The young producer and DJ grew up in the United States, living in some of the best cities for techno music. Playing the guitar and listening to grunge rock since she was a child had a huge influence on her sound today, always making sure to have that enigmatic ingredient thrown into the mix. However, it was during her time in the culture-rich Los Angeles, California and Guadalajara, Mexico that took her productions to the next level, mixing her booming, driving aesthetic with deep, ominous melodies. Perhaps it was the mariachi, or maybe the tequila. Whatever it is, it seems to be working.
Over the past couple of years, her prowess in the studio has landed her on some of the top 50 techno labels in the world, such as Funk’n Deep Black, Prospect Records, Misfit Music, Night Light Records, Frequenza and Renesanz. A true lover of people’s minds, she enjoys listening to others’ views on music and life. This led to the start of her own podcast, Crimethink, where her guests have been among the world’s top artists along with those more underground.
INTERVIEW
CR: Hello Shay, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing?
SDC: Hey there! I’m doing pretty awesome, wishing everyone a great day as well! Thanks for having me.
CR: What is the best advice you have received while pursuing your career as a DJ/Producer?
SDC: Just focus on yourself and do your own thing. Don’t hate on others.
CR: As Techno fans, we wanted to know how is the Techno scene in LA and how did that influence you as an artist?
SDC: Yeah, it’s definitely unique, that’s for sure! It’s growing like crazy – more and more every year. The scene is solid and I think very open to a wide variety of techno which always makes for a fun time because the crowd can get down to anything. Because LA is an entertainment hotspot and you see just about everything – the craziest things you can imagine – it serves as a lot of creative juice. It inspires me to just kind of do whatever I want instead of worrying about fitting into a certain kind of role or anything.
CR: On the Assembly EP we love the track ‘Incendium’, Can you tell us a little bit more about the thought process for your EP and the track itself?
SDC: Thank you! Yeah, absolutely. For the EP, I’d started out with ‘Assembly’ actually. I went into Live with the intention of making something that expressed the stress and difficulties I was going through at that time of my life. Very thundering, heavy kicks you know. From there on out, I tried kind of sticking with that theme but my mind was naturally going back to these warmer pads and kind of represented a light at the end of the tunnel, happiness, motivation. The name of the track was inspired because it sparked a fire inside of me to do better and I hope it does the same for listeners.
CR: Since you have all been in lockdown, what genres have you been listening to get some inspiration for your next tracks?
SDC: A lot of trance from the late 90’s and early 2000s. The melodies are unmatched. Orjan Nilsen, Heatbeat, Talla 2XLC…those guys.
CR: If you were not a producer/DJ what would have been your career choice?
SDC: That’s a great question haha! Probably something to do with human rights. I’ve always been passionate about politics and justice since I was a kid and everything in my life always comes back to that.
CR: If you had the chance to play an opening set for any artist around the world who would it be and where would it be?
SDC: Oh man…that’s a tough one. Even though our genres are completely different now, it would be Armin van Buuren. That’s the guy that got me into electronic music about 14 years ago now and opening for him would make my dreams come full circle. It would have to be Tomorrowland.
CR: Do you like playing in larger gatherings or smaller intimate gatherings and why?
SDC: I think around 500 people is perfect. That size allows you to really connect with people but is still big enough that you can get away with playing just about anything.
CR: Is there a track that never leaves your personal playlist because it has a certain emotional connection to you?
SDC: So many! ‘Ultrametric Space’ by Skober is a notable one.
CR: Who is your biggest supporter as a Producer/ DJ?
SDC: My family – as it should be!
CR: What do you like to do during your downtime other than producing music?
SDC: Anything outdoors! I’m lucky enough that (when we’re not going through a global pandemic) music has afforded me the privilege of travelling to places that maybe wouldn’t normally be on my bucket list. I am obsessed with architecture and history so as soon as my plane or train gets to the city I am playing in, it’s check-in to the hotel and immediately go exploring. When I can, I love snowboarding and skateboarding, too.
Lighting Round for Shay De Castro
CR: Texting or talking?
SDC: Usually texting – I express myself better through writing.
CR: Coffee or tea?
SDC: Coffee – too much coffee.
CR: Hard liquor or Wine?
SDC: Hard liquor if I don’t have anything planned that day. A nice Riesling otherwise.
CR: Cake or pie?
SDC: The hardest question you’ve asked me so far. Cheesecake.
CR: Hot dogs or hamburgers
SDC: Beyond Burger Hamburgers!
CR: Xbox or PlayStation?
SDC: Xbox! CoD all the way.
CR: Movie theatre or arcade?
SDC: Arcade! Asking the right questions!
CR: Guitar or piano?
SDC: I love both but I am only proficient in guitar.
CR: Marvel or DC Comics?
SDC: Gonna go with DC.
CR: Dog or cat?
SDC: Cat
CR: Hot weather or cold weather?
SDC: Something in-between, like September, is perfect when it’s like light jacket weather. I feel like I was about to go into a Miss Congeniality rant there for a second.
