Luca Cazal “Maya”

Luca Cazal has been gradually climbing the ranks in the house and techno worlds for the last few years. After a successful season as the resident DJ on the terrace of Ibiza’s legendary DC10, Cazal has taken this momentum into the studio as he preps his first release of 2015. Consider the first three minutes of “Maya” to be a 909-induced warmup before a tribal vocal sample gives way to Detroit-inspired string stabs and manic snare rolls, making this a peak-time weapon.

The Maya EP will drop February 9 on Cazal’s label See Double—an offshoot of Double Drop, which he runs with his bud Brigante. Cazal plans to base himself in the US for much of February and March—while he works on the new Hot Natured album—and then play a handful of Hot Natured shows in North and South America this spring.

Did you discuss or exchange ideas with other producers while creating this track?
Yes, but only towards the end of the recording process with Brigante, just to have a second opinion on how I arranged the track. He agreed with me that the structure was fairly unusual, but if it worked on the dancefloor, then it would be fine. When making a track like “Maya,” the dancefloor appeal is the number-one priority. So I played it a few times and only had to make a couple of adjustments, but the feedback has been more than positive.

How does this production reflect your personality/ethos?
It’s an uncomplicated and impulsive track, which definitely reflects the more primitive parts of my personality.

What were you doing when you came up with the idea for this song? Did you drop what you were doing and get to work, or did you make notes and get to it when you could?
I actually did both of those things. I started making it the first day I got my Roland TR-909, almost as I was still testing it out. Then I played it as a drum track for a while and started adding other parts when I came back from a trip to South America, where I was writing down notes about what to do on this track all along.

Have you played this one out in any of your sets? If so, what was the response?
I’ve been playing it out in most of my sets over the last few months, and it’s been receiving one of the best reactions every time. I think people don’t expect it to do much for the first three to four minutes, because it started out as a DJ tool (and in many ways, it still is). The first part is just a simple 909 workout, but then it turns into something else halfway through the track with the strings and vocals coming in; I think that element of surprise, followed by a massive drop, is the reason why it receives such a good reaction.

What’s your favorite sound/synth/effect/etc. used here, and why?
It’s got to be the Roland TR-909, which is probably my favourite drum machine in general. For that reason, it is featured in most of my tracks.

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