One of this week's features is on Derek AKA Lil Duende AKA The Duende behind the Touching /// Infinite. I have not been to a Touching /// Infinite event, but I have listened to the mixes by Derek on SoundCloud and they're rather interesting. Interesting in a sense that I can imagine myself in a different environment or rather this environment being Derek's realm which he invites us into as he DJs. Have you listened to it? https://soundcloud.com/liddulduende/live-the-dungeon-42322 if not here you go! Rather than just hearing the mix, why not experience a Lil Duende set? There's is an event July 23rd at The Dungeon, DUNGEON DOLLS; THE PRIMORDIAL FORGE. I won't be able to experience it so be sure to spill one for me!
Neida, I promise one day I'll make it to a Touching /// Infinite event!
We begin with Derek sharing what he's been into as of recently "Sharing my favorite trax with everyone that comes to my parties and destroying fascism via euphoria" You knowing working on this at midnight I rubbed my eyes because I thought it said "sharing my favorite tax evasion tips with everyone" and I was thinking to myself "yeah tax evasion is cool" until I reread it. I'll be sure to ask about tracks! Derek continues by giving out a shout out "Shout out to everyone that has supported me in any way , everyone that has lost themselves and/or escaped reality at my events, everyone that I’ve inspired. i see u." I'd say for sure listening to the mix I shared in beginning has allowed me to "escape reality" even if I was just in my car driving home or just bumping it in my room. It's something totally new and out of what I usually listen to so it's certainly an experience.
Starting off I ask Derek what got him into DJing? As he explains "Ive always been passionate about music and have close friends that are extremely talented producers but i started taking DJing seriously last november when a mutual friend had a space for me to throw parties at. I get so busy with work sometimes and I loved the idea of being able to escape reality once a month and share the experience with anyone that needed to do the same. I also felt like the valley needed a club experience for people with esoteric taste. Most of the dance music parties down here played generic 'EDM' and boring house/techno. One of the clubs that would get the most packed is extremely homophobic/transphobic as well. They obviously have no clue that house/techno was birthed in Chicago by queer POC but i love to educate people about that and my party is a celebration of that." You know I actually didn't know that as Derek mentions "house/techno was birthed in Chicago by queer POC" you certainly learn something new everyday, huh? Now I'm curious in looking more into the birth of house/techno. With the mentioning of "esoteric" taste and "generic 'EDM' and boring house/techno" I've never gotten into house/techno until last year due to local DJs I've been able to experience and I will say that it is way different from what I would hear at clubs in my college years. Different in a sense that I'm not just standing there or waiting for it to end so it can switch to something different, but rather I'm enjoying something new and I'm curious on what it'll transition to or what sound I can pick up. Derek continues by sharing what type of style he has "I’d say my dj style is timeless and forward-thinking" along with a name he would tie in with that style "I guess i already came up with a name for it; Touching /// Infinite."
March 19th flyer by @derkindestod
What exactly is Touching /// Infinite as Derek explains "Touching the infinite, for me, is eating some golden teachers, listening to really well produced music and losing yourself (safely) in it for a few hours. This can happen in your bedroom, a club, a jacuzzi suite, etc. Its totally fine if you’re straight edge cause the music I play will make you feel like you’re on golden teachers anyway." First off I had to google what "golden teachers" were as I was thinking maybe this was a typo, but to my understanding it's mushrooms, but just not any mushroom it's a "magic mushroom" and while listening to the 4/23/22 mix I can imagine this. From the fast beats to the vocals being used fading in and out as the scream repeats itself (28:48 on the mix) as it fades out. Losing yourself to this (safely) as your heart races and sweat spills to the beat and non stop tracks by Lil Duende. Derek continues by mentioning what the purpose of Touching /// Infinite is as he says "The purpose is to destroy fascism via euphoria, to be a refuge for LGBTQ and people of color; to make sure the marginalized are uplifted and seen in a very unique and sometimes pandemonium-oriented space. Soundtracked by forward-thinking club music. The Hardest tracks, all genres."
November 26th flyer by @derkindestod
How does Derek plan the Touching /// Events? "I figure out what I’m in the mood for, Reach out to people I've been dying to book and/or people that support the vision, have the flyer made and make sure the sound system is as loud/hard as possible."
With those participating and with what I've listened to so far I can not imagine not having a sound system that's loud/hard. These events are once a month so we never know what to expect, but what can know is that there will be a sick flyer and hard sound system.
June 11th flyer by @animalnowakeup
With Derek going by Lil Duende what does he wish to evoke with the name along with what he plays? "Ive gone by a few aliases in the past. They've always been tongue in cheek because i don’t take this stuff too seriously. a lot of my fav house/techno producers from the 90s had so many aliases which is probably what inspired me a bit too. a lot of people think i’m referring to a garden gnome or some shit but im referring to the little duendes/demons from The Gate (1987). They come from a portal to hell that opens up in this kids back yard. I feel like some of my sets sound like i’m opening a portal to heaven and/or hell. some moments definitely sound like a distortion of space and time too. i’ll be opening a portal to heaven at MXLAN tho, i don’t want to scare the kids :)" Che Duende ya tengo miedo :( ahhhh jk When I heard the name/read it I never took it as a "garden gnome" but something like a demon for sure, something green. I do see the connection with the name and the movie reference as Derek mentioned earlier "escaping reality" as Lil Duende drags/pulls you into his realm as you'll never want to come out until of course it's 2am and you have to go home. That's just too funny "i’ll be opening a portal to heaven at MXLAN tho, i don’t want to scare the kids :)" I'll be there for sure. I look forward to what the Lil Angelito for a day brings out at Mxlan.
Is there anything Derek does during his sets to engage with his audience "Not really. Its all about the music. I want people to dance their ass off or head bang all night. if you head over to my highlights on instagram @touchinginfnite you can see how i rock the crowd. FYI always watch my highlights with headphones or while sitting in your car so you can feel/hear the low end too." I've seen Instagram stories and it looks like the club scene out a BLADE movie!
april 23rd flyer by @00silky
When it comes to the mix on soundcloud 4/23 live from the dungeon what went behind this as Derek says "So what’s cool about this one is i was dying to make a mix that was predominantly forward-thinking Latinx / south american club trax for my night with queenkillahbee (who plays some of the best reggaeton and perreo down here) right before Patrick reached out to me about playing MXLAN. The timing was perfect since i was already digging into these styles of music at that moment." What's interesting is that I don't listen to a lot of perreo or reggaeton, but just listening to this and listening to queenkillahbee I've been learning more and listening to everything used in mixes and it just all catches my attention along with the ways it's being used. Makes me wonder how the legendary night Perreo Y Peligro went down. By what Derek mentioned as well it certainly does sound perfect as it sounds like he's got the perfect mix for Mxlan! Derek also mentions that when listening to the mix feels like to him "when i listen to this mix i feel brown and proud AF. Pure melanistic energy. nobody does it like us!" I certainly need more and need to seek out more perreo and reggaeton for sure! I do listen to spanish music, but mixes has helped me learn on what's out there. If Derek could have this mix played anywhere where would it be? "I would have loved to play this set at a rave in a jungle or pyramid with some of my favorite djs." I can totally see it in a jungle for sure! Especially if it was a rave within the jungle.
What goes behind creating a mix? What genres does Derek enjoy working with as he mentions "i throw a crap load of tracks I’m really feeling at that moment into a playlist and just start jamming n blending tracks until i have an hours worth most of the time. I enjoy working with all genres of dance music, as long as its made in good taste." Man I can't imagine throwing in hours worth of music and then turning it into a one hour mix, but then again that's also where the fun comes in as well. You don't know what you'll come up with.
May 28th flyer by @invt305
What does Derek wish to evoke from the audience experiencing his set?
"to destroy fascism via euphoria while dancing and/or head banging"
What kind of feedback has Derek received on his sets as she says "People have been rocking with it. My good friend Rabit who worked on bjorks last grammy nominated album with arca also asked me to DJ his art exhibit in houston back in May. His album “what dreams may come” will drop later this year. Now i have the tigers blood cosign too. Its been fun :)." That's crazy, but that's so great that people have been enjoying it. I mean for someone like me that still new and learning about house/techno its been a great experience so far. Not just listening to Lil Duende online but being to experience different DJs and listening to their different styles/sounds. Lil Duede has made me feel what it's like to be on "golden teachers" whether it's in my car driving home at 11pm or in my room.
Being a part of the MxLan how does that make Derek feel? What can we expect from their set at MxLan?
"Im elated to spread pure black n brown energy on a loud sound system. I’m going to play all styles of next level south american club music, underground and unreleased edits. Some African n Jamaican dance music as well because a lot of Latinx styles of dance music wouldn’t exist without the African and Jamaican influence. Some pure house & techno. throwing in some forward-thinking indie rock and pop too. The freshest stuff imaginable. come through!" Okay now I learned something new AGAIN as Derek mentions "Latinx styles of dance music wouldn’t exist without the African and Jamaican influence" this is going to be a very interesting set that I hope to listen to/experience if work doesn't call me in (pray for me). Even with the mentioning of "unreleased edits" Derek is really bringing out everything. He really is opening the portal to heaven at MxLan!
February 12th flyer by @mistercrocat
Would Derek say that there is some sort of relationship when it comes to the music and the audience when it comes to DJing?
"There are definitely DJs that only play what mainstream audiences want to hear. Im all about giving the audience something they’ve never experienced and putting them on to new stuff." I'd say that Derek really gave me something new to experience and It's what I've been experiencing with DJ sets. Now I gotta experience it live along with some others on my list.
December 18th flyer by @esser99
Is there anything Derek puts about himself into his work?
"I just love to play music that excites me and i understand all music stems from black and brown culture and you will always hear that in my sets."
Derek shares his thoughts on the local valley scene,
I’m not too sure since I’m busy as hell with my plant-based ice cream business most of the time. I only have time to play my own events and a few others every so often. Seems like its growing for sure tho. I dig it.
July 23rd flyer by @derkindestod
Along with one final comment,
my next event is July 23rd and you can’t miss it. Its the future of ballroom/vogue culture. HOUSE OF KENZO will be in town to show us how its done (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/366898502297)
I recommend reading their office mag interview to see what we’re about, http://officemagazine.net/meet-house-kenzo . i need all the real punks to pull up! looking forward to seeing everyone there. Follow me @liddulduende @touchinginfinite and my plant-based ice cream biz @hojanuevacreamery <33
i’m playing MXLAN on friday july 29th . you can RSVP now at MXLAN.com
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