Javier Areal Vélez

JAVIER AREAL VÉLEZ (Buenos Aires, 1985) is a composer, improviser, and curator who performs mostly on electric guitar, with or without objects stuffed among its strings. He’s part of Calato, a loud (free and scored) noise improv outfit, and bizarre electronic experimental pop duo Kyse. Past commitments include post-punk trio Coso and weird songs band El Helicoptero.

As an improviser, AREAL VÉLEZ has collaborated with countless artists from different parts of the world such as Audrey Chen, Nicola Hein, Shayna Dunkelman, Axel Dörner, Brian Chase, Violeta García, Chris Pitsiokos, Jorge Espinal, Andrew Drury, Paal Nilssen-Love, and Jack Wright. Over the last decade, he has toured intensively across South and North America, Europe, and Japan. His music can be found on labels such as HatHut, Buh Records, Vestibular Recs, Lurker Bias, 1039 Recs, Stereo-Neg, Geweih Ritual Documents, Audition Records, El Silencio, TVL Recs, Jardinista!, Border Tapes, and PSH Ediziones.

AREAL VÉLEZ coordinates the Sound Arts Center (CASo) of the Ministry of Culture of Argentina, and is the director of RUIDO, an ongoing music series which aims to connect the foremost experimental artists from all over the world with Buenos Aires' vital new music scene through a network of concerts, workshops, and masterclasses. Ruido has produced the first visits to the country of the likes of Xiu Xiu, Jeremy Gara, Los Pirañas, Julien Desprez, and Mark Fell, and hosted more than 100 streaming concerts since 2020. Upcoming plans include several releases by Calato, as well as a European tour with cellist Violeta García, in addition to the release of his solo debut album, rrrrrrrrrr tKtK.