At his second appearance at New York’s Electric Zoo (he also played the 2009 festival), Mehdi’s status as veteran of the tables was so obvious that its easy to assume he came out of the womb spinning.

Mehdi’s music fuses the hip hop and electro genres. I’m not usually a booty dancer, but with Mehdi throwing tracks, one can’t help but bend over and grind a bit. Don’t get too comfortable though, ‘cause soon he’ll have the entire crowds eyes closed and arms raised, pulsating in a euphoric trance. If someone sat through a Mehdi show and didn’t enjoy themselves then they just don’t like life. This music just feels good. The tone of the music changes with Mehdi’s expressions; he is first serious, brows furrowed in concentration, then playful, bouncing and smiling from ear to ear. This is music at its best– a coming together of different styles and talents that when woven together with Mehdi’s precision and skill, ebb and flow seamlessly from end to end.

Mehdi spun a hour and a half set to an almost insanely fanatic crowd (‘Mehdi, I would die for you!’ one girl squealed, choking back tears, as he signed her arm) before happily giving me a few seconds to fire off some frames. He says that music is the only reason he works and that he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.  For the sake of music fans everywhere, and especially that one girl, I hope he doesn’t stop.

Words by Courtney Dudley