Gromo Embarks on a Sonic Odyssey with Upcoming EP ‘The Vortex

Exploring the intricacies of music and using it as a bridge between diverse worlds of sound, DJ/Producer Gromo unveils his deeply personal narrative in a sonic journey through his latest release, “The Vortex.” This New York-based artist, known for his eclectic taste and dynamic production style, is set to take listeners on a trip through his expansive sonic universe. 

With an educational background at NYU’s prestigious Clive Davis Institute and a resume flaunting global performances at Ultra events and collaborations with stellar artists like Rhea Raj and HUSH, Gromo’s craft is an amalgamation of his vast experiences and profound passion.

Gromo, who was adopted from Guatemala and raised in New York City, was exposed to a broad range of music at a very young age. This early immersion in various genres played a key role in shaping his unique sound. From an affinity for hard rock and heavy metal bands such as AC/DC, Mötley Crüe, Slipknot, and System of a Down, to a deep appreciation for gritty 90s New York hip-hop like Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan, and even to an interest in dubstep legends like Skrillex, Gromo’s music is a testament to his diverse influences. 

Now, Gromo is about to embark on a new chapter with his upcoming release “The Vortex,” an EP that signifies his evolution as an artist, where he deftly blends his influences, pays homage to horror and sci-fi movies, and tells a deeply personal tale.

Stream The Single On All Platforms Here 

1 – Could you elaborate more on the story behind “The Vortex” EP and its title track?

“The Vortex” was created through a challenging time in my life when I was struggling with a few serious health issues which resulted in a deep decline in my mental health as well. I used the music to work through the dark times. The idea for this project and song came from watching four films, two by David Cronenberg, “Scanners” and “Videodrome”, as well as “Pi” by Darren Aronofsky, and “Possessor” by Brandon Cronenberg. These films sparked the idea to create a visual and auditory experience.

What was important for me during the process of creating “The Vortex” was to learn as much as possible about new production techniques such as a deeper dive into synthesis, particularly wavetable and granular synthesis. Also important, was listening to as much music as possible in order to grab from various different sources of inspiration while creating. Some of my major influences for this project include System of a Down, Oneohtrix Point Never, Aphex Twin, Four Tet, The Alchemist, Tangerine Dream, Radiohead, Hudson Mohawke, and Skrillex.

2 – How does your struggle with mental health reflect in your music?

Both beauty and darkness play pivotal roles. The beauty of a melody is something that is very important to me. I try my hardest for my music to melodically hit people and for them to feel deep emotions and connection to the song. At the same time, my music is not for sitting down. It’s for getting up and letting loose, which is why I focus on aggression and darkness through the synths and guitars. Both the melody and the dark soundscapes perfectly reflect both parts of myself. 

While I have been struggling with mental health issues for a while, this last year was the worst due to serious side effects of long COVID and IBS. What I became aware of at a young age was the power of music. Thinking back on how different bands, rappers, singers, and guitarists gave me the strength to push through difficult times, I want to do the same for others who also might be struggling. Music saves lives, man, for real!

3 – Can you describe the impact your exposure to hard rock, heavy metal, and gritty 90s New York hip-hop has had on your music?

Heavy Metal is my roots. I first heard AC/DC Back In Black when I was 8 years old. I clearly remember saying “music is what I’ll do for the rest of my life”. It’s the energy of heavy metal that is the greatest release of all time. I became obsessed with bands like Metallica, Guns N Roses, and Nirvana. Slipknot’s first LP is my favorite album of all time. That whole scene in the late 90’s Korn, Pantera, Limp Bizkit, Deftones, Linkin Park, all those bands were a big inspiration to me.

High School is when I really dug into hip-hop. 

At the time it was the most popular music genre. I can’t say I enjoyed most of what was coming out, so I went back in time and started to dig deep into ’90s Rap. Artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Capone n’ Noreaga, Gang Starr, Outkast, UGK, and Three 6 Mafia all influenced me. It’s the production, the ways some of these producers were using new techniques or equipment in new and unique ways that always grabs me.

With RZA, The Alchemist, Juicy J & DJ Paul, Havoc, Q-Tip, Madlib, and Dr. Dre, I studied each of their production techniques for years in order to understand how they achieved the sounds they created. I love the rawness and directness of the music and I have taken a bit of each producer’s skills and added it to my own arsenal.

4 – What made you choose the Moog Sub 37 and Moog Grandmother for “The Vortex”?

I made a conscious move to try and mainly use analog for the synths when production became uninspiring during the pandemic. It was during the lockdown and post-lockdown when I started to become jaded with the industry and production as a whole. It wasn’t until studying sampling and synthesis that I became reinvigorated by my love of production. Both the Sub37 and the Grandmother are high quality, yet affordable pieces of hardware. I invested the money I made DJing over the years and purchased both synths in order to have two completely different sounds when sculpting soundscapes. 

The Moog Subsequent 37 is amazing because it is a pop radio monster. One note and it’s ready for release! Everything sounds so round and full. The Moog Grandmother is a beautifully weird synth where patching different sections can inspire new random sounds. There are many accidental and random moments when using synths that are hard to replicate in the software. 85% of the sounds you hear on this project are all made on my Moogs.

5 – How have your experiences playing Ultra events across the globe influenced your sound?

The experience of seeing how different crowds react to the songs I would mix was truly inspiring. I was blown away playing my own originals and seeing people go crazy, that was the greatest feeling in the world. Ultra taught me so much over the years and how I want to define myself as an artist. It made me realize that I wanted to focus more on my original productions rather than solely DJing. 

While DJing is a lot of fun, it’s the feeling of seeing people’s reactions to playing my own music is what I really find special and the most rewarding. Playing massive stages like the ones at Ultra also taught me the value of stage production. There are so many lights, CO2 cannons, fire, visuals, and other elements that can be added to enhance a performance. In the future, I want to focus on creating a live experience for the audience where they get a glimpse into what I see in my own mind visually when I am creating the music.

6 – What message do you want your fans to take away from the upcoming “The Vortex” EP and its narrative?

I want fans to take away this, “even in your darkest moments, something beautiful can come from it”. That is my motto throughout the creation of the project. Throughout the process of putting together this EP, there were so many times when I found it difficult to push forward and wanted to just quit, lay on my couch and watch movies. While I did spend some time doing just that, I found that working on music brought me out of the dark moments I was experiencing. Pushing through and staying focused is what allowed me to see brighter days ahead. I think this is something that so many of us have experienced and I just want people to know that they are not alone, and that we can overcome some of the most difficult obstacles.