Toronto born selector and producer Carlo Lio has long been a magnet for heads who crave tough grooves with a sly swing. From his Rawthentic partnership with Nathan Barato to landmark outings on Circus, Intec, and Sci+Tec, Carlo’s laser focus on club energy has made him a staple from BPM to DC10.
Catching him just after landing in Lisbon, we touched on the Intec relaunch that Carl Cox placed in his hands, the quiet discipline behind his studio flow, and the small rituals that help him balance parenting, touring, and two labels without losing the spark.
EG: Hi Carlo, great to connect. Where are you in the world right now?
Carlo Lio: Hey! I’ve just arrived in Lisbon, Portugal. I’m playing the Kremlin nine nine-year anniversary party. It’s always great coming back here.
EG: Carl Cox asked you to help relaunch Intec, which is massive. What was the toughest part of making it happen, and what lesson from that experience still guides you today?
Carlo Lio: I was speaking with Jon Rundell, who manages Intec and is a close friend, about Carl’s plans to relaunch the label. Jon shared the musical direction Carl envisions, and I felt it matched perfectly with what I do. When I was with Carl in Costa Rica a few months before the launch, he mentioned pairing my EP with M.I.T.A.’s for the opening release. Needless to say, I was thrilled.
EG: You and Nathan sift through a lot of demos for Rawthentic. Does all that listening change the way you approach your own tracks, or push you toward new ideas in the studio?
Carlo Lio: We definitely hear many demos, and while plenty do not fit our sound, they still inspire me. Hearing new music encourages me to explore fresh ideas while staying true to what I do. It has not made me switch direction completely; I prefer my sound to evolve rather than jump into a different style.
EG: Your tunes always lock into a serious groove. When you start something new, what comes first, most of the time?
Carlo Lio: Ninety-nine percent of the time, I build the groove first, kick, bass, then drums. Once the groove is solid, everything else falls into place.
“I have stopped hoping or expecting tracks to chart because that can lead to disappointment. The ones that do chart are often the unexpected ones. “
EG: When a track climbs the charts, what goes through your mind? Do you chase that formula or feel free to get weird on the next one?
Carlo Lio: I have stopped hoping or expecting tracks to chart because that can lead to disappointment. The ones that do chart are often the unexpected ones. Either way, it feels great and gives me a jolt of confidence to get back in the studio and ride that little wave.
EG: Who in the Toronto scene should we keep an eye on right now?
Carlo Lio: Toronto has a great scene, and new producers are really hustling. Some of my favorites, though not the newest, are Chris Larsen, Leo Franco, and Farouki.
EG: On the dance floor, what tells you it is time to dive deeper or strip things back?
Carlo Lio: DJing is all about feeling. Reading the crowd and the room lets you adjust quickly. Not everyone finds that easy, but it separates a good DJ from a great one.
EG: You juggle touring, studio work, and two labels while raising a family. Is there a weekly habit that helps you avoid burnout?
Carlo Lio: It is definitely not easy, especially with a family, a son, and multiple labels and businesses. It feels nonstop, but I love what I do. The only part that feels like work is traveling. As I get older, it takes a toll both physically and mentally. I love being in different countries; I just wish I could teleport and skip the airports.
EG: Has anything outside of music, maybe a trip, a film, or a random conversation, sparked an idea for a track lately?
Carlo Lio: Many things inspire my tracks. A trip with family, good food, connecting with people, watching TV or movies, my mind is always geared toward music, so the inspiration portal is never closed.
“I do not use TikTok, but social media still creates constant pressure. It adds stress and steals time from my real passion, which is music.”
EG: Social media can feel like a full-time job. How do you handle the pressure without letting it drain your studio energy?
Carlo Lio: I do not use TikTok, but social media still creates constant pressure. It adds stress and steals time from my real passion, which is music. We have to deal with it because it helps our careers, so it is what it is.
EG: Dream collaboration time. If you could work with anyone outside dance music, who would it be, and what might that track sound like?
Carlo Lio: Someone from hip hop, Eminem, Wu-Tang Clan, or Busta Rhymes, would be incredible. It would be an amazing fusion.
EG: Thanks so much for the chat, Carlo. What is coming up next, and any words for the fans who have been there from the start?
Carlo Lio: Thanks for having me. I am playing in Montreal with Danny Tenaglia, Nathan Barato, Hector Couto, Lexlay, and Pablo Ceballos. At the end of the month, I head back to Europe for an amazing party at Happy Techno with Lexlay, and I plan to stop in Ibiza to catch Carl Cox at UNVRS. Plus, more releases are on the way.
Follow Carlo Lio: Spotify | Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud
