Kink

KiNK, the artist name of Bulgarian producer, DJ and live performer Strahil Velchev, has built his reputation around improvisatory hardware-led sets and direct interaction with the crowd. Resident Advisor readers named him Best Live Electronic Act in 2015 and 2016, according to a poll, while MusicRadar named him the world’s best live electronic act in 2018.

Velchev became interested in electronic music during the 1990s and began making his own tracks a few years later. His 2005 vinyl release “Same Old Thing” marked an early step in a recording career that has included work with labels such as Ovum, Rush Hour, Hypercolour, Macro and Running Back. His debut album, Under Destruction, arrived on Macro in May 2014. He followed it with Playground, released by Running Back in November 2017.

In 2018, Velchev launched Sofia, a label named for his hometown. Alongside releases as KiNK, he has used the alias Kirilik and has released music with his partner Rachel Row. His work moves across house and techno forms, including acid house, deep house and tech house, while his live performances remain central to his profile.