Hailing from San Francisco but currently based in Manila, Angelo del Carmen is a burgeoning DJ and producer on the Trance and Techno circuits, who also works on cinematic sound design for films. His style of music under his Luis del Carmen sound profile can be best described as dark and cinematic; combining an innate knack for melodies with the beauty of dark tension and aggression found in techno. Following his debut contribution to IAMT Red, del Carmen looks ahead to an upcoming release on Numen later this Summer. Angelo has enjoyed chartering previous releases via Techburst Records, Blackhole Records and Eclipse. Armed with a new arsenal of tracks and a new musical direction, Luis del Carmen proudly revamps his sound and brings forth a new spirit with his name
Hi Luis, thanks for taking the time to chat to us today. First off, for those of our readers who are not yet familiar with you, can you introduce yourself?
I’m Luis del Carmen and I am a techno producer and DJ from the US. I live in Manila, Philippines currently and have been here for a few years now.
How has the start of 2021 been for you in terms of releases?
2021 has been pretty steady in terms of releases. Notably on the techno front I’ve been very selective with my sound and what I want to put it out, especially having another alias.
You’re gearing up for your ‘We Collide’ EP on IAMT – tell us a little about the production process and how long it has been in the making.
The “We Collide” EP was something that I’ve been wanting to create— a sort of melodic techno feel that a lot of producers like Space 92, Joyhauser, Monika Kruse and even Spartaque have started putting forth. It’s something familiar to me being a trance DJ on my other alias but at the same time wanted a fresh start. The track itself is heavily built on gritty, saturated saws with wide bass lines— not very “rave-y” compared to “Dark Muse” which is a faster, darker track. Both tracks balance the EP out since the We Collide single is this more melodic, driving, techno tune, Dark Muse is for listeners that want a heavier track.
Luis del Carmen is a relatively new alias for you. What made you want to dip your toe in techno waters having previously produced more Trance-inspired productions with your Parnassvs alias?
At first I thought it was possible to pack both techno and trance releases into one alias. However, after giving it much thought with the help of friends and other DJs, my decision was to separate the two. Both have their similarities in many ways but they also share a different fan base and culture—separating the two was meant to respect that. I also didn’t want to sound like a lazy hodgepodge, jack-of-all-trades producer. I’ve been a trance DJ way longer than I have been a techno one and giving it the right focus through Luis del Carmen is my way of paying dues.
How would you describe your Luis del Carmen sound?
My sound as Luis del Carmen leans towards harder, darker sounds—sometimes they tend to go a bit faster. At times I have more melodic, progressive sounds within my productions which is the case here in the We Collide EP.
How has the past year been for you in terms of productivity and creativity?
The pandemic has been horrendous for everyone in the nightlife industry. But on the flip side it has given me the much-needed focus to keep creating tracks. I’ve been a producer since 2012 and more recently have standardized my productions so I’ve been clocking in around 3-5 tracks a month for both aliases.
Do you have any shows in the pipeline?
Not at the moment for Luis del Carmen. My focus has been primarily to get releases in order and find the right inspiration for quality tracks and releases.
Any other Luis del Carmen releases we can look out for?
I have another EP forthcoming with Numen which comes out very soon. I’ve been a big fan of the Codex guys and ever since Spartaque gave me the opportunity for this release, he’s been very supportive of my sound and direction.
Do you have any final words for our readers?
Special thanks to IAMT, Codex Family for making this release happen. Also, many thanks to Techno Mood for this awesome feature!
