Three Tracks That Shaped Simply City’s Musical Outlook…
Simply City’s relationship with electronic music stretches back more than three decades. Born in Chile and now based in Montreal, César Romero first found his footing in Santiago’s formative club and rave scene before a life behind the decks took him across Latin America, Europe, Asia and North America.
Over time, that experience has shaped an approach built around patience, progression and an instinctive feel for the dancefloor. His celebrated residency at Stereo in Montreal proved particularly influential, with extended sets giving him the space to develop the slow-burning musical narratives that remain central to his sound.
That same sensibility runs through his latest release, Tisno, a two-track collaboration with Solis [US] that doubles as their debut on Balance Music. Both tracks were first heard during Simply City’s opening set at Balance Croatia 2025, where they quickly became two of the weekend’s most requested IDs. A year later, they finally have an official home.
To mark the release, we asked Simply City to look back rather than forward, selecting three tracks that proved formative at different points in his career. From early discoveries to records that changed the way he thought about the dancefloor, these are three pieces of music that helped shape the artist he is today.
KraftwerkTour de France
(1983)
Back in the ’80s, I used to breakdance to this track. Around 1986, a friend who had family in the U.S. got hold of a VHS copy of Breakin’ and a cassette of the soundtrack.
The first time I heard Kraftwerk “Tour de France” was during that unforgettable scene where Turbo dances with the broom.
The track wasn’t even on the soundtrack, so my friends and I would rewind that part of the VHS over and over, trying to imitate every move.
Then, in 1988, I was in a cassette store in Santiago where I used to spend hours listening to music when I came across a Kraftwerk tape. “Tour de France” started playing and suddenly I realised where that incredible sound from Breakin’ had come from.
It was one of those moments where everything clicked, and my musical world opened up completely.
I have such fond memories of that time. We wanted to be those guys in the movie so badly, and hearing that music takes me straight back there.
Art of Noise
Moments in Love
(1985)
This was the first 12-inch vinyl I ever bought. I had already started collecting records by then, sometime around the late ’80s or early ’90s, when record stores were becoming a real part of my world. I must have been about 15.
Even back then, I had one simple rule: if a record didn’t give me a feeling of freedom or put goosebumps on my arms, I wouldn’t buy it.
That instinct has stayed with me ever since. It’s still one of the main ways I connect with music today.
Clubland
Hold on (Tighter to Love) (Steve “Silk” Hurley 12″ MIX)
(1991)
This track opened the door to Chicago House for me. It shaped my love of mixing, club culture and the sound of house music as I was discovering it in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Steve’s original productions and remixes became a huge reference point during that period, and this record in particular helped define the direction my musical taste would take.
Simply City, Solis [US] – Tisno EP
OUT NOW
