Hector Llamazares: two decades, one statement

Twenty years behind the decks is no small thing in electronic music. Trends come and go, genres rise and collapse, but Héctor Llamazares has weathered every cycle without losing his balance. From the heart of Asturias to festivals across Spain and Europe, his sound has evolved with discipline and passion, carrying the weight of experience while still hungry for the unknown.

Arriving at ADE with Mixmag marks more than another date on the calendar. It’s the recognition of a career built on persistence, on staying true through the turbulence of shifting scenes and the temptation of shortcuts. For Llamazares, every set, every record, every project has been another step in proving that authenticity can survive in an industry that rarely rewards patience.

Now, as he steps onto one of the biggest international stages, Héctor brings not only his own story but the story of a region that shaped him. Asturias remains his anchor, a scene that forged his identity and keeps him grounded even as his sound travels globally. ADE is not just a showcase of his music, but of the resilience, risks, and reinvention that have defined his journey.

Stepping into ADE with Mixmag isn’t just another gig for Héctor Llamazares; it’s the culmination of years of resilience. He sees this moment as proof that discipline pays off, that the long nights and the constant grind eventually find their way to the spotlight.

Arriving at ADE Amsterdam alongside Mixmag is definitely going to be fun. The act itself represents effort, consistency, and the respect I hold for music, something that never stops surprising me and constantly pushes me toward new challenges. I’m confident the international audience will respond well to what I bring. My style is deeply rooted, giving weight and authenticity to what they hear, so emotion is guaranteed.”

Behind every artist’s success are moments of doubt, shifts in trends, and projects that don’t always go as planned. From building a live set backed by legends to facing setbacks with Warm Hall, the journey has been anything but linear. Yet today, with renewed passion and Spanish talent on full display at ADE, the fire is still burning strong.

“Over the years, I have gone through many changes. Perhaps the hardest moments are those of self-reflection, when you realize it is not your time, even though just a few months earlier it seemed like it was. Shifts in trends are inevitable. The pandemic was a radical change, only comparable to when tech house exploded onto the scene. These movements can really affect an artist’s stability. The toughest situation is often having to change direction, leave behind projects you care about, or keep working without major results, waiting for the cycle to turn and for your sound to regain its place.”

“One of the hardest moments in my career was realizing we had a brilliant project in our hands that, due to small details, did not follow the path I felt it deserved. Warm Hall was born out of passion and emotion. We spent countless hours in the studio to be ready for anything. We released some robust material and gained support from artists like Laurent Garnier, Hernán Cattáneo, Marc Marzenit, and many more. We built a top-level analog live set, ready to tour, and honestly, I still sometimes ask myself. As you can see, not everything goes as planned. But here I am today, representing Spanish talent at ADE, with my passion for this work renewed and intact.”

If there is one festival that mirrors Héctor Llamazares’ growth, it’s Aquasella. Fifteen editions deep, the connection runs far beyond a booking. It has been his yearly checkpoint, a stage that tests him, elevates him, and gives him the space to take risks.

“Aquasella is pure emotion for me, something I experience and celebrate in a very special way every year. I feel the festival has accompanied my artistic growth, even though you always need to find your own path forward. Aquasella is part of European electronic music history, with 28 editions behind it. Both the legendary La Real club and Aquasella have been key players in the evolution of electronic music in Spain since the 1990s.”

He speaks of the freedom this festival gives him to deliver sets that carry risk, the kind of performances that can go wrong but, when they land, are unforgettable.

“I believe the festival has given me the freedom to deliver unexpected, emotionally impactful sets that other artists might hesitate to attempt, because these kinds of sessions involve real risks. These dancefloor-driven yet emotional sets have helped me stand out. Over the years, there have been moments that deeply marked people and are still remembered today.”

For 2025, the plan is to keep writing those moments. And if you’ve ever stood in the valley at sunrise, you’ll understand why he describes it with so much intensity.

“Picture this: the sun rises over the Aquasella valley, nature all around, and thousands of people on a Sunday at 7 a.m., after three full days of festival. Then this track drops, Moby, In My Heart (Sandy Rivera Mix).”

Launching a label in 2025 is not just about putting music out; it’s about carving an identity in an oversaturated landscape. For Héctor Llamazares, Romantina Records, co-founded with Pilar Román, is precisely that: a statement, a new chapter, and a challenge embraced head-on.

“Romantina Records was born from the excitement of a new path, the shared enthusiasm, and the desire to grow and enjoy achieving our goals alongside a community of artists and fans who identify with it. The label’s image perfectly reflects our vision. Looking at the design, you can see a clear contrast. The logo exudes calm, but a disruptive, rebellious crest turns everything on its head. That is how we see the label. Just like in DJ sets, we want things to happen.”

It’s a philosophy that matches his trajectory: rooted in discipline, sharpened by resilience, but always willing to embrace risk. Romantina isn’t just another label; it’s a vehicle to pass on that ethos, the need to move, to provoke, to surprise.

Vinyl has always been more than a format for Héctor Llamazares. It is a language, a way to measure time and identity. With his project Echoes in Wax, he has built a concept that is less about nostalgia and more about telling stories across decades of electronic music.

“Echoes in Wax came about naturally out of necessity. I felt something was missing, that I needed to close a circle. The idea was to have a set in my booking offer where I could fully express myself, 360º, drawing on all my influences. Over the years, I’ve kept collecting records, many of them collector’s items, across these key genres. Compiling music from 1986 to 2025 has been an incredible experience, a story that needed to be told. Beyond that, for me, playing this set from time to time feels like the totem in the movie Inception, a way of knowing where I stand. Holding onto my roots gives me a starting point I don’t want to forget, and it helps me stay grounded.”

The selection is a map of his influences: Joey Beltram’s Drome, Aphex Twin’s Quoth, Mr. Fingers’ Washing Machine, Carl Craig’s Future Love Theme, LCD Soundsystem remixed by Tiga, Omar-S, Âme, and more. It is a journey that jumps between techno, house, electro, and acid without hesitation, threading together nearly four decades of club culture into one arc.

With Echoes in Wax, Héctor isn’t just playing music. He’s reminding the crowd and himself that roots matter, that the future of sound is always tied to the past, and that authenticity has to be renewed every time the needle touches the record.

If the booth is where Héctor Llamazares tells the story, the studio is where he writes it. After two decades, he finally has the space and tools he always dreamed of, a room that feels like both a laboratory and a sanctuary.

“Today I can proudly say I have the studio I always dreamed of, more than enough space to work and enjoy music. Over the years, I’ve collected synths, drum machines, sequencers, percussion, and other instruments for different projects. In my studio, you’ll find everything from a Moog Voyager to a Xoxbox, a Juno-106, a MIDI drum kit, a sampler, and much more, with additional gear stored in boxes that I pull out whenever I want something different. My creative process relies heavily on studio work, everything I’ve learned over the years, and, above all, about 80% on improvisation. I haven’t been able to release much music recently, but we’ve dedicated a lot of time in the studio, and that’s where the upcoming records are coming from.”

That improvisational spirit keeps his sound alive. Tracks are not meticulously planned blueprints, but moments of discovery. Machines become extensions of his hands, silences become sparks, and the result is music that feels as alive in the studio as it does under festival lights.

Some projects stay with you forever because they test every boundary you thought you had. For Héctor Llamazares, that project was Warm Hall. It wasn’t just another alias or a casual collaboration; it was a full dive into the unknown: live analog performance, machines sequenced in ways that left no room for error, and the challenge of building something raw and human in real time.

“Developing that live act with Raúl was a huge challenge. We had many machines sequenced, sends and returns, and a complex Ableton setup with lots of tracks. Some issues arose, but we eventually solved them. In the end, it was an incredible learning experience. It definitely will not be my last live project.”

Warm Hall forced him out of the safety net of traditional DJing, where instinct and selection carry the night. On stage with racks of gear, there was nowhere to hide. What emerged from those performances wasn’t just music, but resilience, and the realization that risk itself can be the strongest part of an artist’s identity.

In an industry where moving to Berlin, Barcelona, or London often feels like a requirement, Héctor Llamazares chose to stay rooted in Asturias. For him, it wasn’t a limitation, but a statement. Asturias has always been a hub of Spanish electronic culture, with La Real and Aquasella writing history since the 1990s, and a tight network of clubs, record stores, and collectives carrying that legacy forward today.

“Talking about Asturias is talking about one of the cradles of electronic music in Spain. Since the 1990s, the best DJs, both national and international, have passed through here regularly. I am proud to be part of this and to export my art from here to many cities across the country. It is said, rumored, and well known that Asturias has one of the best pools of local DJs in Spain, and possibly in Europe.”

“The consolidation of collectives, clubs, and independent artists who have continued strengthening the legacy left by many active DJs creates something hard to put into words. Currently, we have several top-level clubs, including Teatro Albéniz, with over 30 years of history, Lanna Club, Sala Gong, Danza Prima, Sala Acapulco, and Kuivi. Also, in many other venues, you can find parties run by collectives, and you can also find record stores like Ohmios Récords and Mita Récords.”

Staying in Asturias shaped his sound as much as his discipline. Instead of chasing trends in bigger markets, Héctor honed his craft in a community where reputation is earned set by set. That grounding is part of what makes his perspective so different: he doesn’t just play for the scene, he carries one with him wherever he goes.

After two decades of sweat, reinvention, and persistence, Héctor Llamazares doesn’t hand out advice like a lecture. What he offers instead is lived truth, the kind you only earn by enduring the highs and lows of a long career.

“I’d tell them to enjoy the process, be patient, and take advantage of training on platforms like Aulart or producer courses to develop a standout project. I also believe it’s crucial to build organizational skills. Self-management is key during those early years when no agency is paying attention. With a solid strategy, you can achieve a lot. I want to take a moment to thank Mixmag for their support and all the professionals and friends I continue to share this journey with. Every project, every meeting, and every moment we share makes this journey special and inspiring.”

It’s a grounded perspective from an artist who has never lost sight of why he started. In a culture where speed often outruns substance, Héctor reminds us that patience, consistency, and authenticity are still the cornerstones of a lasting career. His story is proof that electronic music isn’t just about chasing the next peak; it’s about building a journey that can hold its weight, night after night, year after year.