How DJ Vandel Is Redefining Colombia’s Underground Scene with Vinyl and Soulful House
In the shadows of Medellín’s pulsating nightlife, where sound becomes ritual and rhythm becomes resistance, one name has quietly shaped the underground for more than two decades: Camilo Vandel.
A graphic designer turned sonic architect, Vandel has been a key figure in Colombia’s electronic music scene crafting dance floors, curating sound, and building a community rooted in authenticity and analog soul. From the co-founding of Monofónicos Netlabel to the creation of his own vinyl imprint, CR.43A, Vandel has never followed trends, he’s followed feeling. His work bridges continents and eras, with deep connections to the American underground and an ever-present Latin pulse. His releases on labels like Underground Quality speak not just to the quality of his music, but to the depth of his vision.
Whether behind the decks or sculpting grooves from tape machines and rhythm boxes, Vandel’s presence is undeniable. His music doesn’t just play—it moves, meditates, and remembers. We sat down with Medellín’s underground visionary to talk about legacy, vinyl, and what it means to dance again after the storm.
Q: Your sound and your label feel deeply rooted in Medellín, yet future-facing. What were your earliest musical memories growing up in Colombia? How do they echo through your work now?
It's very interesting because I was born in Medellín, but I didn't live in the city until I was 15. But every New Year's Eve and Christmas holidays, I visited my family. Medellín in December is a celebration that resonates throughout the city. It's experienced from the streets and transcends social classes. So, depending on the reunion, it would be a different musical genre; it could be anything from traditional Colombian music trios to salsa and rap parties. I think that makes me resonate with the street and understand it to find inspiration when producing music or wanting to create something.
Q: The 'Medellín, A Dance EP' feels intimate, but also like a statement. What was happening in your life—when you created it?
It is. It was a constant struggle between my memory of the Medellín I've lived in my entire life and the modern bomb that no longer speaks directly to the native. This city, which, due to hyper-mass tourism and gentrification, has completely changed its rhythm, becoming an immediate, fragile, and banal city that barely inspires me anymore. But based on that need to seek out creative spaces and places to express art, I found that support and inspiration are found in the people. So it's also a dedication to the people who support and surround me.
Q: As both a DJ and curator, how do you stay connected to what’s real—what’s coming from the heart in a scene that’s constantly evolving?
I think it's the need to seek inspiration and understand that the best part is in the streets and conversations, not in the actual places. I'm in a moment of returning to the basics, walking, experiencing people's everyday lives, understanding the hustle and bustle of many; this recharges me.
Q: Medellín’s underground scene has exploded in recent years. What’s one defining shift you've seen?
Medellín has always been a window into Latin America. It's been a multicultural and industrial city where record companies had their factories and studios, so it's always been a bohemian city of sounds, artists, and writers. Now, with media and technology, everything becomes more communicative.
I'd say that parties have become more widespread, "festivalized," and trendy, but the underground has always been there, providing the invisible base for the city's scene. I don't think it needs more; it's underground, and anyone who wants to immerse themselves will always find it.
Q: CR.43A feels like more than a label, what’s the vibe you’re trying to bottle with your parties and releases?
Since my beginnings as a musician and DJ, I've believed that the most important thing is to create a community, after this come the parties and releases. I'm true to this; for me, it's super important to form bonds between everyone, dancers, ravers, bookers, DJs, club owners, etc... and this is what keeps everything stable. So, everyone is welcome to share, and everybody is welcome to come and dance, but everything is always geared toward the local community.
The releases and music are the message; it's my conversation.
Q: If you had to predict the next big shift in the Latin American underground, what would it be?
I think the interconnectedness of people and cultures could show us many sounds that are popular in the underground from different communities that haven't yet been recognized, but are then becoming more widespread. Something similar to what's been happening with Baile Funk, Guaracha, and Perreo. I think something more powerful Latin is coming, but it's just starting to develop.
I feel good with my sound a little more classic and conservative.
