As the founder and driving force behind the Suara label, Spanish DJ and producer Coyu has an expertly-trained ear for recognizing talent.
Suara releases are defined not only by the guaranteed presence of a cat on the cover art, but also a strong strain of warmth and groove. The label is prolific, too, with releases from Superlover, Lee Van Dowski and Sabb, and CamelPhat in the last month alone. With that consistency in output, Suara maintains a high hit-rate on Beatport, with its tracks never far from the Deep House, Electronica, Techno and Tech House Top 10s.
With its music played on dancefloors around the world, Suara also throws parties of its own. So far this year, the label has staged showcases at Mexico’s BPM Festival and Miami Music Week, with Coyu joined by guests such as Dosem, Edu Imbernon, Ben Pearce, and Tiga. In between Suara engagements, Coyu also travels the world repping the label as a standalone DJ, memorably visiting Output in Brooklyn last November for an open-to-close set.
While Suara has helped make success stories out of several producers, the boss himself is one of the label’s key talents. Alongside his just-released remixes for Nick and Danny Chatelain’s collaboration “Acid,” Coyu started the year with his Party Groovers Vol. 5 EP, which featured the chunky, club-ready cuts “Sex is Drama” and “Who’s Wearing the Trousers.” He’s also open to throwing down a remix or production for other labels he admires, such as Drumcode, Hot Creations, or Noir Music.
Given how much of Coyu’s life is spent searching out new music as a DJ and label head, we wanted to know which producers have caught his attention so far in 2016. Luckily for us, he was willing to share seven very solid selections. Over to you, Coyu.
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Fjaak
“I discovered this German trio three and a half years ago with their first EP on Baalsaal, a very notorious label at that time. But it wasn’t until after they released a second EP, this time on Klasse, that I really paid attention to what they were doing. “Remember” was the lead track of that second EP, a glorious mix between raw deep house and techno.
Some time after they released a few other records on Baalsaal and Klasse, but their best work has come on 50 Weapons. ‘Gewerbe 15’ is my favourite original track of theirs, combining old school Detroit techno and industrial and cinematic sounds. Their recent remixes of HeCTA on City Slang confirmed Flaak as one of my fav producers at the moment.”
Craig Bratley
“Not a new kid on the block, but I didn’t discover the owner of Magic Feet, Craig Bratley, until he released his album on Tsuba, one and a half years ago. Tracks like ‘Obsession,’ ‘Analogue Dreams’ and ‘Black Swan’ have been some of my secret weapons for a while. His latest EPCruddas Park includes two fantastic tracks, ‘Platos Cave’ and ‘Analogue There.’ Here you can find a fantastic euphoric piano disco house song and something that I would describe as weirdo electro tribal. Not a new guy, but Craig sounds fresh and different. I like that.”
Fabrizio Mammarella
“I just discovered Mammarella accidentally a few months ago, and what a lucky find! Well, to be honest probably I heard some of his music years ago, but I didn’t realize Mammarella was so good. His mix between disco, electro and acid drives me crazy. His remix for Mutado Pintado on Les Disques De La Mort is insane shit. Then you have his remix for Lauer on Permanent Vacation; it’s a bit shinier than what he usually makes, but it’s pure gold too. Although my fav work of him is the remix for Front De Cadeaux on Roccodisco. Orgasmic.”
Ploy
“I have to say I don’t know too much about Ploy. Discogs says he’s called Sam Smith and his Facebook page (with no more than 550 likes) shows a very young UK boy, probably in his early 20s. His recent EP on Hessle Audio is brilliant. Starting with the oppressive ‘Sala One Five’ and finishing with the cinematic ‘Helix,’ the b-side ‘Move Yourself’ is my choice here. A slow burning, very intense tribal techno song, it has the right ingredients to break any dancefloor. Then you listen to his earlier tracks like ‘Poly Gone Widow’ or ‘Anomaly XB-6783746,’ and you know you’re in front of a real talent.”
Charlotte de Witte
“Formerly Raving George, this young Belgian DJ and producer looks like one of the hottest future names on the techno scene. I discovered her some months ago with Weltschmerz, her first EP on no other label than Tiga’s Turbo. I like her determination and versatility making techno. It’s sometimes melodic, other times dark, and always brilliant. She explores ways to combine house, electro, acid, and techno but with her own trademark. She just released ‘Varpulis’ on Suara, a dramatic techno song inspired by an ancient deity, and is on her way to release a second EP on Turbo, which will include a remix by myself.”
Marc Piñol
“Former DJ de Mierda (not the right name for a glorious DJ, I would say), Marc Piñol is one of my all-time fave DJs. Between 2004 and 2007, I spent the most of the weekends (and lost all my neurons) listening to his sets at Nitsa. Opening and closing for the hottest names on the house, techno, electro, and IDM, the best moment of the night used to be when DJ de Mierda or DJ Fra were in the booth.
Years later he changed his name and started to produce music. He caught my attention with the remixes of Gameboyz’s ‘Juan El Jefe’ and Wool’s ‘3 Years In Neukoln,’ and with his first EP alongside Hugo Capablanca as CPI on Hivern. But I didn’t realize how good he was ’til I listened his recent remix for SAVE! on Les Disques De La Mort. That remix is a fucking LSD journey.”
Carreno is LB
“I don’t know him, but I think Carreno is LB is one of the best Spanish producers of the moment. You have to be very good when you’re a usual suspect on labels like Correspondant or My Favourite Robots and you released an album on Magda’s Items & Things.
He has a trademark sound, always raw, minimalistic and electronic, but his music swings between house, techno and electro. I like when he goes house-y (and even acid), like on ‘Control’ and ‘LB Filters’ or his remix for his teammate Javi Redondo’s ‘Look Sonny,’ but his best works come when he shows us his ability making amazing melodies and grooves.”
