Luis Clara Gomes is arguably the most influential man in indie dance. More commonly known by his stage name, Moullinex, the Portugese DJ/producer initially rose to prominence in 2010 at the height of the independent dance scene’s inception which was firmly rooted in the traditions of new wave, dance punk, and disco. Gomes quickly moved in as a unique voice in the indie dance movement with an unrelenting release schedule which bequeathed countless jams to dance music fans that ranged from remixes of popular artists to Italo-disco/house inspired originals. Moullinex also helped assemble the eclectic Discotexas label in 2007 which has housed many of nudisco’s champion artists such as Xinobi, Justin Faust, and Zimmer to name a few. He’s also an artist on Gomma where he shares a house with artists like WhoMadeWho and Munk.
With his influence in mind, here are some of the tracks that have helped shape his career thus far; tracks that have made Moullinex one of the LEGENDS.
1. Two Door Cinema Club, “I Can Talk (Moullinex Remix).” Kitsuné, 2009.Â
A danceable track in its own right, “I Can Talk” by Two Door Cinema Club was retrofit with a light dusting of acid house and Italo-disco in this clever edit by Gomes. What resulted is a remix that shares a quality with tracks like Daft Punk’s “Around the World”: a focus on classic sounds that are retro, but never went out to pasture or lost their sense of danceability. Released in late 2009 on Kitsuné, this remix is a reminder of the humble beginnings and DIY approach to indie dance which made it such a fun alternative to much of the big room, progressive EDM that was beginning to overtake the dance music community at the time.
2. Moullinex, “Superman.” Gomma Records, 2010.Â
A title like “Superman” leaves much to be desired: strength; power; and timelessness. Moullinex delivered that in spades on this release from the summer of 2010 which came out on the indie dance master label Gomma Records based in Munich. Many of Gomes’ influences litter the track ranging from Giorgio Moroder’s driving synth patterns to Daft Punk’s robotic, auto-tuned vocals. With comparisons to other contemporaries such as Kavinsky or Justice, this was one of the tracks that made it cool to blast balearic, electro-funk at 2 AM on highway again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjc4wHRjnfw
3. Moullinex ft. Peaches, “Maniac.” Gomma Records/Casablanca, 2012.
Casablanca Records has housed some of the most iconic 80’s disco and new wave anthems in music history. Gomma Records was approached with reworking tracks from the Casablanca catalog a few years back wherein Moullinex was drafted in to cover Michael Sembello’s “Maniac” from the movie Flashdance. With Peaches on vocals, this cover has all of the elements that stamp a Moullinex production including a rich bassline, breezy synth patterns, and a reliable, signature four-on-the-floor rhythm that drives the infectious beat into the very marrow of your feet. Many of the sonic qualities of this cover would later be found in the works of artists like RAC and Penguin Prison as they began to become more popular on the dance music blogosphere in the coming years.
4. Röyksopp & Robyn, “Do It Again (Moullinex Remix).” Dog Triumph, 2014.Â
When “Do It Again” initially came out, it became a darling track in the dance music community as it celebrated a bygone era that had gone overlooked with the resurgence of deep house and classic sounds from Chicago. But, in many ways, it was a winking, “in the know” nod to the popularity of classic techno that has become more popular in the past few months. With such a rich backdrop to draw from, Moullinex’s remix of “Do It Again” is a monster: a rare insight as to what Gomes is capable of if you let him off his figurative leash and ask him to go nuts. Featuring an edgier, darker balearic edge not commonly seen in his work, Moullinex flipped “Do It Again” into a massive, atmospheric, delightful trip into the canyon showing that old dogs are always capable of new tricks.
5. Moullinex, “Take a Chance.” Discotexas, 2015.
This year saw the release of Gomes’ second full-length LP. The album, Elsewhere, was released on the Discotexas label and had “Take a Chance” as the lead single. This track saw his career go full circle from his beginnings remixing popular alternative rock acts like Cut Copy and Two Door Cinema Club and focusing on the disco and new wave artists which inspired him in the first place to the varied, electronic sensibilities he obtained through growing as an artist. Culminating in a percussive, Afro-beat twist that borders on tropical, “Take a Chance” is Gomes’ love letter to the people who have followed him and cherished his music thus far, oozing positivity, flirty guitar licks, and out of this world pads along the way. It’s psychedelic, it’s rock and roll, it’s groovy, and it’s disco. And it shows that even as he’s evolved from the cloth of indie dance, he hasn’t lost his touch.
For more on Moullinex, be sure to visit his Facebook and SoundCloud pages. Also, Moullinex will be performing at the Black Cat in D.C. with Cut Copy’s Ben Browning on July 29. Set to be a phenomenal show in an intimate venue, make sure you save the date.