This past weekend, Denver DJ DerteeDisco performed on the ground floor of 1134. In doing so, he demonstrated loudly and clearly that house music is much bigger than a BPM range or handful of synth sounds — it’s a safe space that welcomes people from all walks of life.
1134 is billed as a pop-up party (but shhh, don’t tell anyone, it’s pretty much a two-story nightclub). Its unique format allows promoter Brennen Bryarly aka option4 of TheHundred Presents to chance it on eclectic performers who may not necessarily fit into the cookie-cutter nightlife formula.
In the case of DerteeDisco (real name Kree Iraldo), it paid off. As he took to the decks following Erin Stereo’s upbeat yet Avant-Garde set, countless bodies suddenly appeared on the dance floor. His first track, a fast-paced remix of a soul record otherwise lost to the annals of time, somehow snuck up on every listener in front of him as he mixed it in with flawless ease.
Not all of his set was as subtle. Certain moments called for him to flex his skills with slam transitions, segueing between disco classics, minimal soundscapes, Afrobeat rhythms, and reimagined hip-hop anthems. Other times, he made a selection his own by cutting and adding filtering and effects. All the while, the diversity of his selections beamed back at him from every face in the crowd.
“Most people who come to my shows already expect a tasteful, multi-genre set,” Kree told Party Guru Press. “It’s not open format or top 40 or anything like that, but even in the realms of U.K. garage, house or disco, I try to incorporate something with different vocals and other elements that will resonate with different kinds of people. Whether it’s the LGBT community or the minority community, I just want it to have something for everyone and make it really fun.”
Kree continued: “I think the time for genres to be completely separate is over. I want to sample different things to tastefully touch on the different communities and bring a lot more people on the dance floor together.”
Who is DerteeDisco?
Kree Iraldo first visited Denver during the peak of his disillusionment with West Coast music industry politics. Much to his surprise, doors started opening for him as soon as he touched down.
Within hours of landing, he found himself at a party organized by local artist Mondo aka NuLif3, Kree’s partner on the label collective My Homies Spin Records. One of the closing DJs ended up having too much fun to play his set, and Kree ended up saving the day.
“He really took a chance on me considering that, at the time, I wasn’t even living in Denver,” Kree said. “He came up to me and asked, ‘Are you a DJ?’ Yeah. ‘Can you play some tunes?’ Sure. That one-hour set turned into an eight-hour set, and that’s how we went into business together.”
Things have only trended upward for DerteeDisco since then. He’s shared the stage with artists like Seb Zito, Mark Farina, Golf Clap, Justin Jay, Bastidas, and Ferreck Dawn. The name DerteeDisco is quickly becoming ubiquitous in Denver dance music circles. In time, it will appear on lineups the world over.
Those who missed the warm and welcoming vibe at DerteeDisco’s 1134 performance on Friday need not worry. After played at the brand-new Kulture Music Hall for Kultivate 003 on August 25th, he performs at LVL on Thursday, September 7th as part of My Homies Spin Records’ first curated event in the subterranean side room of Temple Denver. DerteeDisco is also billed for the January sailing of The Friendship 2024.
