Six emerging artists you need to hear: August 2025
For Kevin Martínez, the Mexican producer, DJ and creative multihyphenate better known as Niño Árbol, music is a way to make sense of life. In his words, “It’s a catalyst or a safe space where I can release myself psychologically through the universal language: frequencies.” These qualities are evident across his new album, ‘Psiconomimesis’, released in late June through Ssensorial, Martínez’s record label, artist collective and booking agency.
Crafted over two years during his move from Guadalajara to the sprawl of Mexico City, ‘Psiconomimesis’ represents a continuation of Martínez’s ongoing investigation into experimental music for the dancefloor. Across the album, he splits the difference between braindance and body music, sculpting a nine-track suite of richly textural IDM, techno and ambient music that, as he puts it, “…feels like a synapse, like a burst of neural electroshocks, but at the same time carries a sensitive sound that goes straight to the heart, with complex, psychedelic, energetic polyrhythms, a blend of sounds and sensations that lift you up.”
Martínez’s appearance in this feature characterises him as an “emerging artist”, but, in truth, at home in Mexico, and across Latin America, he has been a contributing countercultural music force for over a decade. Since he started producing in 2010, he’s taken a teenage interest in progressive, mathy post-rock and translated it into a deep catalogue that feels equally indebted to adventurous UK record labels like Warp, Planet Mu and Rephlex. In recognition of his efforts, Martínez has performed in over 27 countries. “The experiences of travelling, like gastronomy, getting to know other cultures, and playing in different cities around the world, deeply inspire me and feed my creativity,” he explains.
Outside of production and DJ sets, Martínez contributes to the Mexican electronic music scene by organising multimedia events and touring international DJs like Batu and Mia Koden under the Ssensorial umbrella. “We’ve created a beautiful community of music lovers looking to go deeper into our proposals, a super healthy, kind environment where music is the priority,” he enthuses. In terms of his plans for the future, however, he adopts an honest, measured and optimistic stance. “When I started, I honestly never thought I’d get this far,” Martínez admits, before continuing enthusiastically. “Now that I’m here, I don’t even feel like I’m halfway to what I believe I can achieve with music.” MARTYN PEPPERELL.
For Fans of: Oneohtrix Point Never, Aphex Twin, Skee Mask.
