Jorge Verdin: record label announces the death of Nortec Collective member at the age of 56

Jorge Verdin, also known to fans of Nortec Collective as Clorofila during his time with the influential Mexican group, has died at the age of 56. The news was confirmed by Nortec Collective’s record label, Nacional Records Static Discos, two labels Verdín worked with, and his former group.

“RIP Jorge Verdín ‘Clorofila’. One of the founders of the pioneering Nortec Collective Padrinos [Godfathers] of electrónica music in Mexico and all of Latin America. The second artist I ever signed to Nacional Records 20 years ago. Olvídela Compa was always one of my favourite Nortec songs. Respect!,” posted Nacional Records founder/CEO Tomas Cookman on social media. 

Known for his contributions to the Nortec Collective, a musical group based in Tijuana, Mexico, Verdin played a significant role in shaping the group's sound and pioneering the genre known as "Nortec" music, which blended traditional northern Mexican music styles with electronic music elements.

The collective gained critical acclaim for their albums “Tijuana Sessions Vol. 1” (2001) and “Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3” (2005), which was later released by Nacional Records. The latter album earned them two Latin Grammy nominations, which helped them gain global recognition.

In 2010, Verdin launched his solo career with "Corridos Urbanos", an innovative blend of electronic and norteño music. This was several years before the global trend of corridos tumbados or corridos bélicos, a genre that combines traditional corridos music with a street-smart edge. 

Four years later, Verdín released "Ahorita Vengo", a grittier and industrial-inspired album that heavily relied on analogue sequencers and synthesizers. During his career, he also collaborated with many artists and produced remixes for Beck, Tremor, Matias Aguayo, Rigo Tovar, and Radiokijada

Verdín was not only a musician and producer but also a versatile artist who extended his creativity to theatre sound design and branding. According to his LinkedIn profile, he worked with corporate giants like Honda, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Magazine, Virgin Records and many others.