Today we’d like to introduce you to Nelson Perez.
Hi Nelson, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Since I was a kid, living in Chicago in the early 80s, dance music surrounded me. From early underground disco to the birth of House Music, it always made its presence throughout the city and into my home. At the time the local radio stations were pivotal to the growth of House Music, with radio shows broadcasting live from local clubs, where radio DJs would perform their sets from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night. It was an exciting time in dance music history, as Chicago was the only place to listen to this form of music. Looking back at it now, I was very fortunate as I submerged myself in as much of it as possible. Over the years, it continued to grow and spread to other parts of the country, most notably Detroit, New York, and LA. Before you knew it, House Music was taking the UK by storm, and with Europe’s involvement, it became what it is today.
I started learning the art of DJing at around 12 years old when a cousin introduced me to my first set of turntables. It was at that time that I learned the art of blending music with two turntables and a mixer. I was so engrossed in mastering my skills that I would skip school just to practice. I loved the music so much that I never thought it would transition into anything meaningful. When I moved to Orlando, I purchased my first set of turntables in 1998 and got my first gig playing at local bars about a year later. I would play anywhere, offering my service for free if it landed me the gig. However, in this business, getting to where you want fast requires networking with like-minded individuals. During the earlier stages of my career, I became interested in creating music. I knew I could reach that goal by continuing to DJ in and around Orlando, meeting many people through my travels from gig to gig.
I eventually made connections while networking and met other House Music enthusiasts out of Altamonte Springs, Florida. They were also inspiring DJs looking to produce music, and ironically, they started a record label. Before I started producing, I left my 9-5 job to work for a local electronic distribution warehouse. Over time, I built relationships that led to me purchasing my studio gear. During this time, I was still DJing wherever I could while learning and owning my craft as an industry producer. Through this new outlet, I released my first production, a remix of a single from another artist they were working with. I would produce a few more remixes with this label, and the work paid off as it rewarded me with more gigs outside of Florida and created opportunities for other independent labels. My most memorable gig was playing in South America’s Love Parade, held in Bogota, Colombia, at the Colosseum & Taj Mahal. Being able to visit South America, its passion for music, and its way of life changed my entire perspective, not only in music but also in how I viewed the world around me. In 2020, I started my own label and released all my original productions under it.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing comes easy in this business. You will always encounter roadblocks and challenges that shift your thinking and processes. When the multi-media group I worked for went out of business, I was at a crossroads because I had just started a family; and with no money coming in, I was forced to find a job to make ends meet. For many years, I focused on family more than music which led me to lose my desire for making music. It wasn’t until 2015 that I started dabbling with producing music again. It was more for fun and a way to reacquaint myself with new digital audio workstations. Many were out there, but I settled on Logic Pro, a stable platform that many of today’s top producers use.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
I produce electronic music, particularly house music, such as deep house, tech house, melodic, and some progressive. I’ve also just started my label called Atomik Music. Creating my label was necessary because it allowed me to release my music and keep the rights to it while sharing it with the world. In an industry saturated with music, due to the digital world, making a name for yourself is a lot of work, and getting people to listen to your music is much harder these days. Most electronic music is mostly instrumental and usually has little to no vocals. Although nothing is wrong with that, however, I enjoy working with other artists, preferably vocalists. The style of electronic music that I enjoy listening to and creating has to have that it factor—that sound that hits you deep in your soul and makes you feel good—music that makes you want to dance. Many of today’s music has evolved and new genres have formed, ushering in a new generation that I feel is out of touch with why this music was created to begin with. You see it today with all these music festivals. Instead of dancing nonstop, it’s become a place where people jump up and down to certain parts of the track, most frequently during the drop, which is the point of the track where the intensity is at its peak. There is much more to dance music than an epic drop. I prefer the more intimate setting where people dance like no one is watching, creating that connection to the elements of the music! Not that it’s entirely lost, it’s just not as visible anymore. We replaced the emotional ride of the music with constant energy.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I don’t know if good or bad luck had that much of an impact on my journey. Life is a marathon, and although it’s not easy to reach the finish line, you learn a lot and make the best decisions with what you have along the way. Not giving up and always staying positive are keys to success. If you love something enough, continue to do it and everything else will eventually follow.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anatomikal/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anatomikal
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@anatomikal
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/anatomikal
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5yVa85KTgakeqMuo1gH8mc?si=yMvail24ShOPUqyK4NamaA
Image Credits
Profile photo credit: Edward Nicholas Perez, Instagram page: @edward_np_
