Hailing from Caracas, now based in Miami Puma brings his diverse experiences to bear on a signature sound of groovy underground house and techno. Currently working on new solo material he continues to captivate crowds with his adventurous and energetic DJ sets. He is currently one of the resident DJs at Miami’s legendary venue The Electric Pickle, proudly represents Electronic Groove as one of their hand-picked artists on the rise, and hosts a weekly radio show on Klangbox.fm called Face Forward.
We caught up with Puma ahead of his iii Points Festival performance on February 17th, grab your tickets here.
Electronic Groove: Hi Puma, thanks for the time! So you’re playing at Miami’s iii Points festival. What are the expectations to play at this unique festival?
Puma: Thanks for having me! In my opinion iii Points is the most forward-thinking cultural event in Florida and one of the most in the United States, so being invited to play is an honor. This one will also be special because I’m playing at The Electric Pickle stage in celebration of their 10th and last anniversary! It’ll be one for the books!
EG: Can you give some insights about your set preparation?
Puma: I usually don’t like to prepare my sets too much, as every party and crowd is different, but since this festival is very important for me I am preparing a bit more by grabbing some of my favorite records from my vinyl collection as well as pre-selecting some very high-energy tunes that I believe will work well in a festival setting.
EG: Can you share with us a couple of tracks that you might be playing at iii Points festival?
Puma: Sure but this is always a subject to change as I always end up improvising depending on the crowd’s response but there’s a good chance at least one these two will be played:
Italojohnson – 07A1 (Floorplan Remix) and Nico Maxen – Crossing Over
EG: During the festivities, who are you looking forward to see?
Puma: I’m looking forward to seeing James Blake, as I’ve always been a fan of his work. I’m also a big fan of Erykah Badu, but unfortunately, I’ll be playing at the same time as her. Some other DJs I want to catch are Danny Daze and Mariel Ito, DJ Koze, DJ Seinfeld, Mall Grab, DJ Stingray, Terence Tabeau, Jason Rault, Kike Roldan and Will Renuart.
EG: What differences iii Points from other festivals?
Puma: iii Points has always stayed true to its philosophy, never selling out to sponsors that want to book commercial or easy-selling acts. It also gives the opportunity to many local artists to showcase their work in a world-class event, and bets for innovative and immersive art!
EG: Any tips on where to grab a bite or a drink for those who are visiting Miami?
Puma: Melinda’s for the best mescal cocktails and Mexican nachos, Coyo Taco for burritos, Gramps Pizza, and The Corner Bar in downtown.
EG: Moving on a different direction, what have you been up to lately? Any productions or special gigs worth mentioning?
Puma: Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio producing new solo material. I am also to start my new weekly radio show on Klangbox.FM this month.
EG: Very nice! Thanks again and see you at iii Points.
Puma: Thank you guys for having me!
Follow Puma: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
