Loud&Unfiltered

In this episode of Loud & Unfiltered, we sit down with Alex Montoya - one of Spain’s most influential music executives, artist managers, booking agents and promoters - to explore the business of electronic music and his journey from Madrid to Ibiza.

Alex reflects on arriving in Ibiza as an established promoter in Madrid, only to quickly realise that the island was an entirely different world. At a time before social media, breaking into Ibiza meant getting out on the streets, building relationships and putting in the graft - with no shortcuts and no guarantee of success.

We explore Alex’s philosophy of working behind the scenes and putting the artist first. As he puts it, his role is to provide a service to the artist - not to be seen - with no ego and a focus on building long-term careers.

As CEO, Partner and Promoter of Analog Agency, Alex has built a career working with some of the biggest names in electronic music, while also playing a major role in artist management, bookings and the wider business of dance music.

We dive into his work with artists including Chelina Manuhutu and Joseph Capriati, the evolution of artist management, and what it takes to develop talent in an increasingly competitive industry.

Alex also shares his experience on the other side of the business, from co-owning Madrid’s Bassement Club and promoting major events to helping shape the next generation of music industry professionals through the Music Business Academy.

Along the way, we discuss the changing relationship between Madrid and Ibiza, how the music industry has evolved since the pre-social media era, the importance of relationships and reputation, and why sometimes the most influential people in the industry are the ones working behind the scenes.

Subscribe to Loud & Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators and cultural entrepreneurs, and connect with us on Instagram @loudandunfilteredpod

In this episode of Loud & Unfiltered, part of our Inside Ibiza S3 series, we sit down with Graham Sahara - multi-award-winning DJ, producer and Founder of Sahara Music Group - for a conversation packed with two decades' worth of anecdotes from the heart of the island's club scene.

Graham landed in Ibiza in 1997, having just turned 20, not speaking a word of Spanish and knowing next to nothing about the island. As he puts it, it just sounded like a sensible idea at the time. What followed was one of the most enduring careers on the White Isle - a residency at the legendary Pacha Ibiza that began around the turn of the millennium, alongside sets at KM5 Bar Lounge and virtually every major venue on the island.

We talk about what Ibiza was really like back then - hedonism on another level, where you could be on the dancefloor with a junkie to your left and a Saudi prince to your right, and nobody batted an eyelid. Graham is full of stories from those years, and this episode doesn't hold back.

Beyond the decks, Graham has built a career as a genre-defying selector, moving effortlessly between deep, soulful house, tech house, techno and Balearic rhythms - work that's earned him Best Ibiza DJ at the Ibiza DJ Awards in 2017 and the same title from the Ibiza Clubbing Guide. He's released and remixed for labels like Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, Armada Music and Spinnin' Records, and today runs Sahara Music Group, a label services operation behind some of the scene's biggest underground and crossover acts, alongside A&R and management work across imprints including Seamless Recordings, Electric Ibiza and Electronic Nature.

We get into how Ibiza has changed since the late '90s, what's stayed the same, and why Graham - one of the island's biggest and most likeable characters - has never wanted to leave.

Subscribe to Loud & Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators and cultural entrepreneurs, and connect with us on Instagram @loudandunfilteredpod

In this episode of Loud & Unfiltered, part of our Inside Ibiza S3 series, we sit down with Nick Ferguson - Founder and Managing Director of The Supernova Group - to unpack a career that's shaped some of the island's most iconic nights out.

Nick's story starts far from the White Isle. Growing up in Cornwall, he lived a fairly sheltered life as a hardcore indie kid, more interested in guitars than dance music. That changed when his mates, dead set on a trip to Ibiza, sat him down to watch Ibiza Uncovered in 1998. One viewing was all it took - Nick fell in love with Amnesia before he'd even set foot on the island.

From there, the journey moved fast: entry-level grafting as a ticket seller and PR for San Antonio bars like Bay Bar and Kanya, before working his way up to nearly a decade running Cream Ibiza at Amnesia, cementing its status as a legendary Thursday night institution.

Today, through The Supernova Group, Nick is behind some of the island's biggest brands and concepts - One More Time Ibiza at Eden, the Kevin & Perry Amnesia Experience, Shine Ibiza alongside Paul van Dyk, and global stewardship of Godskitchen - alongside close work with BBC Radio 1, Defected and CamelPhat. He's sold out Eden with Defected, sold out Pacha with CamelPhat, and been part of events that have sold out every single club on the island.

He'll also tell you he's not on Instagram - so you might not recognise his face, but chances are you've danced to something he built.

We get into the reality of building brands that last on an island where trends move fast, what it takes to sell out a club night after night, and how a Cornish indie kid became one of Ibiza's most influential promoters.

Subscribe to Loud & Unfiltered for more unfiltered conversations with music industry leaders, innovators and cultural entrepreneurs, and connect with us on Instagram @loudandunfilteredpod

Alex sits down with LDN East owner Matt Blewitt and Creative Director & Programmer Zack Geraci on the dancefloor of one of East London’s most talked-about open-air venues.

From its DIY beginnings to becoming a trusted home for some of electronic music’s biggest brands, artists and events, Matt and Zack share the story behind LDN East’s rise over the past four years.

They discuss the venue's origins, the parties that helped put it on the map, why Eastenderz became a turning point, and how LDN East has become a launchpad for emerging talent, including Max Dean.

The conversation also explores the realities of running large-scale events, working with councils on street parties, investing in sound and production, and balancing commercial success with a genuine passion for underground culture.

Matt and Zach also reflect on standout moments including Skepta & Sammy Virji's EP launch, DR Banana's sold-out All Day Long, Throwdown with Max Dean, Luke Dean and Enzo Siragusa, and why they believe UK house and tech house is leading the world right now.

 

Presented by Alex Jukes

Factory Town has become one of the defining destinations of Miami Music Week.

A sprawling multi-stage playground, attracting some of the biggest names in electronic music and thousands of fans from around the world. With multiple stages, diverse sounds and an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Miami, Factory Town has redefined what a dance music venue can be.

In this special edition of Loud & Unfiltered: Inside Miami, Alex and Grego explore the rise of Factory Town before speaking with Lumia Nocito, Patrick Topping and Max Dean about their experiences of Miami Music Week, the evolution of the city's electronic music scene and what makes Factory Town such a standout venue.

Featuring exclusive insights, favourite Miami memories and Patrick Topping's comparison of Factory Town to Glastonbury, this episode captures why the venue has become an essential stop on the global dance music calendar.

Guests:
Lumia Nocito
Patrick Topping
Max Dean

Presented by
Alex Jukes
Grego O'Halloran