The Martinez Brothers

The Martinez Brothers

The Martinez Brothers are a New York house and electronic DJ and production duo made up of Chris Martinez and Steve Jr. Martinez. Active since 2007, they work in soulful house, deep house, minimal and more electronic, techier forms of dance music, with a style that also draws on classic New York house.

Background

Raised in the Bronx, the brothers begin playing music at a young age, starting with percussion when they are around six. They also perform at church and later add keyboards, bass and guitar to their skills. Their father, an older house fan who knows the scene from the era of places such as the Garage, introduces them to house music after stepping away from it for a long period.

They keep their education as a priority while building a DJ career, and their parents supervise their gigging. The brothers also present a weekly internet mix show on Preparty Radio, broadcasting on Thursdays.

Music and performances

The Martinez Brothers are known for DJ sets that combine electronic tracks with NY-flavoured deep and vocal house, alongside classic records. Their performances often include live instrumental sections, with one brother sometimes on keyboards while the other plays the decks, then switching roles.

Their early rise includes appearances at New York house events such as Shelter and Danny Krivit’s 718 Sessions. They also play at Cheers in Paris and headline Surface in Dublin. Their work is associated with the traditional NYC soulful house scene, and they are described as bringing a young perspective to a style often dominated by older DJs.

Production and labels

Dennis Ferrer supports the duo and releases their productions on Objektivity. Ferrer also guides them in engineering and production. Their debut production,

My Rendition

, appears on Objektivity and is described as leaning toward a more techie sound. They later work with Independent Co.

Style and reputation

The brothers say they are drawn to soulful house because it feels more musical and less machine-led than much electronic dance music, and because it relies on real instrumental and vocal performance. Their repertoire and references stay broad, and they express interest in developing more soulful productions as well as the electronic side of their work.

Supporters and established figures in the house scene, including Danny Krivit and Dennis Ferrer, recognise their musical range and early command of the style. The brothers also express gratitude to a wide circle of DJs, dancers, friends and family connected to their growth in New York dance music.