Hector will be playing at The BPM Festival Costa Rica from January 12th to the 18th. For more info and tickets click here.
Thanks to years of dedication to his craft and a wealth of experience touring the globe Hector has become a highly skilled selector whose talents transcend the confines of the club and stretch out into the studio and beyond. His ability to discover and nurture unknown talent feeds into his highly respected Vatos Locos brand, while his visionary nature has allowed him to helm a fashion line and steer his VL family to global success in a short time.
After spending his formative years enraptured by music, Hector first steps on the road to becoming the head of his own empire came when he started DJing at the age of 16. He established himself a potent force in his hometown, but his future would be assured by a bold move away from Mexico. Hector’s desire to expand beyond his country’s borders and experience a fertile scene drew him to seek pastures new in London. There he landed a job at the iconic Phonica record shop. This was to prove a pivotal moment in his career. It was here that Hector met Anja Schneider and Loco Dice, both of whom would later give him jobs on their esteemed imprints mobilee and Desolat.
It was through his association with Desolat that Hector truly cemented his place as one of the most exciting young players in the scene. He toured the globe, delivering dynamic, captivating performances with every appearance. Being on the frontline allowed him to build a strong global following, gaining widespread respect from fans and industry peers alike. All of this experience on the road helped build his skills as a DJ; digging for rare gems, A&Ring new artists, boosting his technical skills and transmitting vibrant energy to packed dance floors from London to Lima and back again.
Hungry and determined to evolve as an artist, it wasn’t long before Hector started to make his own music. His deep and deadly cuts were snapped up by some of the most respected labels in the business including mobilee, Desolat, One Records, and Tsuba. His desire to play the biggest clubs and festivals around the world is unrelenting, as proven by his residency at Marco Carola’s Music On at Amnesia, Ibiza. In addition, he performs at festivals like Time Warp, DEMF, Kazantip, Awakenings, BPM, Hideout and Sunwaves, alongside club sets for Tokyo’s Womb, Space Miami, Fabric London, and New York’s Output.
In 2015, Hector flipped the script to help others by pulling together some of the most talented and underrated producers and DJs to form the Vatos Locos crew – the Crazy Ones – who came of age at BPM Festival in Mexico. It’s a family affair, but with no egos and a democratic approach to rocking the spot – if you make the grade in the studio and on the decks then you’re a respected member of the crew, regardless of who you are.
In the space of two years the crew have spread their Vatos Locos vibes across the world; from WMC and Movement in Detroit, where they hosted one of the opening parties, to Sunwaves in Romania, hosting a stage and playing for 24-hours non stop. Bringing the real Vatos Locos vibe. The gang have also graced Sonar, tandem two summer residencies at Ibiza hotspot Underground, Berlin’s Club Der Visionaere, and are set to make their fist appearance at fabric in London. The gang includes Javier Carballo, David Gtronic, Chad Andrew, Mahony, Randall M, Jamie Lie A Kwie and more.
Hector’s ethos is focused on shining a light on up and coming talents, permeating into every avenue of Vatos Locos; the record label, the parties, the tours. VL Recordings was launched at the BPM Festival in January 2016 with the intention of shining a light on lesser-known artists and Hector’s closest friends. So far releases have come from the likes of Mahony, Fuse resident Seb Zito David Gtronic, Hector himself and a whole cast of the VL crew.
Hector is heavily invested in every aspect of the brand, overseeing the merchandise from the design stage to the production process, to flyer design, set times and production at gigs while he also encourages all of his compadres in Vatos Locos to get involved with decision making.
With his empire continuing to grow and spread around the globe Hector continues to invest all his time and energy into keeping the quality at optimum levels, showcasing his Vatos Locos familia and pushing ever forward. It’s been a long time since 16-year-old Hector began DJing but his passion and drive remain as strong as ever, with a clear vision of where he’s going there really is no stopping this Mexican powerhouse…
