New York City DJ/producer/remixer Angel Moraes died suddenly yesterday, according to a post on his Facebook page. He was surrounded by family. The cause of death is not yet known.
Angel passed away yesterday abruptly. He passes away surrounded with the people that loved him unconditionaly. Chris,…
Posted by Angel Moraes on Sunday, February 28, 2021
The Brooklyn, NY-born Moraes rose to notoriety in the ’90s house scene. His 1993 track “Release Yourself” issued on his Hot N’ Spycy imprint earned him international attention.
Subsequent tribal-fueled tracks like “Heaven Knows,” Welcome To The Factory” (a track dedicated to Sound Factory resident Junior Vasquez) and “I Like It” cemented his status in the upper echelon of NYC house producers.
In 1998, Angel took his knowledge of creating sound systems and founded Montreal’s Stereo nightclub. In 2000, he released his acclaimed full-length album, Back From Stereo.
During his career, Angel remixed top-tier artists like Pet Shop Boys, k.d. lang, Roy Davis, Jr., Jaydee, and Funky Green Dogs.
RELATED: Read a Lost 1995 Interview With NYC House Music DJ/Producer Angel Moraes
I had the pleasure of interviewing Angel a few times. He was a soft-spoken man who was passionate about his music. He seemed to have dealt with many of life’s ups and downs in stride and there was also optimism in his voice. Angel also exuded the same positivity whenever I’d see him out at a club.
The last time I interviewed Angel was in 2017 for a year-end rewind feature. When asked about his lowlights of the year, he mused, “Dealing with what seemed to be an endless line of pieces of shit lying SOB’s.” His resolution was earnest: “The same as every year: To be a better version of myself.”
And let’s not forget that behind the decks, well, he was a demon who could turn out the most jaded dance floor.