Regal, also known as ACIDBOY, is an electronic music producer and DJ.[2] His sound is eclectic, best categorized as Techno or Acid Techno, but with Trance and Electro influences.[3] Aside from his solo career, Regal established his record label Involve Records in 2012, which has since signed artists such as Amelie Lens, Ellen Allien, Alignment, Boston 168 and Lady Starlight, to name a few.[4]
Career
Regal was born and raised in Madrid and is of Italian descent.[2] He shot to the forefront of the techno spectrum in 2012,[5] after releasing productions met with widespread critical acclaim by the worldwide Techno scene.[6][7][8] Besides a string of original releases on his Involve Records imprint,[9] Regal has been signed to labels such as Figure,[10] Enemy,[11]Rekids,[8]BPitch Control[12] and Exhale.[13]
The Madrid-based producer has worked on collaborations with artists of the caliber of Len Faki[7] and Amelie Lens.[14]
Early years
Regal's debut release Mute EP arrived back in 2012 when he was signed to Dustin Zahn's label Enemy.[11] Shortly after he founded his own label Involve and released its first EP Involve 01.[15] In 2016, Figure released a collaboration between Len Faki and Regal entitled The End, marking Regal's third release on the record label at that time.[10] The EP created quite some noise from critics,[7][16] some even jokingly naming the duo Faki Regal.[17] This led Regal to remix renowned acts like Nina Kraviz[18][19] and later, in more recent years, Ellen Allien,[20][2]Emmanuel Top (one of his key early influences)[6] and many more. While, on the other hand, Regal's own productions have been remixed by heavyweight artists such as Mark Broom, Charlotte de Witte[21] or Radio Slave.[8]
Recent projects
In 2021, following plenty of EP releases on renowned labels and after having been featured on the cover of DJ Mag Spain,[22] Regal released his debut album Remember Why You Started.[1][23] The album tells the story of his personal struggles and self-discovery, giving insight into the artist's life behind the scenes.[5] The project, an introspection of Regal's story,[3] caught the attention of listeners globally.[24][25][23][26] The album features both tracks he started working on years ago, and some others brand new.[27] When asked his favorite track Regal responded:
Somehow this album is a kind of a showcase of everything I know production-wise, everything I personally like and a way to show people that it’s not always only about classic peak-time bangers. I am proud of the whole album as each track has a soul, a message and a meaning…[28]
Accompanying the LP, Regal produced a short film featuring Patrick Criado, known through the Spanish Netflix series Money Heist.[29][30][31] Emotional turmoil and passion[32] resulted in powerful sounds and punchy kicks, acid lines, drum breaks and EBM- and Hip-Hop-leaning tracks, offering the listeners a glimpse into the producer's creative mind.[33] Following the release of Remember Why You Started, three remix EPs were released, featuring reworks from artists such as Slam, Thomas P. Heckmann and Sita Abellán.[34][35]
In 2024 Regal announced a new 10-track album called The Final Chapter, to be released under his new alias ACIDBOY, a nickname that his fans had given him after his first releases on his label Involve Records.[36] The album was announced along with a special ADE edition cover and in-depth interview on Mixmag Spain.[37]
The title track was released along with a music video produced by Copenhagen-based Franzi Films and accompanied by widespread critical acclaim. The music video, which features Regal and every single role, playing four characters, fuses 90s nostalgia through a reference to the movie Back To The Future, with a DeLorean being the key element of the video, with a tongue-in-cheek analysis of the modern-day techno scene and a parody of how the scene has evolved in recent years.[37]
Signature sound
Known for his ability to move between genres, his style is considered to be extensive as he draws from pockets of sounds across the electronic sphere, with tinges of Trance melodies, Electro basslines and Acid undercurrents at the centre of his ever-evolving sound.[3]
Regal is a core resident at KHIDI, one of the key clubs at the forefront of Tbilisi’s thriving techno scene.[38][28] In an interview with Mixmag, Regal expresses admiration for Tbilisi’s techno scene, describing it as solidifying peace and unity between people.[39]Beatport’s magazine Beatportal describes KHIDI as “massive, dark and concrete — the perfect venue for Madrid DJ and producer Regal, who weaves high-octane techno, acid and electro”.[32] The magazine When We Dip describes Regal's sound as constantly evolving without ever losing its vibrancy and passion,[40] while DJ Mag underlines his ferocious rhythm, with sizzling acid and raw energy,[39] tailoring the perfect mix between strong pulse and melodies that enchant the soul.[32] As a DJ, Regal's dynamic and impactful style has led him to play sets across a host of renowned clubs and festivals such as Berghain, Fabrik Madrid, Tresor, Awakenings, DGTL, Exhale and many others.[41][42]
Involve Records
Regal's own label Involve Records, founded back in 2012,[43] has become a core hub for both his solo productions and stand out collaborations with the likes of Alien Rain[44] and Amelie Lens,[14] whilst also welcoming artists such as Boston 168,[45] FJAAK, Cosmin TRG, Bambounou, Z.I.P.P.O, Truncate, Alignment, Fabrizio Rat and many others to the imprint to date.[40]
Personal life
Born in 1989, Regal grew up and lives in Madrid.[15] He expresses his admiration for the city in an interview with Groove: "We don't have [the] sea here, but Madrid is a beautiful city that I know well. For me it is the most beautiful city in the world. A city full of possibilities. Whatever you want to do, you can do it here."[30]
Regal's interest in music was always prevalent, but the serious interest in DJ-ing began in his early teen years, when he started playing around with a demo sequencer that he got with a package of cornflakes, he explains in an interview with Music Radar.[1]
Discography
Over his career, Regal has released a considerable amount of music with a back catalogue consisting of 90 tracks, released on 22 EPs, one album and seven compilations, and numerous remixes.[15]
Albums
2024: The Final Chapter (Involve) [released as ACIDBOY]
^ ab
Sánchez, Santiago (December 16, 2019). "Regal: Haters Hay en Todos Lados" [Regal: You Have Haters Everywhere]. DJ Mag España (in Spanish). Retrieved February 16, 2023.
^ abc
Dicker, Holly (June 21, 2016). "Faki & Regal - The End". Resident Advisor. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
^ abc
Hinton, Patrick (February 17, 2020). "Regal in the Lab LDN". Mixmag. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
^"Releases". Involve Records. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
