Black Coffee at CircoLoco. Courtesy of Bryan Kwon (@offbrandproject).
World-renowned party CircoLoco is one of underground dance music’s longest running brands, representing house and techno for over 20 years through its parties at Ibiza’s DC10 and around the globe. The influential event is known for hosting some of the top names in underground dance music, including Black Coffee, The Martinez Brothers, Chloé Caillet, Damian Lazarus, The Blessed Madonna, Tale of Us and Michael Bibi.
This year, CircoLoco has grown to launch its own label, CircoLoco Records, along with form a partnership with acclaimed video game creator Rockstar Games. Indeed, the brand proves to expand its creative footprint into more than the intersection of underground music with elements of fashion, art and wider culture as it now works to fuse two worlds of entertainment. In addition, CircoLoco Records’ first release was the Monday Dreamin’ compilation that boasts contributions from legends across every era of its 20-year history, including new releases from Carl Craig, Luciano, Seth Troxler, Dixon, Moodymann and Kerri Chandler. The compilation also features works from artists that represent what may be the future of dance music.
The brand’s U.S. tour was presented in partnership with acclaimed New York City brand Teksupport. Here, Teksupport co-founder Rob Toma along with famed producers Seth Troxler and Perel share what makes CircoLoco unique from other events, how the brand has evolved, how it launched Troxler’s career and more.
Lisa Kocay: Seth, you’ve been playing CircoLoco for over a decade and it broke your career in Ibiza and globally. Can you share more on this?
Seth Troxler: “It’s been quite a ride. Basically the club had closed down for two years and when they reopened they were looking for new residents. Previously it was Loco Dice and Luciano. I had just come to Europe but never even been to Ibiza. The CircoLoco guys came to a few gigs to scout me and then invited me to join as a resident with Jamie Jones. I can’t remember the actual year. Then shortly after this, I got voted Resident Advisor’s No. 1 DJ of the year. I was in my mid 20’s living the dream. CircoLoco has become a home for me, and I hope I’ll be the resident people remember when they think of the club—like Larry Levan and the garage.
Kocay: Rob, how did you get involved with CircoLoco?
Rob Toma: “I have been attending CircoLoco at DC10 in Ibiza since 2008, which was really the start of my friendship with the crew and interest in the brand. In 2016, we brought the party to New York City for the first time, which continues to be a vital market for showcasing the production they are known for and getting [North] America acquainted with the brand. As the years have gone by, we have become family, much more than partners.
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“The partnership in [North] America snowballed from there, and we are now partners in some markets around the world, helping to keep the production value at its peak no matter where you experience the show. This is really the key pillar of the CircoLoco vibe.”
CircoLoco. Courtesy of Michael Poselski (@offbrandproject).
Kocay: How has it evolved since you started working with CircoLoco?
Toma: “Things have really taken off since that first New York City show in 2016. Once a party becomes a flagship Halloween event in New York City, it is able to gain a huge amount of momentum as all eyes are really on the city during that weekend.
“Now we are able to produce multiple events in different cities in a single weekend. We can do Art Basel Miami and Los Angeles, then Brazil all in the same week, while still retaining the core feeling and high level of production that makes it a global powerhouse. CircoLoco also took off in the digital space since then, with the launch of CircoLoco Records [and] our recent partnership with Rockstar Games this year. This is the start of something really amazing, bridging the gap between music, art, fashion and now video games.”
Troxler: “I think the ethos has stayed the same. The real evolution has been in terms of CircoLoco becoming a global lifestyle and party brand. From large festival-like events and brand collaborations all over the world, CircoLoco I think is synonymous with quality.”
Perel: “Los Angeles will be my third Circoloco show since (2019). I also played their huge warehouse Halloween party in New York, which was quite intense. The crowd was amazing, very open minded with the right amount of craziness. Absolutely felt the love.”
Kocay: What do you think makes CircoLoco attractive to the New York City nightlife scene?
Toma: “CircoLoco fills the boxes of a premier party in any world-class city, but even more so New York. The best music and production, plus an element of never knowing who is going to show up to check it out. It’s special that we did it on Halloween, one of the most sought after party holidays in [North] America. Circoloco is an international party and New York City is an international city—it’s a perfect match.”
Kocay: Is there a specific type of set you spin at the event? If so, how do you plan for it?
Troxler: “For me, I make a goal to play every set differently. I normally do 12 shows through the summer. I’m very mindful to not play any tunes twice, which is hard. So every week I find new music or pull from my vinyl collection. I have 12,000 records in Ibiza. I try to make some magic every time.”
Perel “Yes, [I’ve performed] a hybrid deejay set, which means [I added] live vocals. Most of the time to my own productions and songs but also on other club tracks as a sort of a reinterpretation or vocal remix. I love playing hybrid deejay sets as it combines my passion for deejaying and live performance.”
Kocay: What makes CircoLoco unique from other events you perform at?
Troxler: “CircoLoco is a family that’s kind of run like a soccer team,” he jokes. “But it’s honestly the group dynamic and the synergy between everyone involved. From the top to the bottom and through to the fans, there is a feeling of one team, one dream. In some ways very socialist. It’s not about VIPs, it’s about equality. And I think that makes punters feel good, as well as the wealthy. It’s about actually being cool, rather than paying for it.”
Perel: “Definitely the family vibe of every show, no matter which city you play in. Imagine a touring circus with artists that have built up a relationship over time.”
Kocay: What makes CircoLoco unique from other events?
Toma: “The events hit differently. We have done many shows at the Navy Yard in Brooklyn and nothing compares. People come expecting a certain energy. The vibe is always crazy. You have to be there and if you haven’t you need to get to one of the parties somewhere in the world.”
