Ivan Smoka arrived on planet Earth the same year Alien and Star Wars did, born in Madrid. Growing up in a family of music lovers, he was surrounded by the sounds of Brian Bennett, Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, Imagination, and The Who. By the age of three, Ivan was already “playing DJ” with his brother’s vinyl collection, standing on a stool (there are photos to prove it).
His passion for collecting music started early. At thirteen, together with his private English tutor, he would carefully go through every issue of NME each month. The British music explosion of the 90s struck him full force, from power pop to electronica to trip hop. By seventeen, he already owned his first mixer. Soon after, he joined forces with Vasco Ispirian and Álvaro Cabana, and together they began exploring music production. Much has happened since.
As a DJ and promoter, Iván has played a key role in legendary Madrid clubs such as Coppelia 101, Wonky, and Absenta. His sets have also taken him to Sónar, FIB, Supperclub (Amsterdam), Café del Mar (Sicily), and Mono (CDMX).
As a producer, his projects—Gatos Negros, Disco Felino, and Superama 3am—highlight his unique relationship with machines, working with them like old friends, almost like Mr. Spock aboard the Enterprise. His music has earned the support of tastemakers like Tim Sweeney and Bill Brewster, and he has remixed artists such as Cycle, Ekkohouse, Kurt Kjergaard, and, more recently, his friend and partner Thaddeus X, with whom he now shares a musical journey.
With two decades of production behind him, Iván continues to shape his craft both solo and alongside Thaddeus X. Together they have released on respected labels like Mobilee, Akbal, Lucid Flow, and True Deep. On his own, Ivan has contributed tracks to Blindetonation, Nein Records, Emerald & Doreen, Burning Synths, Kyma Komplex, Mode 33, Rotten City, Dusk & Waves, Envy Music, and the cult imprint Minuendo.
