Mexican dance music? You might not have come across any before, but Betoko is flying the flag for his country loud and proud with his potent blend of minimal techno, electro and house. A firm believer in funking basslines and strong melodies, his tracks embody a crisp, clear production technique that means they cut through speakers like a hot knife through butter, and give an incredibly full sound on a big system.

He was picked up by Amnesia resident Mar-T for his WOW! Recordings label in 2007, joining an existing roster featuring respected producers like John Dahlbäck, Tobi Neumann and Minus boy Paco Osuna, and his tracks are supported by everyone from Danny Tenaglia to M.A.N.D.Y. His debut album Identity Crisis dropped recently on WOW!, and features some manically infectious mini-tech wigglers like Morgan and Raindrops, powered along by huge chunky b-line grooves and swinging, click ‘n’ pop percussive grooves, but also heady melodic epics like Swing, which recall Booka Shade at their most emotive and resonant. Get the album now – it’s a masterful slice of electronic fusion that sounds equally great at home or in da cluuuub.

How and when were you first infected by dance music?

I always liked electronic sounds, but I guess I really got into it when I moved to London in 2002 and started producing dance music.

When did you start producing, and how long was it before you started making tracks that you were really happy with?

I’ve been producing since I was really young, I can’t exactly remember, but I can recall recording a drum track on to a cassette, then playing back that track from another tape deck and laying down a bass part, then keys, effects, vocals etc… all in one take, by the end of the recording the sound was 80 % noise and hiss from doubling of the tape but you could hear in a track in the background, sort of… it was my multi track recording, he he.    The first electronic tracks I was really happy with were Run with Dino Lenny which was used on CSI, then came Xuplak, Someday…

What have been your personal favourite productions so far?

My favourite has to be Xuplak, I did it in a very sad state of mind and ready to return to Mexico for good, but it was straight away picked up by Wow! Records, and everything else came of the back of this really…

Where does your name come from?

It’s a combination of my name and surname, Beto Cohen, but I changed the C for a K to make it Kooler…

Who would you most like to work with?

I’d like to do something with Dubfire, I think with his darker sound and my more melodic side could result in a dark/melodic bangin’ techno track!

What have you got in store for 2008?

At the moment, promoting my album and singles, and I have a load of remixes to do, Mark Knight’s Man With The Red Face, Jean Claude Ades Shingaling, Les Schmitz, Mar-T and a few others. I’m also working on a few collaborations, plus I’m in the process of setting up my own label. I’ve been a studio freak for the past year or so, recording my album and stuff, so now I will try and concentrate on DJing more. I think it’s time to go and play it to the people!

What can we expect from one of your DJ sets?

Expect funky techno trax with a touch of melodic lines plus a few exclusive mixes I’ve done only for my sets…

If you weren’t a DJ/producer, what would you be?

A gynecologist :)

Which other producers and DJs do you really rate?

Ufff, there’s so many…Gregor Tresher, Steve Lawler, Johnny D, Dubfire, Martin Buttrich, Loco Dice, Dirt Crew amongst many others.
 

http://www.myspace.com/betoko