Forward)
• 2022 Scope (Push Forward)

Singles

• 1994 "Acid Hysteria"
• 1995 "Da Story"
• 1995 "Blast Traxx"
• 1998 "The Real Anthem" (also released as "Universal Nation")
• 1999 "Cosmonautica"
• 1999 "Till We Meet Again"^[7]
• 1999 "Universal Nation '99"
• 2000 "Strange World"
• 2001 "The Legacy"
• 2001 "Please Save Me" (vs. Sunscreem)
• 2002 "Tranzy State of Mind"
• 2002 "Strange World / The Legacy"
• 2002 "Dreams from Above" (vs Globe)
• 2003 "Universal Nation 2003"
• 2003 "Tranceformation" (vs Globe)
• 2003 "Journey of Life"
• 2004 "Electric Eclipse"
• 2004 "R.E.S.P.E.C.T."
• 2008 "Dream Designer"
• 2008 "Universal Voice"
• 2008 "This Place" (feat. Sir Adrian)
• 2009 "Interference"
• 2009 "Infinite / Free Time"
• 2009 "Global Age"
• 2009 "Tomorrow Is Another Day" (vs Klems)
• 2018 "Together We Rule the World"
• 2019 "No Borders"
• 2020 "In the Sphere" (vs Crashguard)
• 2021 "Remind"
• 2022 "Big Things Have Small Beginnings" (Mark Sherry meets Push)
• 2022 "Straight to the Point / Mind Hype"

As Plastic Boy

Albums

• 2005 It's A Plastic World (Bonzai Records)
• 2011 Plastic Infusion (Armada Music)

Singles

• 1998 "Twixt"
• 1998 "Life Isn't Easy"
• 1999 "Angel Dust"
• 2000 "Can You Feel It"
• 2001 "Silver Bath"
• 2003 "Live Another Life"
• 2004 "Twixt 2004"
• 2005 "From Here to Nowhere"
• 2008 "Rise Up" / "A New Life"
• 2010 "Chocolate Infusion" / "Exposed"
• 2010 "Aquarius" / "Journey of a Man" / "We're Back To Stay"
• 2011 "RED E.P"
• 2016 "Now & Forever"

As Absolute

Albums

• 2008 Horizons (Armada Digital)

Singles

• 2000 "Stereosex"
• 2004 "New Horizon"
• 2005 "Day Dream"
• 2005 "Seven Sins / X-Factor"
• 2006 "Now & Ever"
• 2007 "Dream Odyssey / Up in the Air"
• 2008 "Absolute-Ly / Dolphin's Cry"
• 2008 "Sky High / Winter Time"

As M.I.K.E. and later on M.I.K.E. Push

Albums

• 2005 Armada Presents: Antwerp '05 (Armada Music)
• 2006 The Perfect Blend (Armada Music)
• 2007 Moving on in Life (Armada Music)
• 2013 World Citizen (ID&T – High Contrast Recordings)

Singles

• 1999 "Futurism"
• 2000 "Sunrise at Palamos"
• 2001 "The Running Night"
• 2002 "Ice Cream" (vs John '00' Fleming)
• 2003 "Turn Out The lights"
• 2004 "Totally Fascinated"
• 2004 "Intruder" / "Pound" (vs. Armin)
• 2004 "Dame Blanche" (vs John '00' Fleming)
• 2005 "Massive Motion"
• 2005 "Fuego Caliente"
• 2006 "Voices From The Inside"
• 2006 "Salvation"
• 2006 "Strange World 2006"
• 2006 "Into The Danger"(with Andrew Bennet)
• 2007 "Changes 'R Good"
• 2008 "Nu Senstation"
• 2008 "A Better World" (with Andrew Bennet)
• 2010 "Art of love"
• 2011 "Back in Time"
• 2012 "Coleurs Du Soleil" (with Maor Levi)
• 2013 "Elements of Nature" (vs Rank 1)
• 2013 "Canvas"
• 2014 "Astrolab"
• 2015 "Zenith" (vs Rank 1)
• 2016 "Quadrant"
• 2016 "Chiffon"
• 2016 "Pretention"
• 2016 "Circa"
• 2016 "Estivate"
• 2016 "Night Shades"
• 2017: "Sonorous" [Who's Afraid of 138?!]
• 2018 "Freysa" (as Cosmo Kid)^[8]
• 2019 "Somewhere Out There" (as Cosmo Kid)^[9]

As Solar Factor

• 2001 "Deep Sonar"
• 2002 "No Return"
• 2002 "Urban Shakedown"
• 2004 "Fashion Slam"
• 2005 "Global Getaways"
• 2005 "The Rising Sun"

As Project M.C.

• 2010 "Kontrol" / "Crossing The Sun"

Retro Active

• 2020 "Here Once Again" vs. DJ Ghost
• 2022 "Blacked Out"

Singles chart positions

Year	Single		Peak chart positions				Album
	Project name	Title	UK ^[10]	Belgium	Netherlands	Germany^[11]
1998	Push	"Universal Nation"	36	28	—	59	From Beyond
	Plastic Boy	"Twixt"	94	—	—	—	It's a Plastic World
1999	Push	"Till We Meet Again"	46	—	—	—	From Beyond
		"Universal Nation '99"	35	—	—	—
2000
		"Strange World"	21	—	—	—
2001		"The Legacy"	22	—	—	—
		"Please Save Me" (vs. Sunscreem)	36	—	57	—	Single only
2002		"Tranzy State of Mind"	31	—	—	—	From Beyond
		"Strange World/The Legacy"	55	—	—	—
	Plastic Boy	"Silver Bath"	88	—	—	—	It's a Plastic World
	M.I.K.E. (vs. John '00' Flemming)	"Icecream"	96	—	—	—	Single only
2003	Push	"Universal Nation 2003"	54	—	—	—	Singles only
		"Transformation" (vs. Globe)	92	—	—	—
		"Journey of Life"	86	—	—	—	Electric Eclipse
	Plastic Boy	"Live Another Life" (feat. Rozalla)	55	—	—	—	It's a Plastic World
2004	M.I.K.E. (vs. Armin)	"Intruder" / "Pound"	144	—	—	—	The Perfect Blend
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Remixes

• Art of Trance: "Madagascar" (Push Remix)
• Cygnus X: "The Orange Theme" (Push Remix)
• Mauro Picotto: "Back To Cali" (Push Remix)
• Moby: "In This World" (Push Vocal Mix)
• Rio Klein: "Fearless" (Push Remix)
• Sinéad O'Connor: "Troy – Phoenix From The Flame" (Push Remix)
• Sunscreem: "Exodus" (Push Remix)
• The Space Brothers: "Everywhere I Go" (Push Trancendental Remix)
• Yves DeRuyter: "Music Non Stop" (Push Remix)
• Robert Gitelman: "Things 2 Say" (M.I.K.E. Remix)
• The Gift: "Love Angel" (M.I.K.E. Remix)
• Armin Van Buuren: "In And Out of Love" (Push Trancedental Remix)
• Arnej: "They Always Come Back" (M.I.K.E. Remix)
• Ramirez Vs. Nebula: "Hablando" (Push Remix)
• Ayumi Hamasaki: "Boys & Girls" (Push Remix)
• Ayumi Hamasaki: "Carols" (Push Remix)
• Psy'Aviah: "Ok" (M.I.K.E. Remix)
• Lange: "Kilimanjaro" (M.I.K.E. Remix)
• Bloodhound Gang: "Clean Up in Aisle Sexy" (M.I.K.E. Push Remix)
• Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. Diplo feat Deb's Daughter: "Hey Baby" (M.I.K.E Push Remix)
• Cherrymoon Trax – "The House of House" (M.I.K.E. Push Remix)

External links

• M.I.K.E. Push official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Biography: Push. 5 November 1999. Dance Vibes. 18 December 2010. 5 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110205024729/http://www.dancevibes.be/artists/push-biography-discography/. live.
2. Web site: 20 of the Best Classic Trance Anthems From The 2000s . The DJ Revolution . 19 April 2023 . 30 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130175254/https://www.thedjrevolution.com/20-best-classic-trance-anthems-2000s/ . live .
3. Web site: DJ M.I.K.E. (Mike Dierckx) . DJ Guide . 19 April 2023 . 8 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808215549/http://www.djguide.nl/djinfo.p?djid=1011&language=en . live .
4. Web site: Mullins . Ellie . Push's iconic 'Universal Nation' becomes Tomorrowland's top 'Made in Belgium' track . We Rave You . 7 December 2020 . 19 April 2023 . 30 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130114430/https://weraveyou.com/2020/12/universal-nation-tomorrowland/ . live .
5. Web site: M.I.K.E Biography . . 19 April 2023 . 22 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422110212/https://ra.co/dj/mikepush/biography . live .
6. Web site: PUSH . . 19 April 2023 . 16 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221016003817/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/6687/push/ . live .
7. Web site: VUONCINO . CHRIS . In memoriam: DJ and producer Marino Stephano passed away 23 years ago . We Rave You . 19 April 2023 . 8 September 2022 . M.I.K.E. Push would go on to release the single Till We Meet Again in dedication to his friend, Marino Stephano and as a touching tribute to a life gone too soon. . 9 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221109130128/https://weraveyou.com/2022/09/marino-stephano/ . live .
8. Web site: Freysa by M.I.K.E. Push and Cosmo Kid on Beatport . 2018-05-07 . . 30 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191230215838/https://www.beatport.com/track/freysa-extended-mix/10453684 . live .
9. Web site: 15 February 2019 . Somewhere out There – Single by M.I.K.E. Push on Apple Music . 22 February 2019 . . 22 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190222204422/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/somewhere-out-there-single/1451891080 . live .
10. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5.
11. Web site: Archived copy . 7 March 2023 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307211950/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche/person-90920 . live .