Exclusive Interview With Gabriel Evoke

With gigs in international clubs as The Banker and Beach Road in Sydney (Australia), the X-Pressing Underground in Barcelona (Spain), Gabriel Evoke is currently one of the biggest revelations of the Brazilian house music scene.

Graduated in music Production, Evoke has released his tracks on the biggest digital stores worldwide, receiving support from big artists such as Paul Van Dyk, Markus Schulz, Graham Gold, Hector Moralez, and more. Recently received an invitation from german producer Neelix to remix one of his tracks “Round One”.

In 2011, he won the competition promoted by Movida Music, of Viktor Mora & Naccarati, choose by the technical jury as well as popular voting.

Gabriel Evoke had already shared the stage alongside great names of electronic music as Above & Beyond, Afrojack, D-Nox, John Acquaviva, Andrea Bertolini, Moguai, Kanio, Neelix, Dr. Lektroluv, Weekend Heroes, Format B, Ticon, Gaz James, David Amo & Julio Navas and Boris Brejcha.

He is the resident Dj and organizer of Be Cool party, He is also resident of the project Industry at Eazy Club in São Paulo.

SUM : Hello mate , thanks for taking the time to talk with us, How’s been 2013 so far for your career?
It’s great talking to you. 2013 is being spectacular. i’ve being working a lot, my schedule is quite tight due to my gigs and my label party editions productions, Be Cool. But, I’ve trying to spend the most of my time at the studio producing new tracks, remixes and collabs with some friends.

SUM: Tell us how “Gabriel Evoke” came to be? How would you define your style and who/what are your musical influences?
For the last 10 years I’ve being in contact with electronic music events around the world and for the last 7 years I’ve being DJing. When I decided to become a electronic music producer in 2009, I enrolled in an University of Electronic Music Production. I started to use the term “Evoke” in my artistic name, because It means something cool. “To Evoke” is something spiritual, something your are feeling and want to express some way, and this is always on my mind when I am producing a track, that’s nothing but my feelings being expressed through music.
My musics have House, Techno and Electro characteristics, and a lot of Deep House influence. The groove is always there, I like the way It makes people move. My main influences come from Pirupa, Supernova, Nice7, Danny Daze, Tube & Berger, Wehbba, Jaymo & Andy George, Zombie Disco Squad, Victor Ruiz.

SUM: Your remix of “Circus” by Perfect Driver is quite a treat! What motivated you to remix that title?
I was invited by Big Alliance Deep to get a remix ready for the label, they gave some options and let me free to choose the one that I like most. When I heard “Circus” for the first time I just felt in love for It, I like a lot the idea on It and the instruments used, besides It’s a bomb for the mainfloor. I knew i could It a special touch and that’s what I tried to to. I hope you liked It!

SUM: How many hours a day do you see yourself doing your magic in your studio?
If I’m not doing any parallel project like my label party I spend all day long at the studio, 10 to 12 hours a day.

SUM: Tell us about “Be Cool Party”. What is it? what’s the aim for it in both near term and long term future?
Be Cool is my label party, we are on our 10th edition at the moment. We always try to use a theme for each edition, we had a pool party edition in a great hotel, a good edition in a train station, many others in great clubs. I always try to bring something new and modern to my crowd. We are organizing the next edition getting in touch with great artists from underground scene. I wish Be Cool to become a renowned festival in a not distant future.

SUM: What is the best or the craziest memory you have from a live event?
One of the greatest feelings I had in my life was when I went party in Ibiza. That was a Space closing party. partying in Ibiza is every electronic music lover’s dream, and I remember that was stoked with the experience. I was there for my 23rd birthday!

SUM: So far what you think has been the highlight of your career?
I think it was when I got a message from the great DJ and producer Roger Sanchez congratulating me for my productions. He told me he was amazed with my feeling for producting and It was his duty to tell that:
“Gabriel Evoke is really talented, I’m surprised. Minutious productions, good tecnic, on the right dose not losing the main focus the is touch people on the mainfloor. That’s the biggest difference between a great producer and a great producer AND a great DJ at the same time. After listening to his tracks my sensation was of great enthusiasm. Gabriel is young on his right way and It’s important to recognized It, because sometimes all a DJ needs is a word of motivation.”

SUM: What are your top 5 tracks at the moment?
1 – Gabriel Evoke – Atibaia (Original Mix) | Artlab Records
2 – Gabriel Boni & Simple Jack – Celebrate (Vitor Munhoz Remix) | INminimax
3 – Deetron – Love Song Feat. Seth Troxler (Original Mix) | Music Man Records
4 – Velkro – Make Me (Original Mix) | Zero Eleven Music
5 – Nora En Pure – Come With Me (Original Mix) | Enourmous Tunes

SUM: What is your take on this digital world we are living in? and what is your take on music piracy?
I believe that the digital world made a world smaller bringing together producers around the world. Websites like Beatport, Trackitdown, between others, bring to our lives hundreds and hundreds of new releases every day, from a great variety of artists and music styles from every part of the world. But, on the other hand digital world brought piracy, what is very hard to be controlled. When you start to produce and sell your musics to those sites you got another vision of this business and stop looking for pirate materials on the internet. I think we can’t do much about It, It’s on fans’ hands to respect and support our work.

SUM: The DjMag Top 100 2013 Results. Fair or Scam?
In my opinion the DJ Mag Top 100 show the artists that has the best marketing support during the year, and consequently, they have great popularity, despite the music quality of each one of them. To me a real TOP 100 is made by Resident Advisor.

SUM: What would be a piece of advice that has helped you in your career?
Work a lot, never loose focus and be determinate, get yourself ready and things are gonna happen!

5 Random questions

SUM: What was the worst punishment you recieved at school?
Honestly I always tried to get the best of school and never put myself in trouble.

SUM: Have you ever had a workplace romance?
I’m always engaged or involved with someone, but yes, I had some.

SUM: What has better looking legs, a seagull or a chicken?
I love hot pepper chicken legs! Haha…

SUM: What is one thing you could tell us about yourself that others would be shocked to know
I’m a sleep walker and that usually cause me some trouble, like the night I woke up at my mother in law’s bed. Haha…
Eu sou sonâmbulo e já fiz muitas coisas bizarras devido a esse problema! hahah…

SUM: Who’s the boss in your home?
I’m still living with my mother, so… her!

SUM: Message for your fans?
Thanks a lot for the support you’ve being giving me, all my efforts It’s to try to surprise you more in some way. Stay tuned , cause I got some news track on the oven specially for you!