Dominic "Ski" Oakenfull (best known as Ski Oakenfull) is an English music producer, keyboard player, and educator. His nickname "Ski" was given by his bandmates in The K-Creative who named him after the dance music artist Adamski.
Career
Collaborations Ski Oakenfull was a member of The K-Creative, who signed to Gilles Peterson's record label Talkin' Loud in 1991, and their single Feed The Feeling / Three Times A Maybe reached #58 in the UK Singles Charts in 1992. After the group disbanded, Oakenfull was a member of Raw Stylus, and then played keyboards with Galliano until 1997, and again on their 2024 album Halfway Somewhere. He has also performed with Incognito, Kylie Minogue, The Bays, and Milton Jackson.
Solo work Oakenfull released his debut album Life Changes in 2000. Muzik rated it 4/5 and praised its mix of house, disco, soul and jazz-funk music styles. All Music rated it 3/5, and described it as "bringing back to life one of club/dance's most trendy circuits dating back to the early '90s." The album featured single Where Did The Love Go?, and Fifths, with the latter becoming the most played unplaylisted track on MTV Europe at the time. He also produces and releases music under the alias Ayota, a project that explores ambient, downtempo, and Japanese-influenced electronic soundscapes, blended with field recordings and vocals. The project's debut album, Helicopter Cuts, was released in 2007 on Third Ear Recordings in Japan where it became the Tower Records ambient album of the year.
Education work In 2012 Oakenfull began teaching at pointblank Music School, and later became a Certified Trainer of music production software Ableton Live. He is now Head of Education and Curriculum at the school, where he oversees the design and management of its music degree programmes. Oakenfull is also widely recognised for his in-depth breakdowns of iconic tracks known as 'deconstructions' which he often presents live at festivals and conferences such as IMS, Sonar+, ADE, and AVA.
Record label Oakenfull is also label manager and owner of Primaudial Records, an independent label he founded in the early 2000s to release his own material and selected projects by other artists. The label has served as a platform for Oakenfull's creative output, ranging from house to ambient and jazz.
Select discography
Solo albums DateTitleRecord label2000Life ChangesColumbia France2005Rising SonBarely Breaking Even / Pony Canyon2021Short CircuitsPrimaudial Records
Solo singles, EPs and compilation tracks DateTitleFrom albumRecord label1994Ain't Gonna Justify feat. Chezeré -Black on Black1994Realise Your True Potential (with Ife Piankhi)One Hell Of A Storm (Versemongers Meet Soundcreators)Tongue & Groove1997Montreux à MarseilleSun Sun: Ceci N'Est Pas Une CompilationColumbia1998Tress-Cun-Deo-La feat. Valerie EtienneSun Sun: Ceci N'Est Pas Une CompilationColumbia2000Fifths (Including Jazzanova remix)Life ChangesColumbia / INCtraxx2000UndercoverLife ChangesColumbia2001Where Did The Love Go? feat. Marc AnthonyLife ChangesColumbia2003Slo FixItalian Style Volume 2Jalapeno2007Heavenly feat. Chi Turner (Yam Who? Mix)12 Inches of Pleasure Part IIBarely Breaking Even2007New Orleans Under Attack EP -Primaudial Records2007Illuminations EP -Primaudial Records2007Live at Maida Vale EP -Primaudial Records2007Winter feat. Valerie EtienneWinterhouse compilationStarbucks2008The Look of Love feat. Valerie EtienneThe Look of Love compilationStarbucks2009Love Meeting Love feat. Valerie Etienne -Primaudial Records2009Love Meeting Love feat. Valerie Etienne (Remixes) -Primaudial Records2010Thousand Knives EP -Primaudial Records2020Terms and ConditionsDigging the KPM VaultsKPM2025Fujicolour EP -Primaudial Records
Charts DateReleaseChartPeak position2001Where Did The Love Go?Club Chart Top 40 (UK)182005So Beautiful feat. Chi TurnerTokio Hot 100 (Japan)87
References
External links
Dominic Oakenfull discography at Discogs