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noiZe Magazine Music Reviews

DJ Chus

Written by Michael K. Lavers

Fiercely proud of their Spanish roots, Chus + Ceballos have capitalized on a sound derived from their native land that has become their trademark. The native Madrileños are more than willing to bring their unique Iberian flair to dance floors and Circuit parties around the world.

“Our sound is infectious and very contagious,” Chus says in a recent interview. “You can’t stop dancing for hours. The rhythm takes over your body and you enjoy yourself until the end. We love to see people enjoying themselves.”

Chus + Ceballos define “Iberian Sound” as a “delicious blend of hypnotizing, warm, inviting tribal soundscapes laced with a brilliant use of modern tech elements.” This sound certainly integrates itself well into the renowned nightlife of the party island of Ibiza, where the two have become virtually the resident DJs. Picture watching the sunrise over the Mediterranean on a balmy summer morning after a night of dancing and you’ll have some idea of the groove.

Chus emphasizes, however, that their Iberian Sound goes far beyond the small Balearic island that lures hordes of eager partygoers from around the world each summer: “It is the meeting point of two cultures; the Spanish and Portuguese with the solid influence of American house — similar, but at the same time different.”

Chus’ Personal Journey

Born in Madrid in 1971, Chus came of age during la movida madrileña. This cultural movement transformed Spanish society in the 1980s. Its primary movers and shakers were the young people who were especially eager to shake off the oppression during the long, dark years of the fascist Francisco Franco, who ruled for nearly 40 years after the Spanish Civil War. These disaffected youth finally found an outlet for their angst on the streets of Madrid. Directors Pedro Almódovar and Iván Zulueta, and fashion designer Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada were among the dozens of figures who emerged out of la movida. So did musicians such as the bands Alaska y los Pegamoides and Aviador Dro, which helped popularize electronica and experimental music in Madrid’s suddenly exploding club scene.

It was under this backdrop — at the height of acid house’s popularity in the Spanish capital in the late 1980s — that Chus landed his first gig, at a club appropriately called Alien. Chus then took up a residency at Kadoc on the Algarve — the southernmost tip of Portugal and a tourist Mecca — in the summer of 1992. Two years later, he opened the seven-story Teatro Kapital disco in the heart of Madrid. Kapital, with its three dance floors, remains one of the Spanish capital’s most popular clubs. Chus stayed there as resident DJ for the next seven years, where he perfected his driving Latin-inflected dance music.

Madrid’s nightlife is arguably the best in Europe. Most clubs don’t open their doors until midnight, but they don’t really get going until 2 or even 3 a.m. Several after-hour clubs allow Madrileños to keep the party going well into the morning. And it is not unknown to see weary clubgoers stumbling home after noon.

Chus continues to find the capital’s vibrant nightlife a steady source of inspiration. “Madrid is my native city, and it is the perfect place to work,” Chus says. “It is near virtually every destination in the world — in the middle of Europe, near the United States, and near Asia. Strategically perfect!”

The Algarve remains a second home for Chus, his wife and their eight-year-old daughter when he is not working, but his solo career has taken him to venues that range from ageHa in Tokyo to Peppermint in Dubai and Stereo in Montreal. He has remixed and collaborated on projects for Enrique Iglesias, Yoko Ono, Danny Tenaglia, Superchumbo and others.

A Productive DJ Partnership


Chus co-founded Stereo Productions in 2001 with Pablo Ceballos and Carlos Manaça. Chus + Ceballos began to collaborate a short time later. Chus + Ceballos have remixed tracks for Madonna, Deep Dish and Plastic Fantastic, as well as many other artists and producers. The duo, currently resident DJs at megaclubs Stereo, New York’s Pacha and Miami’s Space, headlined the Winter Music Conference in Miami this year and last. The duo has also done sets at Parking in Montreal and Cielo in New York.

“Each place is different, and it has its own characteristics,” Chus notes. “As a result, I like to adapt my sessions to each place. I like it when I play several times in the same place, because each time I get to know the public better, and each time I am better adapted to the expectations of each crowd.”

Circuit Popularity

The Spanish magazine Deejay declared Chus + Ceballos the Best Tribal and Progressive DJs in 2007. Their ever-expanding body of work increasingly includes the gay party scene. Chus + Ceballos headlined the White Party in Palm Springs alongside the Freemasons and Moto Blanco on April 10, as well as Alegria in January.

“We are heterosexuals but we are friends of the gay guys,” Chus says. “We love to spin for them, because they have a special sixth sense about music and how to have fun. They know how to enjoy themselves and appreciate our work in a very special manner.”

Chus observed the dance scene is more or less the same around the world, but he did note some differences in the way gay men react to his sets. “Perhaps the only big difference between gays and straights is that when they go to a party they do it to have a good time and to dance for hours,” he notes. “Nothing is more important to them. Gay people are very musically educated, and they know the DJs and their sound very well. They are very exacting and they don’t conform to a particular thing. They are an audience of high quality, and as a result it puts us to the test constantly.”
Fans can continue to keep tabs on Chus + Ceballos on their website (http://www.stereo-productions.com/monophone-dj-agency/chus-ceballos) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/chusceballos), or at Stereo Productions (http://www.stereo-productions.com).

Reader Comments

Fantastic article.

By Carlos Gonzalez on 05-07-2010

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