label Cadenza, head honcho Luciano takes time to reflect on the highlights of its time at the top — while keeping a close eye on the future... Words: DAVID SULLIVAN
uciano has the ability to look that much deeper than the average DJ. It could be his unfaltering dedication to the deep house and techno religion that has made his record label Cadenza the solid foundation to some of the scene’s most revered releases.
The man born Lucien Nicolet carved his production and DJ skills in Chile, South America, after moving from
Switzerland. The culture clash only worked wonders for the DJ, mixing heated fl air and an ice-cold creep into every Luciano tune that followed.
This lissom balance has suffused all the releases on Cadenza too; from 2012’s stripped-back, classical keyed charmer ‘Pallene’ from Uner to the earthy minimal techno of Loco Dice’s ‘Harissa EP’, it’s become one of the most singular imprints in dance music.
Of course, it’s not just the record label that’s been a success. Luciano’s turned the stable into a party brand with his Cadenza Vagabundos events, becoming the single best places to sample state-of-art 4/4s worldwide. The most in-demand of all are the