Label | Events

NYC 

Illegal Rhythms is a Brooklyn-based record label and event platform founded by Saint Velez, dedicated to amplifying the raw power and creative spirit of underground techno. Born from New York’s relentless energy, the label stands as a home for artists who blur the lines between industrial intensity and club precision — championing sounds that are bold, unapologetic, and built for the dance floor.
Through releases, collaborations, and immersive events, Illegal Rhythms connects the pulse of New York’s underground with the global techno movement. Each project reflects a commitment to authenticity, sonic experimentation, and community — giving artists the freedom to craft without compromise.
Illegal Rhythms isn’t just a label; it’s a movement that celebrates the uncompromising, the experimental, and the true rhythm of the streets.

EVENTS

EVENTS

Supporters

Supporters

Richie Hawtin

Grace Dahl

Fjaak

Bours?

Francois X

Saint Velez - Brooklyn Pariah

Brooklyn Pariah marks the latest chapter in Saint Velez’s evolution — a visceral, high-voltage EP that captures the grit and pulse of New York’s underground. Supported by FJAAK, Richie Hawtin (who featured the title track during his Boiler Room set), and Sara Landry, the release has positioned Saint Velez as one of techno’s most forward-driving new voices.

Built from distorted percussion, cinematic textures, and an unrelenting rhythmic core, Brooklyn Pariah embodies the tension between chaos and control — a sonic reflection of the city that shaped it. The EP became the foundation for Saint Velez’s Summer 2025 Tour, spanning clubs and festivals across the Northeast and Europe, solidifying his reputation as both a boundary-pushing producer and commanding performer.

Junkfile - 1928s

Released on Illegal Rhythms, 1928s is Junkfile’s powerful debut on the label — a bold exploration of distortion, rhythm, and sonic decay. The EP merges hardware-driven textures with hypnotic sequencing, striking a balance between precision and chaos that defines the modern underground sound. Each track moves like machinery in motion — raw, mechanical, and alive with tension.

1928s has earned widespread support across the global techno circuit, receiving plays and recognition from Bours?, Grace Dahl, Francois X, Anne, Tinex, and the Voxnox collective. The release exemplifies the Illegal Rhythms ethos: uncompromising, industrial, and designed for peak-time intensity. With 1928s, Junkfile asserts himself as a key figure in the label’s growing roster and one of Brooklyn’s most promising exports in the new wave of techno.