ROMANCE w Eli Escobar + Mike Servito

Who they are

• 

  Eli Escobar

  New York City · 396 bookings since Aug 2023

  “With over two decades of electronic music eminence, Eli Escobar has confirmed his place amongst dance music greats.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  With over two decades of electronic music eminence, Eli Escobar has confirmed his place amongst dance music greats. With an unparalleled record collection of handpicked gems and curveball productions, Escobar guides revellers through the heartbeat of music, from the past to the future. Always looking forward and keeping step with evolving generational tastes, Escobar has redefined his sound in recent years. As an acquainted DJ & Producer, the dance music veteran cut his teeth into the epicentre of 1990’s New York City hedonism and set the foundations for an admirable career. Releasing music on influential labels such as Phonica, Razor n Tape, Defected’s ‘Classic’ and his very own label imprint Night People, only gives a snapshot into the depth of his discovery. Spanning over more than 20 years, the influence and presence of Eli Escobar is undeniable in every corner of dance music. As a selector he has appeared on a variety of influential platforms including BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, Resident Advisor's Exchange Podcast, Boiler Room, Mixmag ‘The Lab’ and The Lot Radio, only to name a few. Likewise transporting his sound to dancefloors across the world with residencies at House of Yes, Le Bain, Battlehymn and beyond. Globally respected and recognised as a forward thinking producer, Escobar’s output steps beyond conventional dance music with remix work for the likes of Lana Del Rey, M.I.A., Honey Dijon, Cakes Da Killa and many more. Now heading into 2023 Eli looks to stay true to his musical progression
  SoundCloud ↗Bandcamp ↗
  House on 82, Deep House on 44, Disco on 17 and Nu-Disco on 12. styles on their catalogued releases

  Released on Deep South Recordings (3) (1), Off Track Recordings (1) and Potions Music (1); their RA profile also lists Classic, Phonica Records, Razor-N-Tape, Deeplomatic Recordings and 3 more. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile

  Recently at House of Yes, Gabriela, Rumi · often with DJ Moma, Andi, Sissies of Mercy, none of them here that night

• Mike Servito

  New York City · 154 bookings since Aug 2023

  “Some DJs burst upon the scene like a supernova, fading just as quickly.”

  their own biography

  the whole biography

  Some DJs burst upon the scene like a supernova, fading just as quickly. Others take years, even decades, to make their way—but those are the ones who make the most impact, thanks to a lifetime of accumulated musical wisdom. Mike Servito is a prime example of the latter. His career is one that’s defined by a slow and steady rise to upper ranks of the deejaying realm—and along the way, he’s perfected a jacking style that equal parts house, acid and techno, a sound that pays homage to the past while being very much of-the-moment. A Detroit-area native, Servito got his early education by tuning into the Electrifying Mojo and the Wizard (Jeff Mill’s radio moniker). By the early ’90s, Servito was primed to try his hand at the deejaying arts, “I was just kind of cocky about it,” he says. “I knew I could do it.” And he was right—in the DJ hotbed of Detroit, internalizing knowledge gleamed from the likes of Mike Huckaby and Claude Young, he kept working at it until he established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the Motor City circuit, eventually becoming a member in good standing with the inner circle of Ghostly International. But Servito felt the need for a change from the sometimes insular environment of Detroit. By the late ’00s, he was living in NYC with no real game plan in place. As it turned out, he didn’t really need one—he soon fell in with the city’s premier techno party, The Bunker, becoming one of its mainstay residents. Around the same time, he was beginning to make his presence known on a global scale, packing dance floors with gigs around the States and around the world. But it was a hometown festival snub in 2014 that really got things going. Servito had played Movement once before, in 2011. “And between then and 2014,” he recalls, “I had been playing so many Bunker parties, playing so many great gigs and my profile was rising—so I was sure they would book me again.” The invite never came. Instead, he booked himself at every Movement after-party he could, one of which was the annual No Way Back, a legendary throw down hosted by The Bunker New York and Detroit’s Interdimensional Transmissions label. The set, a riotously sweaty bleeps-and-beats affair, was recorded for posterity; unexpectedly but deservedly, it garnered a nod as the year’s No 1 online Mix of the Year on Resident Advisor. That was the spark that set Servito’s career aflame, the push that took him to the top. Since then, he’s cemented his status as one of the most respected spinners around, regularly manning the decks at such hallowed halls as Berlin’s Panorama Bar, London’s XOYO and Tokyo’s Contact, not to mention the world’s best festivals—including, of course Movement. And to this day, his approach to deejaying is refreshingly simple: “I really don’t think about it,” he says, “When I’m playing, I just dive in, and I’m OK.” He’s far more than okay—he’s one of the best around.
  SoundCloud ↗Bandcamp ↗Discography ↗
  Techno on 7, Acid on 5, House on 5 and Acid House on 3. styles on their catalogued releases

  Released on The Bunker New York (2) and Interdimensional Transmissions (1); their RA profile also lists Firehouse and Honey Soundsystem. labels on their catalogued releases and on their RA profile

  Recently at Paragon, Elsewhere, Nowadays · often with Shaun J. Wright, S4M23, JADALAREIGN, none of them here that night