L.A. Style was a Dutch electronic music duo formed in 1991 by Wessel van Diepen, known under his pseudonym Maxx Mondino, and Michiel van der Kuy, who used the name Denzil Slemming. The project emerged during the rise of the techno/rave scene and initially served as a side venture for van der Kuy, who was also involved with projects like Laserdance and Koto. Their breakthrough came with the release of "James Brown Is Dead", which became an international hit in 1992. The single topped charts in several countries and earned a gold certification in America, marking it as the first rave song to enter the US Billboard Hot 100. The track's bassline incorporated elements from van der Kuy’s other project, Koto, and featured a tango-style melody. The album L.A. Style was released in 1993 but did not achieve significant chart success. Subsequent singles like "I’m Raving" (featuring Nigerian singer Nicolette) and others failed to replicate the initial success of "James Brown is Dead". The group disbanded in 1995 due to waning popularity.
