Chilean Mafia at GazGallery

Western press calls him the "king of modern minimalism." Lovers of such music dance to his eclectic sets with eyes closed in pleasure for five to six hours in a row. He is one of the bright representatives of the "Chilean mafia." His name is Luciano. For everyone who follows the rapid music fashion, Ricardo Villalobos appeared first. And although all his records hailed from German record companies, there was something in them that conjured thoughts of hot southern boys, expressive music, castanets, and mesmerizing rhythms. It smelled of South America in his music, in his DJ sets. And although Villalobos' work fell under the minimalist category, his music was interesting and original. And, like any intriguing endeavor, after some time artists began to appear on the world stage who worked in a similar style to Ricardo. They were informally dubbed the "Chilean mafia." One of the bright representatives of the "mafia" is Lucien Nicolet, a Swiss resident with Chilean roots.

At just 28 years old, he has already achieved a lot. He has a remarkable label, Cadenza. Under the pseudonym Lucien’n’Luciano, he released the album "Blind Behavior" on the respected Peacefrog label, and together with Chilean Pierre Bucci, as the duo Monne Automne, he released a collection of abstract-sounding music a couple of years ago. Luciano's achievements also include a residency at DC10 in Ibiza and a strong demand on the best European venues, such as London’s Fabric or Frankfurt’s Cocoon.

"You know," says Luciano, "I managed to create what I envisioned. Music that was inspired by the spirit of Detroit but at the same time remained unique, infused with the essence of Chile. I try to imbue my music with those mature feelings that evoke associations with South America. This is what exists in the people who live there, in their roots, in their villages, in their nature, in their souls. I try to bring in elements of popular music, but not pop music. I create a cocktail of various elements. When I start making another track, I strive for it to give me goosebumps when I listen to it; if it doesn't happen, I start all over again."

"Orange Mistake," "Bomberos," and numerous remixes that Luciano does prove that his aspirations are reaching their goals. His lengthy DJ sets confirm this. Luciano loves to play for a long time, from three to six to eight hours. Moreover, his performances carry the spirit of South America and the mood that reigns on that continent. "I try to avoid what I call 'square music,' where everything is logical and obvious and therefore lacks feelings," explains the DJ.

Today, Luciano, Villalobos, and their entire "Chilean mafia," which also includes Pierre Bucci and Sieg Uber Die Sonne, have breathed fresh air into the stale atmosphere of techno dance floors, coloring the monochrome sound of minimalism in bright colors. Although Luciano himself does not consider his music to be techno, nor what many call "minimalism." "Critics need to come up with a new name for this music, otherwise everyone just lumps it together. Well, how can my music be compared to works by Plastikman or that same Robert Hood! What kind of minimal is this?! What kind of techno is this?! I don’t think that my music, or the music of Pierre Bucci or Ricardo is minimal. There are too many elements, too many textures for it to be considered minimal. If it sounds simple, that doesn’t make it minimalist."

With his attitude toward musical activity and his DJ worldview, Luciano is indeed changing people’s perceptions of this music and changing the music itself, which has a notably beneficial effect on people.

"Music should have feelings and a sense of mystery and magic," says Luciano, and it’s hard to disagree with that.

(c) Based on materials by Ilya Voronin

December 22, Friday, GazGallery (Nizhny Susalny Lane, 5, building 3A, Tel. +7-905-785-1056), featuring DJ Luciano, along with DJs Annushka, Guttersnipe, and DJ V.