Artist Profile: REKA

Few electronic music artists blend scientific inquiry’s rigor with sound’s expressive capacity quite like REKA. Characterized by an exploration stretching from techno’s dystopian depths to its most illuminating peaks, REKA’s journey represents intellectual curiosity, auditory artistry, and a conscious awareness of what is important outside the industry. On Friday, March 8th, REKA will celebrate International Women’s Day in Bucharest as CABINET returns to Control Club.

Originally from Spain, REKA’s introduction to music began at the age of 10 through an early fascination with the vinyl format. However, her academic pursuits initially led her down a different path, culminating in a degree in Genetics with Honors. This duality of the methodical world of science and the ethereal realm of sound found an immediate parallel. Her meticulous approach to a burgeoning music career suggested her eventual pivot to artistry was not a departure from but an extension of her innate curiosity and capacity for critical analysis.

REKA’s nascent DJ career received an early endorsement from none other than DJ Hell, who discovered and subsequently integrated her into the International Deejay Gigolos roster. This affiliation, particularly through the female duo leChic and their acclaimed release leMix, marked REKA’s initial foray into the scene, albeit with a lighter touch. However, her solo venture, catalyzed by her participation in the Toronto edition of the Red Bull Music Academy, signalled a decisive shift toward darker, more experimental sounds.

With its rich electronic music heritage, Berlin would ultimately provide the ideal backdrop for REKA’s artistic maturation. Her global touring schedule, featuring performances in renowned venues such as Berghain, KHIDI, De School, and major festivals like Movement in Detroit and Sonar in Barcelona, attests to the wide-reaching appeal she now enjoys. Notably, her 2013 – 2019 residency at the techno institution Tresor honed her skills as a DJ and selector and allowed her to directly influence the genre as a curator of nights like W.A.V.E.S. and Tresor’s New Faces. But wherever they may occur, her sets’ sensitive articulation and seamless transitions are more than dance floor fodder; they are carefully narrated stories of artistic vision and prowess.

REKA’s discography showcases releases on esteemed labels such as BPitch Control, Bite, Fleisch, and Khidi. Diving The Innermost (BITE; 2018) navigates everything from the contemporary iterations of techno to its electro and wave roots. Her collaboration with Imperial Black Unit on the Todo Avaricia (FLEISCH; 2020) further proves an artist capable of merging the cerebral with the visceral. Featuring the voices of Che Guevara and Pablo Neruda, it is an industrial/EBM-infused urgent call to action against environmental and political injustice. This can also be felt on her standout track We Are Not Alone, from the alien-inspired release series, We Are Not Alone pt. 4 (BPitch Control; 2023). And if that weren’t enough, a new alias, Becatronica, has recently appeared – highlighting all things nu, euro, and Italo-disco.

REKA’s contributions extend beyond her performances and productions. Through her work as a curator and community builder, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the techno landscape, championing emerging talents, and fostering an environment that is both inclusive and challenging. An artist who is not scared to speak her mind, even in the face of deep-seated adversity amongst geography and peers, REKA has not shied away from expressing her views on social, political, and human rights issues, often utilizing her social media presence not for cheap promotion and algorithmic complacency, but as a channel for direct communication and awareness. For example, she has contributed material to the Sonic Groove compilation to support the Ukrainians affected by war, Stand Up in Defiance (2022), while consistently joining anti-war, pro-peace projects. Currently, she is a vocal activist for the liberation of Palestine and the call for a necessary and immediate ceasefire, declaring: “I’ve decided I’ll stop posting any superficial details of my life or any stupid selfies until there is a ceasefire and end to this atrocity. I will only post explicitly work-related content and zero superficial algorithm-feeding shit.

REKA embodies the synthesis of scientific discipline, artistic exploration, and socially conscious, no-bullshit activism. Thus, her career illustrates the potential for music to entertain, enlighten, and inspire. She is one not to miss anywhere she appears. So before Friday, check out some of REKA’s work on Boiler Room, Modular Expansion, The BRVTALIST, Smoke Machine, HATE, and more.