Detroit’s Jon Dixon brings his unmistakable touch to Ascension on Wax, taking on one of the standout cuts from DFRA’s forthcoming ‘A Quiet Storm EP’. The Berlin label has built its reputation on honouring the jazz lineage that runs through house music, and here it hands Dixon the soulful ‘Charlene’ for a reading that is unmistakably his own.
DFRA, the project of Colombian-born, Buenos Aires-based producer Diego Ruiz, built ‘A Quiet Storm EP’ around a deep, musical sensibility shaped by formal studies in composition and a lifelong love of hip-hop, gospel, soul and disco. Across the record he moves between lush, jazz-rooted musicality and the raw drive of Detroit and Chicago house. The original ‘Charlene’ leans into that warmth, its soulful vocals weaving through chord progressions that recall the early Motor City Drum Ensemble era for a nostalgic yet forward-looking house cut.
For the remix, Jon Dixon strips the track back and rebuilds it through a distinctly Detroit lens. A key figure in the city’s scene and a longtime presence within the Underground Resistance orbit, Dixon layers in deeper textures and his signature keys, channelling the spirit of UR while pushing into more meditative territory. The result bridges jazz improvisation and machine-driven rhythm, trading immediacy for a slow-burning groove that rewards patience on the floor.
It is a fitting centrepiece for a label that continues to chase soulful, authentic club music. Founded in Berlin, Ascension on Wax pairs contemporary producers with a strong visual identity and limited vinyl pressings, keeping the traditions of the 90s US scene alive while looking firmly ahead. ‘A Quiet Storm EP’ arrives on 12-inch vinyl and digital, and Dixon’s take on ‘Charlene’ is the perfect bridge between the EP’s introspective heart and the dancefloor.
You can now listen to the full premiere of ‘Charlene (Jon Dixon Remix)’ exclusively on When We Dip Radio. Enjoy!
Release Date: June 5th, 2026. Buy Here
Jon Dixon: Instagram / SoundCloud
DFRA: Instagram / SoundCloud
Ascension on Wax: Instagram / SoundCloud