Gioh Cecato, a resident and DJ in Miami who’s set to unveil her most recent EP titled Escape From Reality on Descend Records, a label she has a close affinity with having released an album on the imprint previously.
“Escape From Reality” opens up the EP and sets a fine scene with blistering synths shooting over warped bass and drums. It’s astral techno with cinematic detail. “Mental Diversion” then kicks up a real storm with its brutal grooves and dark, shadowy atmospheres all running through with hammering percussion. “Destination” is a whip snapping affair with slashing synth and razor sharp hi hats that again make for a dystopian, futuristic vibe that has you left in awe. The Tony Romanello remix is a hulking great track with a wall of techno kicks and blistering synths.
We are lucky enough to host a premiere from the upcoming Escape From Reality EP alongside this exclusive interview with Gioh Cecato.
In these current times we suppose the EP title couldn’t ring more true, so let’s get straight into this.
How are you, how has the year been so far?
Hello, I’m doing great, thanks for having me. Honestly it’s been a crazy year, but apart from everything that’s been going on, luckily I’ve been able to focus more on producing music and I’ve managed to finish two different courses as well. One of the courses, with my colleague Ricardo Farhat, Producer / DJ and Instructor, was focused on Music Production where I learned even more about specific techniques. I was able to further develop my musical identity and mastering methods. Another course I managed to finish during the pandemic was Music and Business where I learned concepts about the history of music, business, planning and innovation, digital marketing, music & sound branding, and more.
In addition, I had two album releases on two different labels, Descend Records, a Miami based label – of which I am proudly a resident, and Red Channel Records, a Canadian label.
Can you remember the first time you heard electronic music and what you thought of it?
I’ve always been passionate about music. Having grown up with my Father and Aunt working as professional musicians, it’s always made me interested in learning not only aspects of the music itself, but how to play instruments, like the flute, piano and also vocal lessons and techniques. Eventually, I got an electronic keyboard as a gift from my Father, which at the time was my hobby because at the time I still had no access to today’s technology. The years passed and electronic music arrived in Brazil and that’s when I started to attend several clubs and festivals which further launched me into electronic music. I instantly fell in love with the beats – electronic music gives me a feeling that none of the other genres provide, especially in a live setting. I tend to like music that hypnotizes me – the whole aesthetics of sound really does it for me.
What was the scene like that you first got you into this music, what labels, parties and DJs?
Brazil is a country of continental dimensions where you can expect to find many kinds of parties, so festivals happen pretty much year round.
Among them, in São Paulo, the famous D-edge; festivals that have emerged such as Skol Beats, Rock In Rio, among many others like Soul Vision in SP; September 7th, every year, Samsara, one of our oldest festivals; FAK – very underground.. From the deepest progressive beats, through the psychedelic groove, to the “no limit bpm” dark music, there are a lot of talented hands working on it. Of course, the well known Burn in Noise, which is my favorite alongside Universo Paralello.
Having attended many festivals, Psytrance was the scene that made me start liking electronic music itself. The interesting thing is that in the dark acid / techno genre you find many elements of Psytrance nowadays, in which they are characterized by arrangements of melodies with fast rhythms. My love for techno music certainly comes from my original love for trance music and my desire to persuade in the career of electronic music — is the love and passion for it.
And what is your own musical identity, what do you add to your take on house and techno that stands out?
I love to create sounds with a long acid jam and some sounds of old Roland synthesizers, 303 / 808 and different drum machines. I like when techno sounds acid, muddy and raw at the same time so if you’re listening to one of my sets or production that will certainly stand out.
Tell us about some of the best places to play in Miami and what makes the place special for you?
My personal opinion — Unfortunately, Miami doesn’t stand out much for me as a techno scene (yet) but I have some pretty good memories playing in a few clubs here like the infamous Electric Pickle in Wynwood and Treehouse, which is my favorite club at the moment. Each club was very different from one another but the vibe in each was unmatched as they are both smaller venues where the artist truly gets to connect with the crowd.
What’s your aim as a DJ, are you a party person, someone who likes to get crowds in a trance?
I always say that everything I do is with love. I believe that when I play for a crowd, I always want to transmit that good energy through music. I really appreciate seeing the smile on people’s faces and making them feel free to express themselves the way they want to in the moment. This, for me, is the greatest achievement as an artist. I also do love going to support my artist friends and have fun in Miami — which is not a hard thing to do!
Tell us about Mental Diversion, the track we’re hosting as a premiere today, what inspired it?
One of the great changes that the pandemic brought me was a process of self-awareness, introspection and a mindset of gratitude and passion for my work which has resulted in a better creative process. Mental Diversion was based around auditory and visual senses, kicking up a real storm with its brutal grooves and dark, shadowy atmospheres all running through with hammering percussion.
What will the first record be that you play when we can really get back to parties?
I have a huge desire to play my latest EP in front of a crowd. Since it’s been released during the pandemic, I haven’t had the chance to actually play it for a live crowd. So yeah, I’ll be hammering my ‘Escape from Reality EP’ out now on Descend Records.
What’s your outlook for 2021 and your plans?
2021 is shaping to be a big year for me in many aspects. In addition to producing more music, which I’m already working on, you can expect an album with industrial/acidic touch soon. Diving deeper into audio engineering is a goal I’ve set for myself which I feel will further expand my sound and knowledge of my craft. That being said, I’m also looking forward to ramping up my touring schedule, playing at some amazing new venues and connecting with live crowds once again!
Thank you for having me on, stay healthy and take care of each other
Gioh Cecato Escape From Reality EP is out Oct 19th and available HERE
