Mexico

Mexico City 

AAAA

Gabo Barranco, otherwise known as AAAA, is a Mexican producer whose work is influenced by ideas on cyborg consciousness and technology.

His own style mines the transcendental qualities of trance, as well as the darker corners of hard-hitting techno. However, Barranco is an artist who's got no time for the more po-faced end of electronic music either, releasing compilations of playful reworks and edits built for, as he says, "fun and serious dance floors" – though they're really designed for the former. A 2022 Bandcamp compilation states: "If you are Bad Bunny and you are upset about this rework lmk I'll take it down."

His own original music has been pushed via a global range of labels, including Miami's Omnidisc, Dutch imprint New York Haunted and Berlin's Acid Test. His work has seen him pair up with a wide spectrum of collaborators too, from composers such as Johan Carøe to visual artists including Itaru Yasuda.

As a Mexico City native who's plugged into independent labels and culture, AAAA has his favourite indie spots. Scroll down for a list of independent spaces you should visit in the capital city, selected by Barranco.

Where I get my coffee everyday, the staff is the best and coffee too. This is located in Centro (downtown).

An independent synth shop. The owner is a good guy, and this is one of the few spots where you can find specialised electronic music instruments and modular synths in the city, located in Colonia Condesa.

In Centro downtown. It's also the mecca of Japanese mangas in the city. A lot of kids go to play and exchange, it's pretty fun and not the usual tourist activity.

An itinerant rave. They use warehouses and abandoned buildings to create a utopic, inclusive rave-slash-party experiences. Affordable for the locals and with the best international and local talent.

Located in Colonia Juárez. An independent fashion store with a futuristic, minimal and cyberpunk approach.

Frikiplaza

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