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As [Mia Carucci](https://www.instagram.com/miacarucci/) settles in, their black cat, Looney Tunes, tries in vain to scamper up a wall where Carucci had hidden a burrito. We’re meeting over Zoom to discuss their latest EP, aptly titled [_As Above So Below_](https://lnk.to/asabove-sobelow%C2%A0)_,_ derived from Carucci’s guiding mantra; a reminder that every decision made in the physical realm affects the spiritual realm. Between their long black hair and furry companion—a cauldron is the only thing missing from the image.
Defining the distinct sound of the DJ extraordinaire is like trying to give a hurricane a genre. _As Above So Below_ is at once Otherworldly and intrinsically earthly—a harmony between exquisitely produced electronics, like something you’d expect at an alien rave on Venus, and the intimacy of wandering a forest in solitude.
“I grew up in the middle of both of these styles, so it’s important for me to marry the two.” Carucci attributes the elemental aspects of the EP—running water, hand played drums, and wind instruments—to their upbringing in Florida: “Growing up, I didn’t wear shoes or clothes much. I was very much surrounded by nature, especially water—rivers and oceans and lakes.” Despite never receiving formal musical training, this environment nurtured a sensitivity to the varying rhythms of everyday life, reflected in the EP. Their vocals range from bird-like flutterings, to a more rich, guttural sound.
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These meditations are informed by the Latin American and Caribbean influences, paying homage to Afro-indigenous traditions. For _As Above So Below_, the natural, human, and spiritual, are not separate categories, but inherently interconnected.
“Making music is a prayer. Everything I do is very much informed and inspired by my spiritual practice. The songs ‘The elements” and ‘Pomba Gira’ are directly ceremonial in intent—they’re meant to accompany an out-of-body experience.”
In 2019, Carucci started the project, intending for it to only be a four track EP, however, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic provided fodder for their creative process. “Prior to quarantine, I’d been on the road constantly, which was a convenient excuse to not sit in the studio and work on things. It forced me to sit with myself and my practice.”
When Carucci was 18, they moved to Los Angeles with a group of friends on a whim. The transition was a necessary disruption to the comfort zone they’d established in Miami. While their artistic process is one of meditative solitude, outside the immediate spaces of the studio, they pull from their friends in Los Angeles for inspiration:
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“I feel such a strong tether to this city—I've been adopted and nurtured by this city. The people here are really proud of their heritage and histories. There’s a very present respect for their ancestors, and I resonate with that respect and care. I’m surrounded by visual artists—painters, ceramicists, photographers. It’s a special community of black and brown friends, who are all doing really sick shit, all creating from their hearts. I have such a strong tether to Los Angeles. There’s a black and brown renaissance here—it’s very historical, and very radical—in politics and creations.”
The EP’s accompanying visuals, as well as the music video for “Pomba Gira” were shot and styled by collaborator, Cristián Gomez. “When I have a vision, they’re so attuned to it, they see it clearly and execute it quickly. As my mom says, ‘metal sharpens metal’.
Carucci is on a roll, following the EP, they have some big (and top-secret) projects and collaborations in the works. Until then, it would do you good to remember the name.
Photographer & Stylist: [Gomez](https://www.instagram.com/neonpurgatory/?hl=en)
Stylist Assistant: [Jeffrey Prada](https://www.instagram.com/jeffreyprada/?hl=en)
Makeup & SFX Makeup: [Julie Curl](https://www.instagram.com/juliewavey/)
