✺ a self-regulating collective ✺ gravitating together around a common interest for sound, music, culture ✺ driven by the idea that music provides a space for expression, sharing, evolution, surprise, growth ✺ providing support and protection for artists ✺ rethinking the standards for artistic representation ✺
As a teenager Paco cut his teeth in the early noughties at some of the wildest teknivals in Europe, mixing 160>190bpm tribe records. With time, although forever granted a special place in his heart, he drifted away from the free party and rave scene to broaden his horizons, deepening his knowledge of electronic music in its full scope. He migrated north to Brussels, became a sound engineer, and set up the Chez Paco + Nini recording studio, a space dedicated to creating a local synergy, bringing together various Belgian and international musical networks. He also became part of the effervescent Brüxsel Jardin team, who pool their forces to amplify local talent via their label.
Paco recognizes that music provides much more than just hedonistic loopholes. Thanks to his spiritual and political awareness, he seeks to convey magical experiences and ideals of freedom through the power of his sets and those of others. Recent initiatives like his residency at Antidote (Brussels) allow him to donate funds to local charities, proving that the scene can be a vector for change. Paco’s sets retain the energy channeled from his rave and free party heritage, all the while combining trippy, groovy techno, tech-house, breaks, and acid in an explosively joyous cocktail, bringing not only stomping feet but extended smiles to the dancefloor.
Gurl constructs DJ sets like constellations, bringing together styles and genres to create a unique microcosm every time she takes to the decks. As a passionate digger and record collector, the Luxembourg native now settled in Brussels has fine-tuned a hypersensitive approach to electronic music, which translates into a cosmic journey embarked upon by listeners. During her punchy, fast-paced sets interspersed with techno and electro gems we dance and dream, we remember, and we forget in a collective effort to transcend the boundaries of time and space.
A dedicated cratedigger and true music lover with a deep love for the art of DJing, the Brussels DJ/selector Jakob is also that friendly person who sells records at Crevette Records and handles their distribution. With more than 10 years of experience cleaning dust off of hidden gems, Jakob combines technique and a taste for surprise in his varied and energetic sets.
islas scatters carefully selected vibrations, weaves together electronic gems, creates sinuous and surprising sets. Floating in the limbo between dance music, delay pedals, ASMR, spoken word, movie scores, and ambient sounds, islas plays with the friction that exists when one record meets another, with the joy that erupts when sounds come together to create the previously unheard.
A true believer who is not into ‘crowd pleasers' but more into putting into effect his own musical truths, Boudewijn has shaped his personal philosophy of playing and sharing music. His passion for record shops has driven him to join Crevette Records, a fundamental place in Brussels’ solar system. In order to contribute to that universe, he felt the need to create a record label with his acolytes of Pinguin Society. According to him, we imprint our records with moments and memories, transforming the actual object into a story of its own that moves beyond matter.
Alexander Francis is a vinyl enthusiast and dj who’s been part of the Brussels club music landscape for over a decade. Two years ago he decided to concentrate on what he loves best: playing deep, quirky sounds designed for intimate dancefloors, and renamed himself francis99 to mark the turning point. Inspired by the rich and diverse Brussels scene, his style echoes years of listening to a wide variety of musical styles, digging and playing records with friends at parties or during all-night home sessions.
After having hosted the Beyond club nights at Fuse with Pierre, Handless Dj and Walrus, you can now find francis99 on Kiosk Radio, at C12 or playing alongside his pals from Basic Moves.
Musically shaped between a teenage love for hip hop and the many sundown to sunrises spent dancing at Brussels’ sweatiest underground parties. Camiflage is convinced that in order to make you move, a track should squeak, bounce, rattle, roll, clap and conjure a grin on your face.
Openness and wide array are keywords in Max's human nature but also in his musical understanding. Thanks to his family, his first influences can be traced back to jazz, blues, new wave, and dub. Ever since, he has been sensitive to multiple music genres, depending on the cycle of life he’s been traveling through. When it comes to electronic music, he chooses lighthearted but thorough bass lines, mellow and warm breaks, dancing the tango with dreamy synth lines.
A true worshiper of house music blessed with a certain ravy and techno spirit, Dj Rino loves to pick out random records that most of us would probably leave in their dusty corners. Music is a main component in Rino’s life, whether he is listening or playing, it fills the silence, connecting him to the present moment and the people around him. Rino’s sets are long, joyful and filled to the brim with energy, breaking boundaries between categories and proving the interconnection between each and every electronic genre. In 2021 he co-founded the label Pinguin Society with fellow DJs Boudewijn Ericx, Tom Rynders, and Michiel Nijs with the aim to promote underappreciated gems from the past.