CDMX Cup 🏎💨

Hey all! I'm happy to announce some upcoming dates in CDMX:

• I'll be performing a DJ set at Drama Radio Bar on 5/30 at 6:30pm CST. I've prepared some deep tracks to either dance or space out to, venturing into Dub, Psychedelic Rock, Downtempo, and some videogame gems. You can livestream at https://dramaradio.mx/

• I will share my project "Knapsack". This project is the outcome of my time as a student at the sfpc class "Solidarity Infrastructures". It is an archival project that gathers autofiction, class notes, memes, resources and more, all relating to imagining new technological alternatives. Couldn't ask for a better place to present this than Desculonización, which has been formative in my journey. After the presentation, we will also have DJ sets :3

Also, be sure to check out the latest Secret Level episode with disrupt, head of the Jahtari record label. The mix is an incursion into the intersection of Dub and videogame music. I've been a fan of the record label for a while, so I'm thrilled that this mixtape is now a reality. The Jahtari website is worth a look as well. Besides the videogame inspired interface, there is an excellent archive containing articles such as this look into reggae history.

What happened to the Secret Level showcase?

So on my last post I announced a Secret Level showcase I was planning at the venue Relink:Data. Unfortunately, I had to cancel the event. I really struggled with this because it was the first event I put together IRL and it didn't come to fruition. But life goes on. I still want to share my experience of organizing this event and shed some light on the issues that led to its dissolution.

Relink:Data is a venue that has become iconic in the Mexico City scene thanks to the fact that they do video recordings of all of the DJ sets, which is always a great asset to have as DJ. Beyond this, they are also unique in that they usually only book collectives or full lineups for each day of programming. Though I didn't get to attend, I feel like this creates more cohesive nights for their space, as well as an encouragement to showcase the work of multiple artists at a time.

This is what led me to the idea of doing a Secret Level showcase. Since I have invited many mexican artists to the show, it was possible to curate a lineup fully comprised of people that had played for Secret Level in the past. The curatorial line we agreed on was to create DJ mixes inspired by videogame music but oriented to the club, so attendees could have a good time and dance.

The challenge arose when I realized all of my guests resided in different states of Mexico. With a lineup of five artists plus limited availability in dates from the venue, it was a long process of back and forth to find a date that could work for everyone. Once the tentative date approached and we locked it in with the venue, some artists had to drop out due to travel or financial constraints.

I still refused to give up, so I found other artists that could make the night work that lived in CDMX. The reality is that curating a night of game inspired club music is extremely niche, and finding the talent that fits these requirements is really difficult. Of course there are more people capable of doing this than what I am aware of, but it's hard to know if people are deep gamers without knowing them personally.

Once we locked in the lineup and the date, my friend Adrian (educación fisica) also made a beautiful flyer to go with it. Two weeks before the event however, the venue owner uploaded an Instagram story of the venue covered in official government tape reading "Clausurado" (Closed). The venue had been shut down. I held on to hope that this matter would get resolved before the event, but unfortunately it didn't.

I later talked to the venue booker and they shared more information on what happened. Since Relink:Data is located in the downtown area, which is a core touristic location, it is under a lot of pressure from corporate and government interests. Due to the upcoming world cup, the government uses licensing rules as leverage to close down venues and ask for unreasonable amounts of money. The sad reality is that music oriented venues are not as profitable as other spaces, which puts them at risk from being pushed out by gentrification.

It's funny I talked about the impacts of gentrification in my last post, and this time I was directly affected by it. It's really infuriating how greed causes these things to happen, crushing the local culture and citizens for the sake of development. It's par for the course with FIFA and the Olympics, which allow for whitewashing of human rights abuses. If we look back to 1968 in the history of the city, just as the Olympics were to begin in Mexico City, the Tlatelolco Massacre occurred to squash dissent.

My event cancellation is a minor worry compared to the impact other people are feeling due to these processes, but it just goes to show how all of these things are connected. It's a reminder that as cultural workers we need to continue having conversations on how we can have a united front to be able to withstand these assaults more effectively.

Back to the event, I am really happy with the DJ set I prepared for it, so I will find a home for it eventually. Whether Relink:Data gets back on their feet and we can materialize the lineup again, I find another home for the set, or just DIY record it myself at home, I do want it to see the light of day someday. It's a fun synthesis of my videogame inspired sound, both from soundtracks and club tracks that sound gamery while still being bangers. I'll keep you posted whenever I release it.