The pulsating, Portuguese pattern from the JLZ remix of “Pelo Telephone” by Gi Viscardi starts off the mix twin DJs Angel and Dren created for The Fader. Next, Major Lazor makes his way into the track with PartyNextDoor in the Sevnth (cq) Remix of “Run Up”, but is forgotten once “Amnesia” by Geller and Nox brings the beat to a hypnotic, medieval level - the sound reminiscent of the antique background from Big Sean’s track “Sacrifices” featuring Migos. But these sisters aren’t old news, as Angel + Dren are bringing club hits, subway slow jams and exercise tunes into one trendy, vivacious 30 minute track on SoundCloud. That’s the easiest place to find their mixes, unless you’re living in New York and are able to catch one of the parties or local clubs, or even New York Fashion Week 2017 or 2Chainz’s pop-up shop in Soho in June where they’ve been found behind the turntables, according to Billboard.
These soirées are not a part of their Plan B, Angel says. She took to Instagram earlier this month when she quit her D.J. (day job) to become a full-time DJ with her twin Dren, who stopped working nearly two years ago.
“DJing is now Plan A, B, C and D and I can no longer afford to question whether things will work out, but rather how we will make things work,” Angel says.
Although their plan wasn’t foolproof, their fervor for music was widely accepted in their Bronx neighborhood. Angel and Dren say New York is their favorite city to work in, but the backdrop of their once mere hobby wasn’t the most important factor of why it’s now their profession. “With DJing, it was more so the feeling of connecting with others through the music,” Dren says. “It is more of a vibe than anything. That was the thing that hooked us.”
And that vibe can be channeled on any commute and in any venue. Their music is riddled with a Jamaican rhythm arising from their neighborhood white noise, tapped with electronic beats (i.e. ”Loodi” by Krs. from the tracklist of their The Fader mix), yet still hints at old school and modern soul and R&B hits their listeners instantly recognize, like Kev’s remix of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire and the DANYAL remix of “Deja Vu” by Big Sean and Jhené Aiko.
“We were raised on reggae, R&B and hip hop and it was everywhere,” Angel says. “There were never any noise complaints because people understood that it was a part of the neighborhood. We actually started spinning later and everything moved quickly ever since. We bought equipment and we were practicing for hours every day. We were still living in the Bronx then and we didn’t have speakers so we used the TV. We made the best of everything because spinning felt right. Music felt right, and it all felt urgent.”
Sisterhood also felt right in the equation to become a hot DJ duo spinning their way through NY nightlife. Dren says collaborating with Angel not only works because they learned the art together, but also because they share the same business values. “I would never want to work with someone who didn’t have the same lofty goals and borderline extreme work ethic.”
Angel + Dren posing for Women’s Wear Daily in 2017.
Angel + Dren shooting on a track wearing Nike athletic wear.
Their fashion inspiration, much like their business ethic, is inspired by strong and bold virtues. Dren says she draws from supermodel Naomi Campbell’s look - not just because of her chic yet daring attire, but because of “the way she carries herself; it’s powerful.” Angel tells Billboard that Fenty Puma fashion nova Rihanna is her icon. When it comes to dress, they’re clean and sporty, wearing a lot of Nike apparel as they are the company’s “official mix-masters.”
Now that mixing is their new 9-5 commitment, Angel + Dren share wise words for woman like them breaking into the music industry, which according to a report cited by Lara Baker in her HuffPost blog post about females in this business, only make up about 32.2% of it.
“I would remind any woman in a similar position to keep their eyes on the prize,” Angel says. “It probably won’t be easy to work your way ‘out.’ It wasn’t easy for us at all, but the struggle always felt like it was worth it.”
Producing their dream career took a lot of time, money and stamina. Sometimes, the reward of getting a gig wasn’t even financial - spinning for free still meant spinning. Angel says, “We spent so much money on new equipment - turntables, mixers, needles - that I think we were even losing money, or breaking even at best. But it was the most fun struggle of my life and it still is.”
Here is the duo’s Spotify summer playlist.
This article has been edited to avoid advertorial language.