Italian breakbeat master, Madox, is back in Beijing this week to spin Saturday April 5 at China Doll. The Naples native has made quite a splash in breakbeat scene over the past few years, chalking up Breakspoll Awards (one of Breakbeat’s most prestigious awards) nominations as a Breakthrough Act 2005, Best DJ, Producer and Remixer at the 2006 event, and also featured as ‘one to watch out for’ in DJ Magazine. Releases on prestigious labels such as Mantra, Finger Lickin’ and Functional Breaks and a grip of tasty remix work for many of the breakbeat glitterati have shown he’s one of the more versatile producers in breakbeat. If you like breakbeats, this is a show not to miss. The breakbeat scene of late has suffered from its own success as certain producers seem to stick to the same formula, but Madox has a way of offering something different with his remixes and releases,. Over the past year or two he's shown his diversatility by collaborating with major players from unlikely ends of the electronic music world without compromising his breaks reputation. He's worked with Techno legend John Acquaviva (Richie Hawtin's long time label partner and collaborator) on several projects, and created an alter ego, Riva Starr, for his house productions, releasing on Claude Von Stroke's Dirtybird Records, and Jesse Rose's Front Room recordings, who both are currently hotter than sunburn. Madox, aka Stefano Miele, also has a degree in Chinese and is a pal of Beijing based fellow Neapolitan Ludo V, who can often be heard spinning house and techno around town. Booked to play breakbeat Saturday as Madox in China Doll, he played an impromptu set as Riva Starr on Thursday. Most DJs coming to town play the allotted time, collect their cash and cruise, but Madox/Riva Starr was up for playing a different style on a different night. I had a chance to ask him this and other questions at China Doll Thursday night.

So what’s with the different names? Why create an alter ego like Riva Starr?

I need to do that. I’m a producer, first of all and I make all kinds of different music. Not just breakbeat, so this is a way to do something different.

How would you describe the Riva Starr sound?

I'd say its jacking 404 sound, a focus on the more analogue sounds. I feel like it's an evolution of my sound. Riva Starr gives me freedom to go in a different direction with my music. People expect certain things from the Madox name – I've tried releasing more house styled tunes under the Madox name but I think people expected something else. Riva Starr allows me to have fun in the studio and not have to fit into a certain style.

So why are you playing as Riva Starr tonight?

I'm interested to see how the crowd reacts, it's a chance to test out some things and play differently than I will on Saturday. It's really just a big laboratory to try out some music on people.

How did you get involved in music?

Growing up my relatives listened to all kinds of music, prog rock, the beginnings of electro, Motown – all kinds of things. My dad has over 10,000 records so anytime I needed a sample, I’d just go look in his collection. I started Djing in the Neapolitan scene – house, hip hop, some rock and then got into the chemical beats scene as it developed. From there I got into big beat, and then into breaks.

You've collaborated with many high profile people over the past few years, working with John Acquaviva, Santos and others. What is it about collaborating that interests you?

It's great to get a different point of view, to try new things you wouldn't have thought of by yourself and learn from other people.

What was it like working with someone like John Acquaviva, who is so respected in the dance music world?

It was great, he showed me lots of tricks. . he came to Naples to play and for a few days we hung out in the studio, and that’s where the Feedback track (their hotly tipped collaboration) came from. I think guys like him, they’ve had a lot of success, but they’re not selfish about what they know, they’re happy to share it with others and see what can happen. They’re confident enough in what they can do. I learned a lot from that.

What do you think of China’s music and club scene? You’ve been coming here for some time, what changes have you seen?

It has changed a lot. There are a lot more mainstream clubs. I first came here in early 2000 and played at Babyface, which was strange because I played quite underground stuff. But the mainstream clubs and the underground clubs, they all help to grow the scene. Like China Doll, for example, it doesn’t really look that underground, but having played here before I know that I can play quite underground stuff, like I’m about to do tonight. Breaks and that stuff I’ll play on Saturday.

What’s next for you?

I’m starting my own label, called Snatch. I’ll keep doing my own stuff over the summer and then start up with more collaborations and other things in the fall.

Madox plays at China Doll on Saturday, April 5th.