Chez de Milo
To someone who is unfamiliar with club blanco, how who you describe its sound and the community that surrounds it?
“Hypnotic, ritualistic, and unruly“
There’s a strong sense of cohesion between your music, visual identity, and Club Blanco as a whole—where do you find inspiration, both musically and beyond?
Everything feeds into the same vision because I do it all myself — the curation, programming, design, etc. (almost always). I’m glad you notice the cohesion; it’s something I want to be prevalent. Always a work in progress, of course. Parties that extend beyond the event itself have always been an inspiration to me, and they’re exactly why visual identity and music are equally important to Club Blanco
Are there any particular clubs or nights you feel have really sculpted your sound and process as a DJ?
Yes, definitely. My formative years in Bristol with nights like Just Jack and Dirtytalk set me on my path. Early pilgrimages to Fabric to see Craig and Ricardo left me wide-eyed, legless, and I never really looked back
Favourite memories from selecting and the dancefloor?
Difficult to say over the last 13 + years but in recent times have really cherished the morning after hours sessions for Club Blanco at The Love Inn in Bristol. The b2b there with Craig Richards springs to mind. Nothing but fond memories spinning in Vilnius, Lithuania - a pretty unmatched energy there. Nyapi in Seoul - I really love what Ffan and crew have got going on there. I can’t not mention early gigs with Andrew Weatherall - forever the highest source of inspiration. Recent sets at Love International Festival have felt really special to me also - at The Olive Grove and Barbarella’s over the last couple years - full circle feel on those that will stick forever.
What helps maintain your creativity through the many outlets you have? (digging, DJing, producing,design etc)
It’s more of a habit I can’t quit than something I feel I need to maintain. Even if there were no gigs, releases, or deadlines, I’d still be digging records, tinkering with sounds, or playing around with visuals just because it keeps me stimulated and I genuinely love doing it. All the different outlets end up bouncing off each other anyway: DJing feeds my productions, digging feeds my DJing, and design shapes how I think about mood and atmosphere. It all feels less like a routine and more like following my nose through whatever catches my imagination that day.
What currently excites you in the UK scene?
Seems to me there’s been a bit of a shift with less emphasis on the headline act and more trust in curation and the crowd of late. Also exciting to see promoters pushing extended parties, giving the music space to breathe and unfold in a less rushed way, which is exactly where this kind of sound thrives.
What makes you gravitate toward subtle, evolving elements in your productions and the tracks you select?
the older I get the more I appreciate subtleness, day to day finding the beauty in reputation and simplicity.
Do you consider your label a direct reflection of your sonic vision, or has it evolved into something larger than yourself?
The Club Blanco label is really intended to be a direct reflection of my ‘club’ taste and what Club Blanco is about sonically. So far, I feel like I’ve managed to pull that off – and I can say that with some confidence because my tastes are pretty broad anyway. The label gives me a space to showcase the sounds that excite me, and in that sense it’s very much an extension of the night and what it’s all about
