Courtesy
Najaaraq Vestbirk, aka Courtesy, is a DJ and label owner from Denmark. Pursuing and finding rare success solely as a DJ means she’s invested fully in her craft. Endless hours digging in the more overlooked sections of the world’s record shops while championing the newest music coming out of her Copenhagen hometown has resulted in a unique and thrilling sound. Her sets are as much for the head as they are the body – A place where fast, streamlined stompers sit alongside whip-crack electro and churning, wrongspeed EBM – held together by a common thread of smart and emotive melody.
This multi-faceted, carnivorous approach to DJing is echoed in the various musical endeavours Courtesy has started over last decade. In the mid-2000s she debuted as a DJ in the teenage duo Ung Flugt, before going on to found Dunkel Radio, a podcast, blog and radio show which grew into one of Denmark’s leading hubs for electronic music. Apeiron Crew followed, joined by Mama Snake, Solid Blake and Smokey for 4-headed back-to-back sets across Europe. Then, Ectotherm – a record label run in partnership with Mama Snake which, while ceasing operations after just 5 EPs, did much to showcase Copenhagen’s fresh take on techno to the world. And now, Kulør – a solo venture which continues to shine a light on Danish talent while seeking to push out beyond the music world into art, photography and writing.
But Vestbirk is a DJ first and foremost. In 2018, her recent mixes for Dekmantel and Mixmag are already essential listening, while standout performances at Nachtdigital, Dekmantel’s Boiler Room stage and the closing set of the Marcel Dettmann-curated Klubnacht at Berghain enamoured her with dancefloors worldwide. 2019 looks to continue Courtesy’s relentless pursuit of new and exciting musical adventures, and continue to thrill clubs and festivals worldwide.