Silent Servant, a techno artist and member of Sandwell District from Central America but raised in Los Angeles, has passed away. The news was confirmed on January 19 through his management, Triangle Agency. The cause of his death has not yet been confirmed. Silent Servant, whose real name was John Juan Mendez, was part of the Sandwell District collective, which informed a shift in techno sound through the ‘00s.
Mendez started his music career as a DJ at the age of 16. He soon met Downwards Records owner Regis and released numerous singles with him throughout the 2000s. He was also instrumental in Sandwell District’s success, after which Mendez had a solo career. He played in numerous festivals including Berghain, Tresor, and Bassiani. Mendez, Regis, and James Ruskin also founded a record label, Jealous God.
Sandwell District announced on social media the release of an archival compilation featuring 12 tracks scheduled for February, titled ‘WHERE NEXT ?’. Mendez also released a final work titled ‘In Memoriam’ in late 2023, which was a memoir of his 30-plus year career spent exploring and absorbing the shadowy side of music. The EP was released on November 24 on Tresor Records and was a contemporary take on his previous work. In an interview with Mixmag back in November, Mendez said, “This EP is the first time I have been able to take all my memories and influences and distil them into musical form.”
Listen to Silent Servant’s final EP ‘In Memoriam’ below. Gemma Ross is the Assistant Editor of Mixmag. Follow her on Twitter
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