The Digital Blonde is a production alias of UK trance producer and DJ Ricky Smith. Smith has been producing as The Digital Blonde since the late nineties and is a long term production partner of John '00' Fleming, most notably as half of 00.db. The Digital Blonde primarily releases on Fleming's JOOF label.

Early Years: 1997 to present

Ricky Smith started producing as The Digital Blonde in 1997 and he soon found success with his 1999 release, the 'Europa E.P.’ (Free For All 1999).  The lead track on the E.P., ‘Elektra’ was championed by Dutch trance DJs Tiesto and Ferry Corsten.  Corsten included the track on his seminal 1999 mix compilation album ‘Live At Innercity’.

Smith’s blend of driving rhythms and progressive but euphoric melodies found his tracks increasingly in favour among more underground trance DJs such as Darren Pearce and John ‘00’ Fleming.  Fleming was to turn out to be Smith’s biggest musical ally and ultimately a long term production partner.  Fleming regularly included Digital Blonde tracks and remixes on his mix compilations and the pair released their first collaboration in 2001 with the track ‘Sutra’ which appeared on the B Side of The Digital Blonde’s single ‘Legato’ (Joof Recordings 2001).  The tracks were released on Fleming’s JOOF label and Smith continues to release regularly on the label.

By 2006 Fleming and Smith were beginning to release their collaborations under the long-winded label of John '00' Fleming & The Digital Blonde Presents ... 0.0db.  By 2009 the name had been shortened to 00.db in time for the release of their debut album ‘Heaven & Hell’ (Joof Recordings 2009).  Despite being an unfashionable blend of Psy-Trance and chill out ‘Heaven & Hell’ proved to a major success, breaking into the main UK top 40 national charts.  The same year the duo released their rework of Jean Michelle Jarre’s ‘Oxygene’ (Joof Recordings 2009).  The following year they released the follow up 00.db album ‘Angels & Demons’ (Joof Recordings 2010).

Ricky Smith’s productions as The Digital Blonde and as half of 00.db span one and a half decades and have been part of the soundtrack of the evolution of the trance as a dance music genre. Although he has never threatened to break through to the main stage of trance his long term support from, and work with John ‘00’ Fleming have helped ensure that his driving take on Progressive and Psy-Trance continue to reach a wide audience.