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Ciel: The ‘Ransom Note’ Mix

 
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When breaking down her music, Cindy Li describes it as a reflection of ‘liquid air’ in its many forms — at times it’s fluid and weightless and at others it’s mysterious and forbidding.

Under her moniker Ciel, she’s released acclaimed solo EPs on labels like Peach Discs, Spectral Sound and Coastal Haze, as well as joint releases for Planet Euphorique, as part of Psychedelic Budz with D. Tiffany, and on X-Kalay with Dan Only as Cloudsteppers. When she’s not creating herself, she’s working to platform the buzzing underground scene in her home of Toronto through Parallel Minds, the imprint she runs in partnership with Daniel 58 and Yohei S.

 

She’s just as accomplished a DJ as she is a producer too. Her Rinse FM residency is testament to that, not to mention her string of stellar mixes and sets for Daisychain, Melbourne Deepcast, Crack and Boiler Room, where she recently delivered her hat trick performance as part of the Toronto takeover.

On top of her musical activities, she’s an active and respected voice on subjects and issues around activism and campaigning; one example being her recent involvement, alongside DJs Norsicaa and Slowcook, in our feature about the reality and impact of Anti-Asian racism within the world of electronic music.

Ahead of her next release, which will see the light of day in the coming months on Mister Saturday Night / Nowadays, we welcomed her on to the ‘Ransom Note’ series for a two hour mix which floats through the electronics Cindy’s become synonymous with.

 

 

 

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you

My name is Cindy, I make music and DJ as Ciel. Right now I’m typing this in my bedroom/studio in Toronto, Canada.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

My music sounds like a cloud. From wispy cirrus to fluffy cumulus to ominous storm clouds, my music similarly reflects all varieties of liquid air.

Where was the mix recorded?

At home in my bedroom/studio

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

On a long train ride

What should we be wearing?

Whatever is comfortable and makes you feel good.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

Inside a DIY music studio with a few of your closest friends on 3 CDJs, 1 turntable, and 1 4 channel mixer.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Pump Media Unlimited – 123 Dub

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

4142 – Lullabies for Insomniacs

 

 

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

John Peel

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

Then: Numark rackmount CDJs with 2 channel Stanton mixer

Now: Two Technics and one Xone 22

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

The track you end on

What were the first and last records you bought? – I took this to mean vinyl records

First: Sparklehorse – It’s a Wonderful Life

Last: Fumiya Tanaka ‎– Move EP

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Chop suey because it has a little of everything

If it was an animal what would it be?

A llama

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Too many to count because I try not to buy records just based on if I can use them in a DJ set

Upcoming in the world of …

Writing my debut album all winter.

Follow Ciel.

Topics
Electronic Parallel Minds Rinse FM