Bio

Emilio Portal was born in New Westminster in British Columbia in 1982, and eventually landed in Sudbury, Ontario where his mother was born. He started playing drums at the age of 13, and has been creating electronic music since 2000. His father immigrated to Canada in 1969. Spanish wasn’t spoken at home, but many Peruvian records were played, and their father (also an accomplished singer and wordsmith) sang along to every song played. These were formative years. The intoxicating and passionate rhythms played on the cajon, castanets and through clapping forged Emilio’s love for music rooted in Indigenous Andean and West African cultures. The foundations of a syncretic way of thinking and of seeing the world was laid: his musical practice has always revolved around the merging of the analog and digital, the rhythmic and chaotic, the composed and improvised, which is all an expression of their mixed identity, and an embracing of vulnerability and precarity. Portal is also a lifelong student of the history of colonization and philosophy, and both have deeply impacted their sense of self (his mixed identity), his political & philosophical stance, and their experimental musical and visual expressions. His work is pensive, ambient and gritty. They love beats, organic tempos, and field recordings. Often, Emilio creates custom musical instruments from everyday sounds (influenced by electroacoustic methods). Portal is also a big fan of indeterminacy, chance operations and improvisation. The sounds of the 70s, specifically funk, jazz and fusion, and 90s hip hop always find a way in. Along with being a musician and composer, Emilio also produces, mixes and masters soundtracks, albums, and singles for other artists, musicians, and film. The most recent co-production (2021) was with artist Jessica Karuhanga. The co-produced album will be featured as the soundtrack for Karuhanga’s contemporary interdisciplinary production entitled you feel me. To date, Emilio has released 8 full length albums, 2 EPs, and 13 singles.