Few artists in contemporary electronic music command as much respect across house, techno, and live performance culture as KiNK. For our February Artist of the Month, Techno House CDA Magazine shines a light on a producer whose career has been built on fearlessness, improvisation, and an unmistakably human approach to machines.
Based in Sofia, Bulgaria, KiNK has become globally celebrated for his high-energy, fully improvised live sets, where analog synthesizers, drum machines, and controllers are manipulated in real time. These performances are not rehearsed routines—they are spontaneous, raw, and electrifying, placing KiNK among a rare class of artists who truly play electronic music live.
From Sofia to the World
Growing up far from a major club circuit, Strahil Velchev discovered rave culture and electronic music from a distance. Inspired by Detroit techno, Chicago house, and UK rave, he began shaping his own sound using hardware and early production software. In 2001, he co-founded pBPM (Porno BPM), a collective dedicated to promoting Bulgaria’s underground electronic scene—an early sign of his commitment to community as much as craft.
By the mid-2000s, KiNK’s acid-driven releases began circulating internationally, but it was his late-2000s output that truly placed him on the global radar. His early collaborations with UK artists and appearances at key European clubs—including Berlin’s Panorama Bar—marked the beginning of an intense touring era that has yet to slow down.
A Discography Built on Experimentation
KiNK’s catalog effortlessly moves between acid house, driving techno, playful IDM, and rave-influenced hybrids, always unified by groove and experimentation. Tracks like “Cloud Generator” (2015) became modern techno staples, while albums such as Playground showcased his ability to jump from sunny disco moods to fractured, experimental electronics without losing dancefloor energy.
In 2018, KiNK launched his own label Sofia, giving him full creative freedom while supporting his evolving sound. Since then, a steady stream of EPs and releases—culminating in the high-octane Hyper Epic (2022)—has reaffirmed his relevance in a constantly shifting scene.
Why KiNK Is Our February Pick
With over 123,000 followers, strong monthly listenership across cities like London, Melbourne, Berlin, and Dublin, and a touring schedule that spans clubs and festivals worldwide, KiNK remains a defining figure in modern electronic music. More importantly, he represents a philosophy Techno House CDA deeply values: authenticity over polish, risk over repetition, and emotion over perfection.
In an era of pre-programmed performances and formulaic releases, KiNK continues to remind us why live electronic music can feel dangerous, joyful, and alive.