t’s very rare you encounter a musician whose background is as colourful as his music. Yet for Maurice Aymard, this is absolutely the case. The Galaktika boss grew up in Venezuela but also lived for a time in the U.S., while for the last 14 years he’s called Barcelona home. Throw in the fact that he also holds a French passport and it’s not difficult to understand where Aymard’s eclecticism stems from. From Latin music to jazz to disco via the likes of Faith No More, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode, Aymard has always maintained a broad and open-minded approach to music. A true musical pioneer, he established the Galaktika label in 2005, with the Venezuela record store of the same name following soon after. The shop quickly became renowned as a hotbed of diversity, and when Aymard moved to Barcelona in 2003 he brought the shop along for the ride. And what a ride it’s been. Although the label has since become Aymard’s main musical focus, he’s since seen it morph into one of the underground’s most discerning musical outposts. From Aymard’s own productions to those of Gui Boratto, James Teej and Maceo Plex, the label’s shrewd A&R’ing is further proof of its owner’s unique vision and ability to spot emerging talent. Recent signings such as Pablo Bolivar, Garnica and Paulo Olarte remind us that early label signings were no fluke. Aymard has also won numerous accolades for his music, with his productions charting high in both Beatport and Resident Advisor’s end-of-year charts. He’s a handy collaborator too, with Gui Boratto among those he’s worked alongside. A prolific DJ, he has plied his trade at some of the world’d best clubs and parties, such as Nitsa and Picnic Electronik in Barcelona, Ritter Burzke in Berlin as well as tours in Asia and South America. “When I established Galaktika, I had no idea that it would become so popular”, confesses Aymard. “My goal now at this stage is to release more great music and keep myself in top form”. If the next chapter is even half as exciting as what’s come before, we’re in for another thrilling ride.