On Scene: Gabriel Evoke on Atibaia, São Paulo Energy and the Roots Behind ‘Son Of Mali’
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Gabriel Evoke’s music has always carried a sense of space. There’s a clarity to his grooves, a patience in how his tracks unfold, and a subtle connection to something beyond the club. With the release of his ‘Son Of Mali’ EP on Zero Gravity, that identity sharpens again, but to understand where it comes from, you have to look beyond the dancefloor and into the environment he’s built his life around.
“I’m at my studio, in Brazil,” he says, speaking from Atibaia, the city he now calls home again after years moving between London, Sydney, Barcelona and São Paulo. The decision to return wasn’t accidental. “I now reside where I’ve lived most of my life, where I feel at home, close to my family and friends.” That sense of grounding runs through everything he does, both personally and musically.
Atibaia itself plays a quiet but important role. It’s not a sprawling metropolis, but it carries its own history and identity. “It was an important centre of nightlife,” he explains, recalling the early 2000s when clubs like Baccio, Bella and Haxágono drew crowds from across the region. Those early experiences planted the seed, but the real turning point came just outside the city limits.
“From 2002 onwards, I started attending various Psytrance parties outside my city,” he says. “It was around that time that I started organising my first raves in Atibaia.” That shift from participant to organiser gave him a deeper understanding of how music functions in a physical space. It wasn’t just about playing tracks; it was about shaping an experience.
Still, when it came to fully understanding electronic music, São Paulo was the place that changed everything. “São Paulo was the city where I could truly experience electronic music,” he says. “The club that still gives me the best nights is D-Edge.” Alongside it, venues like Manga Rosa, Clash, Pacha and Industria helped shape his perspective, exposing him to different sounds, systems and ways of building energy across a night.
That contrast between smaller city life and big city intensity continues to define his routine. Back in Atibaia, the pace shifts. “I feel privileged to live in a city surrounded by nature; it certainly brings me peace and tranquillity to my routine.” That balance between calm and intensity feeds directly into his sound. “What I bring most to my music is nature, the light atmosphere of a small town, the intimate ambience where many recognise themselves, the past meeting the present.”
It’s a subtle influence, but you can hear it in the way his tracks move. They don’t rush. They evolve. They create space for the listener rather than forcing a reaction.
Outside the studio, that connection to the environment continues through daily habits. “I also really enjoy sports; I go to the gym at a club near my house every day, and I also practice Jiu-Jitsu a few times a week.” It’s a routine that keeps him grounded, physically and mentally, and that discipline mirrors the precision in his productions.
When it comes to social spaces, his recommendations lean towards places that prioritise atmosphere over spectacle. In São Paulo, Starlene stands out. “It’s the listening bar that I recommend most,” he says. “A really cool place, with great drinks, guest DJs, and great pizzas.” It’s the kind of venue where music is experienced rather than consumed, a detail that says a lot about his own approach.
Food and environment carry the same weight. “There’s a restaurant called Jangada, near Atibaia, that I really like,” he adds. “The atmosphere is very cosy, with sofas, ambient lighting, and a very appropriate selection of electronic music. The owner is a DJ, which guarantees a perfect soundtrack.” Even here, the focus returns to sound and setting working together.
Within Atibaia itself, places like Pouso de Asa Delta capture a different kind of energy. “It’s a place where free flight athletes land with their paragliders and hang gliders,” he explains. “Atibaia is a city very focused on sports, and this is one of our most iconic landmarks.” It’s another reminder of the physicality that underpins his music, movement, flow, and the relationship between body and space.
Despite its proximity to São Paulo, Atibaia is often misunderstood. “Some believe it might have few resources,” he says. “However, it’s very close to São Paulo, less than an hour’s drive away, which keeps the city highly connected to everything happening in a developed city.” That duality, being close to the centre while maintaining distance from it, mirrors the balance in his productions.
Locally, the scene has shifted in recent years. “Unfortunately, Atibaia lacks electronic music hubs; the pandemic drove many promoters out of the market.” Rather than waiting for something to return, he’s built his own platform. “Today, I have my own hub, and I produce events related to my record label, Namata, and I also have a party called A Y R A.” It’s a continuation of that early instinct to create spaces rather than rely on them.
When asked what his city sounds like at 3am, his answer leans into nostalgia. “Safri Duo – ‘Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)’,” he says. “It really marked my adolescence, when at 14 years old I started enjoying my first parties in Atibaia.” It’s a reminder that those early moments often leave the deepest imprint.
These days, though, his nights tend to end differently. “At home, away from after parties,” he laughs. It’s a simple answer, but it reflects a broader shift, from chasing the night to shaping it on his own terms.
For anyone landing in the region with no plan, the recommendation is clear. “Go to D-Edge, São Paulo.” It’s still the place where everything connects, where sound, space and energy come together in a way that continues to inspire.
That same balance runs through ‘Son Of Mali’. Built on rhythmic precision, groove and atmosphere, the EP feels like a natural extension of everything Evoke describes. Rooted in environment, shaped by experience, and driven by a clear understanding of what makes people move, not just physically, but emotionally too.
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