Metronome #097: Kuo Climax

Insomniac’s Metronome series features mixes from some of today’s fastest-rising electronic stars, as well as championed legends. It takes listeners deep across a wide range of genres, movements, cultures, producers, artists and sounds that make up the diverse world of electronic music.

It feels like most artists nowadays rolled out of the bedroom with nothing more than a browser history brimming with online tutorials. But Felipe Jimenez’s entry point into the scene is far more practical, and some would argue it gives him an upper hand at seeing the inner workings of the dancefloor. The Spaniard got his start hosting his own PIER 4 parties, using the wall-to-wall turnouts as a springboard to launch a DJ career. Eventually, he caught enough air to turn his Kuo Climax project into a reality.

A promoter-turned-producer, Jimenez quickly realized he had a gift for making crowds cream from the salacious tech grooves he’s slid over to labels like Knee Deep in Sound, Avotre and ViVA MUSiC. With a white-hot two-tracker,Tomorrow, due out on Jamie Jones’ and Lee Foss’ Emerald City this week, there’s no question that Climax’s demand is fully on the upswing.

Naturally, we felt inclined to shoot him an invite and have him do the dirty deed on the decks. What he came back with is an hourlong mix of choice tunes he claims have had a major influence on his direction most recently. Maybe his mix will have the same effect on you.

You’ve got a new two-tracker coming out on Emerald City. How did the release reach Jones and Foss, and what sort of feedback did they have to offer?
I personally sent the tracks over to Jamie Jones some time before. Then, I was in Milan for a gig with Proudly People and received an email from Jamie, saying he really liked the tracks and wanted to put them out on Emerald City. I was so hyped! I couldn’t even eat that night!

What is your favorite thing about the release? It could be a moment you had when making it, a special synth you used, or how it makes you feel when you listen to it.
When making Tomorrow, I pulled inspiration from all my favourite sources and merged them. I’ve always wanted to do this as an artist. It started dark but maintained a nice momentum with definitive electronic movement. When I think of the record, I look at it as a whole, because that’s the way I felt; so, it’s hard to pick a particular part.

Hip-hop and R&B have been cited as major influences from your childhood. What elements from the genres are you most attracted to, and why?
Hip-hop has that unrelenting bassline… It’s impossible not to dance to it. And R&B always possesses a cool composition that resonates almost instantly with the audience. That’s the way I like to work in the studio. I get ideas from the dancefloor and work hard to put them on wax!

Name one song from those two worlds that best encompasses what you’re doing musically these days.
Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack.”

Do you remember the moment your tastes first shifted over to dance music? What were you listening to at the time, and what made it stand out so much from anything you’ve heard before?
That record “It Feels So Good” by Sonique—the very first electronic song that came to Spain. I remember closing my eyes and listening to it on a cassette that my cousin Alfonso brought around to my house everyday. It conveys a lot of happiness, and I still listen to it now.

Your Pier 4 project is really starting to get major traction, having taken home an award for best party. What was the motivation behind launching it, and why do you think it has become so successful in such a short time?
I have always envisioned Pier 4 to have a designated venue of its own, to fully express what we want the brand to stand for. Our guests must be comfortable to experiment and enjoy the crowd in their own way. Imagine records from the likes of Cypress Hill, Michael Jackson or ‘90s garage—they always infect the vibe with positive energy. Sometimes, capturing connection between yourself as an artist and the listeners is more important than the style of music itself.

Tell us your favorite memory since starting the Pier 4 series.
There have been so many unique experiences, one after another—like when Pier 4 hosted Jamie Jones, Luciano and Nic Fanciulli, amongst others. However, you never forget your first: It was with Wade and Proudly People, to celebrate my birthday.

Please share some words on the mix you’ve put together for us.
The mix is comprised of tracks that have recently influenced me, one of which belongs to Jesse Perez, my longtime musical inspiration.

Track List:: Kuo Climax “Tomorrow”
Tucci “Evangelion”
Julia Poly “You Give Me”
Piers Crozier “TNT”
Lazare Hoche & Malin Genie “Session 2”
Rushmore “Notorious D.I.G.”
Jesse Perez “Fake”
Wade “They Know”
Quell “Rave Mouth”
DJ Haus “Feels So Good”
Carnao Beats “Bass Dance”
Sammy Porter & Asha Rae “Look Back” (Jack N Danny Remix)
Jesse Perez “THOT”
Moises, Juliche Hernandez “Chaos”
Nightshift “Go Ahead”
Carnao Beats “Paradox”