The bass rumbled through the crisp mountain air, and the packed dance floor pulsed with energy. The Martinez Brothers were taking control.
As day turned to night under dim neon lights, the brothers commanded the decks, blending Latin percussion with deep, hypnotic house grooves that had the après-ski crowd swaying together.
The Martinez Brothers were in Aspen for The Après-Ski Music Series—a weekly celebration at The Snow Lodge, featuring a different lineup of DJs and entertainers every weekend. This month’s lineup also included international acts like Alesso and Sofi Tukker. I was in town and got the chance to see the Bronx natives, Chris and Stevie Martinez, absolutely shut shit down.
Known for their deep, funky sound, the duo has been instrumental in shaping the modern Latin-influenced house music movement that’s currently happening. The brothers, who often take over Ibiza’s legendary DC-10 club every summer, are known for infusing their tracks with Latin percussion and rhythms, honoring their Puerto Rican roots. This influence can be heard in much of their work, blending the global rhythms of salsa, mambo, and reggaeton into their deep house productions.
It’s clear that their journey was shaped by both their family and the culture around them, blending elements of hip-hop with the evolving sound of house.
The duo were born and raised in The Bronx, with a father—who was also a musician himself—exposing the brothers to music early on.
“The whole DJ thing came from curiosity. We didn’t even know our father was involved in that scene in New York,” Stevie told me before their set. “We wanted to be hip-hop DJs, but our father led us into the route of house and electronic music that he was a part of at the time in the Bronx.”
It was a vibrant time to be a music fan in New York City, with a mix of pulsating sounds, from hip-hop to house, taking over the dance floors. The Martinez Brothers absorbed it all. They also frequently cited their admiration for pioneers like Sergio George, Johnny Pacheco, and Willie Colón. “We come from an era of arrangers who know how to assemble music,” Chris told me, adding, “We get inspired by real arrangements and real musicians. We avoid making music that sounds watered down.”
The brothers took off in the 2010s, launching their record label, Cuttin’ Headz, in 2014. They released tracks from artists like Fleur Shore, Art Department, Loco Dice, and more. Along the way, they collaborated to make big dance record with Rauw Alejandro and Mr. Naisgai (on the genre blending classic “Química”) and Tokischa (on the hypnotic “Kilo.”)
Their sound hasn’t always been embraced by the industry. At times, they were ridiculed for incorporating influences from genres like reggaeton into their sets—something that others would do and receive praise for. “We got a lot of pushback from underground purists,” Stevie said. “We come from that; we grew up with reggaeton. I guess it was always going to happen, but we reached a point where we said, ‘We’re going to do what we’re going to do.’”
Their success has also extended beyond the world of music. The brothers have collaborated with high-fashion brands, including Dior, in 2021, as part of the brand’s “Dior and I” campaign. Their involvement in the campaign was a natural extension of their influence on youth culture, music, and style. When asked about their personal style, Stevie and Chris mention that they’ve always had a strong sense of fashion, a characteristic that mirrors their distinctive approach to music. Chris says “We also worked with Givenchy for two years on their music direction and much like the Dior campaign, it just happened organically because the head designers attended our parties, watched us play, and wanted us to work with them.”
With a new album slated for release later this year and an explosion of EDM and house-inspired music in Latin music, it’s clear that the Martinez Brothers’ influence is set to grow even further.
View news Source: https://www.complex.com/music/a/alejandro-de-jesus/the-martinez-brothers-interview-aspen
