“I’m not a fan of DJing as a performance. It feels closer to listening. To sense what already exists beneath the surface, and help it take form. The most meaningful nights happen when authorship dissolves, when the room begins to guide itself, and you become part of something larger than your own intention.”
This mindset sits at the centre of everything for Mexico City-based DJ, producer and label owner Charles Moon. To set the scene, Charles was coming to me from the coast of Oaxaca after a maxed-out stretch, whales breaching out to sea and sand underfoot.
This approach of letting the room’s energy guide what to cue is sharp. Charles’s imprint and party series, Thank You For Sweating (TYFS), was born from this very belief – one that puts presence and emotional truth on the dancefloor above everything else.
Events under the TYFS banner are about meeting attendees wherever they’re at in that given moment, not imposing direction, simply holding space for them to express themselves and enjoy however long they spend in this orbit.
I find there’s plenty of waffle out there when it comes to spelling out the intention of club nights, but in Charles’s case, I wholeheartedly believe what he’s pushing comes from somewhere honest. “Over time, I realised what I was building was a way to stay close to people. A way to recognise and be recognised.”
Belonging is important to us all, but for a fellow who’s lived in eight different regions, it’s paramount. Growing up with parents in the military, Charles has hopped, skipped and jumped from Las Vegas to Florida to Colorado to Oklahoma to Japan to New Mexico to Texas to California, and now Mexico. At its core, TYFS is a social chord that keeps Charles connected to people who make him feel good…and what could be a truer intention than that.
This approach to musical get-togethers led Charles to Cantina SeiteSeis, a bubbly, hi-fi listening spot in Mexico City. For Charles, it exerts a magnetic pull. He describes it as a place where people arrive without fully knowing why, and return for reasons they can’t explain.
“Time moves differently there…like stepping into a vortex. I found a different relationship to music and community – something slower, more permanent, something that, without announcing itself, felt like family.”
A look at their IG depicts a playful and welcoming space. One where expressing yourself in any which way is applauded.
Armed with TYFS and all it encompasses, Charles moves from city to city, but as he explains, “it never feels like leaving.” Each spot leaves a trace in him, and without realising it, he begins to carry those places forward.
Not long ago, Charles and homies dreamcastmoe and Damar Davis brought a new project, Playa Playa, to life at the Bahidorá festival. Held in the lush surrounds of Las Estacas Natural Park in Tlaltizapán, where a river runs right through the site, letting punters wade between dances…sounds like heaven.
Much like TYFS, the collaboration revealed itself inch by inch and just inherently felt right. Playa Playa combines the powers of the after-hours (Charles), comforting house (Damar Davis) and R&B (dreamcastmoe) into one. Lately, the trio have been crafting more original music together, alongside their own personal works and upcoming releases through the label, with future gatherings already in the works.
Charles was also hype to share his experience at Art Week in Mexico City. Held every February, the city fills with international galleries, artists, curators, collectors and fairs. Toss in hundreds of parties and industry chats, and you’ve got yourself a heck of an event.
Amongst the madness the week entailed, Charles was grateful for the chance to open for the legend Delroy Edwards at Valentine’s party. Delroy is often spoken about in the same breath as heroes like Moodymann and DJ Stingray, projecting club music that feels gritty and unpolished. “The room was packed with people eager to hear something different, dancing to the point of exhaustion. It left me feeling recharged and reminded me why these spaces matter.”
For Charles, the dancefloor isn’t a place to beat your chest or prove anything. It’s somewhere to sink into and let the collective vibe take the lead. And that’s why people are picking up what TYFS is putting down. He and his crew are the vessel; the guests and mood are the refreshing tequila soda poured in.
Time to peep what Charles Moon is sipping audially. TROVE 035 – let’s get it!
Being a big lover of the sounds of Acid, I found this during a period of retreat, and it immediately created a sense of interior space. It feels less like a track and more like an environment. A world you step into rather than listen to. It reminds me that emergence doesn’t always come through force, but through quiet recognition (as the acid line is introduced and enjoyed at the end of the song), in a way explaining that some things reveal themselves only when you’re ready to receive them.
This track is best enjoyed in transit. Calmly guiding you from one destination to the next. I’ve had this on repeat on various flights and time spent in airport lobbies or long drives. The track feels like it has just the right amount of elements, nothing excessive, nothing wasted. I’ve returned to it often in moments where grounding is needed, both personally and in a room. It reinforces the idea that rhythm, in its purest form, is a stabilising force. Something you can build trust in.
This track found me through a random mix series that I don’t quite remember, but once I heard this track, I knew it would live in my crates forever. Perfect way to lock in a groove on any dancefloor. I remember watching everyone come together under an open-roof full-moon mini rave at Salon Palomilla in Mexico City. Love that space best dance party nights under an open sky.
Satoshi is goated in my opinion, and this entire project and this song specifically hits that dub techno fix I enjoy so much. It unfolds patiently, allowing emotion to surface without pressure. It takes me back to moments of playing for a dancefloor in Japan, which is one of my favourite places. There’s so much patience in the way people listen and dance to music there. You can really take your time to build into a journey without feeling any pressure from the dance floor.
This track was reintroduced to me by my friend Dirty.Dms. We had an amazing night sharing music after a set in my studio. This one stuck out, and it was like a reminder of why I love the track so much. It found its way into my set for the Valentine party, and it fit perfectly. An all-red lit room full of people swaying to the vocals in this track will be a core memory for sure. I love how Actress makes music that sounds like it sits slightly outside of fixed reality. It doesn’t resolve conventionally…it lingers. That sense of incompletion feels important to me right now.