Paco Osuna

Paco Osuna is one of the most relevant artists of the electronic music scene of the 21st century, not only in Spain but also internationally. A champion of the most minimalistic techno sound, with darkness, groove and warm rhythms always present in his sessions. Paco Osuna is characterized by constant innovation, not only in the studio but also in the DJ booth. You rarely see him playing simply with CDJs or turntables. His sets are hybrid shows, in which his musical selection is combined with the sounds he produces in his studio. Paco Osuna is the founder and director of the Mindshake label, among the biggest ones in minimal techno, and his work has been published also on other reference imprints such as Minus, 100% Pure Recordings, Get Physical, Blackflag Recordings, Cadenza, Circus, MOOD, Hommage, Tronic, Suara, Plus 8 Records and elrow Music, among many others. The list is endless... and worthy of one of the greatest DJs and producers of all time. Plastikman (aka Richie Hawtin), Adam Beyer, Seth Troxler, Monkey Safari, Nicole Moudaber and Matador are some of the artists he has remixed throughout his 25-year career... something he intended to celebrate in 2020, before the coronavirus wrecked his plans. Paco Osuna was born in Barcelona in 1974, just two and a half years after Richie Hawtin and Dubfire, and one year before Marco Carola. Without doubts, this five-year period, from 1970 to 1975, was decisive for the future of the clubbing and underground dance music industry. At just 14 years old, Paco Osuna was already regular going to Studio 54, a reference point in Barcelona's nightlife and a place of worship for acid house, mainly thanks to Raúl Orellana. Although one might think that Barcelona is the ideal city to develop an artistic career, in Spain, at the end of the 20th century, the focus of dance music was in another city (not far from the Catalan capital): Valencia. That was the breeding ground of Paco Osuna, the boiling pot in which the Barcelona-born man threw himself into at the age of 20, after finishing his military service. The main clubs and discos in Valencia, like Puzzle or Heaven, began to see in him an innate talent, more than 'just another DJ'. Very close to Valencia (although with a bit of water in between), is Ibiza. The comments regarding Paco Osuna soon reached the White Island. In 1999, at the age of 25, he became Amnesia's resident DJ, sharing the booth with giants of the clubbing scene such as Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Carl Cox, the recently deceased Pascal FEOS, or Sven Väth. The latter was the first one to make a move: in 2001, Paco Osuna became part of the Cocoon Agency. His career as a DJ was taking off and he made the jump to the international scene. From then on, everything is history. His music was highly rated on labels such as Real State and Mórbido, and his first label Shake Rc. saw the light just two years later. ZenBooking, an agency with Adam Beyer, Davide Squillace and Marco Carola among others, included also Paco Osuna on its roster. All of this until, in 2006, the Barcelona artist launched his greatest product: Mindshake. His second label. The definitive one. The label which still lasts today and through which many - if not all - the greatest names of the minimal, techno and tech-house movement have passed. Paul Ritch, Carlo Lio, Eats Everything, Popof, Nick Curly and Andres Campo are a good example. At the same time, in the same year, Paco Osuna started another great project: Club4. For a decade, the party was a reference for Thursday nights in Barcelona. Club4 was hosted in City Hall (a club that is still active in the city) and was run, in addition to Paco Osuna, by Adam Beyer, Marco Carola and Christian Smith. In other words, the top representatives of Mindshake, Drumcode, Music On and Tronic. Not bad at all. Not surprisingly, Paco Osuna also became a resident of the famous Music On parties, both in Ibiza and around the planet. From then until now, Paco Osuna has passed through practically all the hot spots on the scene, both in terms of clubs and festivals: Pacha, Hï, Ushuaïa, Space Miami, Space New York, Berghain and Panorama Bar, Kappa Futur Festival, Loveland, Tomorrowland, Ultra Miami, Movement Detroit, DGTL, Sónar... Few barriers remain for the Catalan to cross. Currently, Paco Osuna works side by side with someone who has been, from the beginning, his great idol and inspiration: Richie Hawtin. The Canadian artist, famous for his obsession (family heritage) with technological development, in 2016 launched the new MODEL1 mixer, a machine in which the mixing channels are based on the use of filters. Under his motto PLAYdifferently, Richie Hawtin wanted as official MODEL1 ambassadors some like-minded artists. Among these, Loco Dice, Chris Liebing, Matador, Dubfire... and Paco Osuna. With his MODEL1, his different gadgets and devices and his hybrid sets, Paco Osuna in 2020 celebrates 25 years of artistic career. He does so more alive than ever, present in many of the most influential clubs and festivals on the planet, and persistent also in the development of Mindshake's parties and showcases. Paco Osuna is, without a doubt, one of the greatest examples of minimal techno music of the 21st century.