Azzecca – Mantra [REALM]

Chicago’s hottest export Azzecca aka Allie DeCastris drops ‘Mantra’, her second single on Gorgon City’s imprint. Her recent REALM debut ‘Ego Death’ won acclaim from Mixmag, Pete Tong, KCRW, Kiss FM a.m.m, building on her smash remix of TIBASKO ‘Still Rushing’ and ever-growing multi-million streams.

With recent accolades including a 30 min mix on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show, DJ Mag North America tipping her as one to watch, crowned one of Beatport’s hottest new artists for April, global shows like EDC Vegas, Halcyon (SF), Hard Summer (LA) on the horizon, the fiery DJ/Producer still keeps it real in her hometown with her Dirty Disco female-focused events, the most recent with Carlita last month at Smoke and Mirrors. ‘Mantra’ intercuts an otherworldly vibe – a high, ethereal vocal repeating a widely-used meditative mantra ‘shiva shambho, mahdeva shambho’, going sweet’n’solo in the breakdowns – with a down and dangerous low, choppy synth, all over melodic arps and a fast house beat, for a foretaste of summer clubbing and far away shores.

‘Mantra is a unique one in terms of production; I made the song specifically for a party that I was booked to play with a lot of Afterlife artists on the billing. I wanted to make something that was true to my style but also felt familiar to fans of the Afterlife sound’ Allie says. ‘The track is still very bassline-driven with a big focus on glitchy, powerful vocals. I sampled a meditative chant “Shiva Shambo” which is used for the purpose of allowing higher powers to destroy ‘what is’, to create ‘what will be’; to open your mind to transformation. The chant builds and builds through the final drop, which plays into the theme of most of my tracks, which is that of escapism on the dance floor. I’ve been playing this one in all of my sets recently and it’s a sure-fire dancefloor burner.’