Overdrive Division

The electronic music project OverDrive Division, often abbreviated as ODD, is a German dance and hands up initiative led by producer Johannes Ripken, also known for his project Northstar Connection. The project began in early 2004.

The collective consists of Johannes Ripken (production and management), Collins Matsika (male vocals and rap), and Anne Holmok (female vocals and songwriting). Former members include Matthias Rump (alias DJ Essence), replaced in summer 2007, as well as DJs Ralph Rieger (alias DJ Reylo) and Robin Laß (alias RobStyle).

The project’s first release, the single Dancing Nation, came out in February 2007 on the Fanatic Beatz label, contributing to its popularity in the dance scene. The project’s DJs then hosted a weekly show, “OverDrive Sunday Sensation”, on the web radio Technobase FM.

The second single, Paradise, was released in autumn 2007, followed by a vinyl remix in March 2008. A turning point came with the third single, Midsummer Night, which led the project to the Mental Madness label and was included on the German compilation “Future Trance Vol. 46”. The following single, Road to Success, released in late 2009, met with similar success.

The single Crazy, released in May 2011, marked a novelty by incorporating rap vocals for the first time, performed by the British artist C.O.L.L. In addition to its own productions, OverDrive Division has created numerous remixes for other artists, including Brooklyn Bounce, Mad Flush, Karen Danzig, Thomas Petersen vs Gainworx, and Cooler & Long.

Over the years, the project has developed a distinctive style within the dance scene, with five singles and about twenty remixes to its name.