Offer Nissim is an Israeli DJ, producer and remixer who, over the past 25 years, has become one of the top names in Israel’s huge club scene.
Offer Nissim’s entrance into the industry started by accident when in 1979, the 15 year old DJ played his first ever live club set after being asked to replace a DJ that failed to show up. Since then, and over the years, Nissim has played in dozens of clubs across Israel, such as the “Forum”, “Ha-Oman 17”, “Alenby 58” and for the past few years in the “TLV” as the resident of the “FFF” - the most successful line of gay parties in Israel.
Nissim received international recognition and appeal when he produced the winning entry of the 1998 Eurovision song contest performed by Dana International, an Israeli transexual Diva. This success made him somewhat of a cultural icon in Israel and further elevated his status in the club scene.
While becoming well known in the Europe and the Middle East, Nissim was virtually unknown in the United States. However that changed when he met New York DJ, producer, and record-label owner Peter Rauhofer. Upon hearing Nissim’s creations, Rauhofer signed Offer Nissim to his U.S. record label, Star 69 Records.
His first release in the U.S. was the largely successful album “First Time” in which he collaborated with Maya Simantov (known as “Maya”), who was also the vocalist for all its tracks. This album had already been released in Israel prior to the release of the U.S. version on IMP Records.
Nissim’s sound can be described as ethereal, sweeping, tribal, vocal house music, although heinously old-fashioned. His trademark is how he manipulates the vocalist’s tracks, almost making it another instrument in his productions of the track by using a lot of loops and effects.
When he performs as a DJ, Offer Nissim is often a performance himself as he dances and moves to the music he’s playing and interacts with his audience.
