INTRO-ducing ... Sonic Architect Gui Boratto

Brazilian producer and DJ Gui Boratto studied architecture, but abandoned a prospective career in construction for a life in music. We asked him a few questions as he readied himself to headline this weekend’s INTRO Electronic Music Festival (May 26).

Has your architectural training influenced your music?
Of course. Architecture and music are almost the same thing. I know a lot of architects who are involved in music.

If your music was a building, what would it most likely be used for?
It would be a temple where you can relax, think or even party with your friends. Very simple in terms of structure, it would be in the middle of a field, with the ocean out in front.

What is the ugliest building in the world?
I think it’s the Tour Montparnasse in lovely Paris. That city is just too perfect for such a horrible building. I’m sure the Parisians are ashamed of it.

How do you define “beauty”?
Something real. Something authentic.

If you could have played with any band in history, who would it have been?
I would love to do some tracks with Ian McCulloch from Echo & The Bunnymen. My favorite male voice.

Give us a one-sentence “intro” to your music.
Slow-sensitive-melodic-heavytechno: Emo-techno.

What’s the best question to ask somebody you’ve just been introduced to?
“Where have you been?”

Your house is on fire and you only have time to grab one album. Which would it be?
Maybe Violator by Depeche Mode. But to be honest, music is in our minds – we don’t need the actual records to listen to them.

Name one person who you would never work with.
Anybody that works for money and not passion. No love. It must be love.

Name three tracks by other artists, tracks without which your own sound would never have developed the way it did.
“Situation” by Yazoo, “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” by Tears For Fears, and “Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin.

And if the world ended right now, what song do you think would be playing?
“Adiós Nonino” by Astor Piazzolla – maybe my favorite song of all time.

Here are a couple of tracks Gui Boratto recommended to get us in the mood for INTRO ...

Gui Boratto plays INTRO on May 26 at Crab Island (Xiedao ICEC). Click here for more information.

Click here to see the May issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo courtesy of the organizers