V E L A S C O V E L A S C O Co-founder of Nil Brooklyn 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.
