Hayes co-founder, techno purist, Lisbon’s sonic sculptor -Enter scene: VIL
When you talk about the Portuguese techno scene, one name comes up consistently — and for good reason. VIL, co-founder of the influential Hayes Collective, has carved out a sound that's both uncompromising and utterly his own: high-pressure, detail-heavy, emotionally intelligent techno that’s as physical as it is cerebral.
Born and based in Lisbon, VIL (real name Diogo Valente) has spent the past decade shaping the city’s darker corners. His work as a producer, DJ, and label head has helped push Lisbon’s techno underground onto the European map — not through hype, but through surgical consistency and craft.
He co-founded Hayes — a multi-pronged label and collective that champions forward-thinking, experimental techno from Portugal and beyond. The label’s aesthetic is tight, visual, and precise — much like VIL’s productions.
VIL’s sound lives in the cracks between hypnotic minimalism and pummelling broken rhythms. Think textured kick patterns, rolling metallic percussion, and perfectly restrained distortion. It’s the kind of techno you don’t just dance to — you sink into.
As a producer, VIL's solo EPs (like Noir and Unstoppable Force) show off his range: from pounding warehouse material to murky industrial cuts to almost ambient passages of eerie tension.
He also releases under collaborative aliases like:
- CRAVO & VIL (funkier, tooly techno)
- 2JACK4U (with Temudo – classic electro/acid sets live on gear)
Over the past year, VIL has been quietly leveling up. He’s played some of Portugal’s most respected clubs and festivals, including:
- Lux Frágil (Lisbon) — a Hayes takeover in March
- Gare Porto — solo and B2B sets with labelmates
- Neopop Festival 2024 — one of the weekend’s standout closing sets
- Fuse Matiné — Lisbon’s heavyweight Sunday sessions
- Berghain (Berlin) — a late 2024 debut in the infamous main room
His sets are tight, layered, and moody — never too fast, never predictable. You’re just in it before you know it.
While VIL keeps things pretty low-key promo-wise, here’s where you might catch him next:
- Neopop Festival 2025 – confirmed return
- Paraíso Lisbon – Hayes showcase night (June)
- Hayes Club Tour – unannounced locations (rumored Berlin and Warsaw)
Best bet: keep an eye on the Hayes IG or his Resident Advisor page for the next move.
There’s no gimmick here. No shouty drops or festival bangers. Just a producer and DJ who knows exactly how to control tension, weight, and groove in a way that speaks to heads, dancers, and gear nerds alike.
VIL’s not just putting Portugal on the techno map — he’s redrawing it.
