Velasco

It’s plain to hear Luis Velasco’s roots in his music. From his gritty, hard-grooving
productions to his punchy selections in the club, the spirit of New York house and
techno is deeply entrenched in every aspect of what he does.
Growing up in Brooklyn, from an early age Luis was exposed to the pioneering
sounds of Kool DJ Red Alert and Kid Capri, legendary ambassadors for hip hop on
the New York airwaves. In the spirit of the melting pot culture of the 80s and 90s,
Luis soaked up influences from all corners and wound up playing his first gig
warming up for hip hop and house turntablist legend Tony Touch in a damp
basement in the West Village in the early 90s. From there Luis continued to build on
his career as a record spinner and producer, working closely with luminaries such as
Osunlade and Kenny Dope.
In the present day, Luis is a mainstay of the NYC house and techno scene, regularly
DJing across the city and co-running the Nil record label. Operating since 2012, the
label has put out 12”s featuring artists such as MP, Moratu, Sublee and Christian AB,
reflecting the stripped down, dubbed out, immersive style of 4/4 dance music Luis
has built his own reputation on.
The fusion of tough beats, innate funk and rough, street-level soul in the Velasco
sound maintains the tradition of New York music culture, but there’s a distinctive
twist in his tracks and selections that strikes a chord with the tripped-out minimalism
of the scene in Europe. Having taken his craft across the Atlantic on numerous
occasions, it’s plain to see the reach of Velasco is ever-expanding, building on a
work ethic rooted in the hustle of the 90s and honed over more than twenty years.
The time and dedication is evident, and the quality in the sound is undeniable.