In a world where we spend so much time in front of the decks, it makes you wonder who’s behind them. Wonder no more. We’re illuminating the wizards behind the bass lines your body just can’t say no to. So strap in, and turn it up, because we’re about to explore the groove machine behind this sic set from Mayan Warrior.
How did he get behind the decks?
Because I got high takes a whole new twist in Nacho's road to the decks. When he was sixteen most of his homies were blazing the crop. His parents, being much smarter than most, let this young group of rebels turn their family basement into Cheech & Chong’s safe house. But Nacho didn’t love smoking, and neither did his best friend Toni. What they did love was techno, and the booming scene that was becoming Barcelona at the time. The two saw an opportunity so they snagged two Technics and a small mixer and started spinning vinyl for their stoned friends. An easy crowd to please.
What's his spirit animal?
Whatever animal is anxious. 😂
His musical style?
He’s gucci with all kinds of good music. Nacho truly doesn’t limit himself within one or two genres. He grew up on indie rock and techno, but came of age in London during the golden era of the East with Erol Alkan, Jamie XX, Four Tet and Floating points — the connoisseurs of genre bending. Aside from strictly bangers, the only consistency in his rekordbox is that there is none. His tracks are as eclectic as he is and his library is vast. As he continues to evolve musically he believes a good DJ can adapt their sound and style to any situation or place. He also loves breaking the rules — as illustrated in his response to this question which only required two sentences.
Who's his ideal booth b*tch?
His ideal booth b*tch is his girlfriend Jen — although she truly hates the booth and quickly escapes to tear up the dance floor with all of their g's. ;)
What are his pre-gig rituals?
He happily reflects on how he used to feel before gigs — remembering how much performance anxiety he used to experience. However nowadays, he’s more comfortable than ever behind the decks. As I write this it's almost hard to believe a world existed where Nacho wasn’t in his groove. One ritual he does always practices before gigs is diving deep into his crate — this ensure his memory is fresh for his set. If he can sneak in some stretches and breath work too — he’s always game.
Weird requests on the decks?
His strangest request while spinning was to suck a pierced nipple — although weird, it wasn't a hard one to accomplish.
Who does he want to open for?
He'd be cool with opening up for Dixon or Solomun, but mostly just for the experience. He's already mastered playing after Rebolledo, his biggest inspiration.
What's on his rider?
His rider has nothing. He is happy with very little and can make a lot of things work.
What does music mean to him?
Music brings Nacho two things — joy as well as a challenge. He loves taking the time to plan out a set, just as much as he loves finding his flow behind the decks but nothing is better than connecting with a crowd. Music is so intertwined with playing nowadays for Nacho that it’s hard to imagine a world where the two don’t exist in perfect harmony.
What's the biggest headache of being a DJ?
Organizing and storing music. He has too many bangers and doesn't know where to put them all. He’s still traumatized by the mistakes of his past, in particular he remembers back to the day he lost his hard drive that had a decades worth of fire tracks.
What excites him most about Lineup?
He's most excited about all the amazing gigs Lineup is going to help him manage and score.
Where can we catch him next?
Nacho's headed to Zihuatanejo in Mexico for a crazy NYE party on the beach, and then he'll be back in NYC for his own party with Musumeci, which happens to be one of his favorite artists! Follow him on IG to stay in the know.
