by c8o has been on our radar for over a year, becoming a mainstay in our weekly FUXWITHITFRIDAYS playlists. His sound mixes elements of golden era trap with modern wave for a signature that is emotive yet banging. The DC-based producer has been dropping a steady stream of standout releases from ‘TRIPLE7s‘ to ‘!inmymind’, and ‘x111’ with Sillage. With his momentum steadily building, we thought it was due time to connect with the artist for a guest mix + interview.
The mix is a showcase of the producer’s impressive sound with a stack of unreleased gems. As for the interview, we discuss what makes his sound unique, his sobriety journey, his love for 2016 trap, and much more. Listen below.
Tell us about the mix? Where are we going when we press play?
This mix is an accumulation of tracks from the last 2-3 years of my life. There are tracks in here that I made before getting sober, during detox, and now while in active recovery. I also threw in some tracks I found at important moments throughout the journey. The mix is a great reflection of the energy I bring into live shows. It presents who I am and where I came from in a vulnerable, authentic, and fun way. I am really excited to share it all with you.
What are the key ingredients to a c8o track? How do you finesse them to make them truly your own?
I always start with the drums. It is the spine of all my tracks. They really serve as the punctuation to my message. I like to make them bouncy, loud, and upfront.
I then try to contrast my percussion with a large bright atmosphere so each hit takes away the space.
Lastly when flipping samples or processing my synths I always try to add some sort of wonky distortion or glitch effect. I feel like it adds a lot of texture which is hard to replicate the same way every time. This makes every track just a little different. It’s the cherry on top when making each track my own.
Things just keep getting better, colors seem a bit brighter, I notice when people smile, I have become more comfortable with eye contact, and overall more grounded in the present moment.
Congratulations on your sobriety! How has the journey been so far?
Thank you! <3>
Right now: things just keep getting better, colors seem a bit brighter, I notice when people smile, I have become more comfortable with eye contact, and overall more grounded in the present moment.
Every small sign over the last few years has pointed in the same direction — that this is the path I’m meant to be on.
It was not easy by any stretch but the closeness I was able to form with myself and the people around me have made it all worth the effort. I couldn’t do it alone and I owe it to my community for all the help on this journey.
Has getting sober impacted your music and the way you create?
It has in a lot of ways. Sobriety forces you to be authentic with yourself and others. You shed a lot of your ego in recovery so there isn’t a mask anymore.
When it comes to being accountable to the practice– I can’t hide behind any excuses. If someone has feedback I take inventory and listen. If I need to try something new or uncomfortable I don’t debate it. I just go. This for me results in art that is more authentic. Because the emotions are so fresh in your mind… there is no hiding from your truth.
What’s the key to making tracks that are emotional but still knock?
From the technical side of things that is going to look different for everyone. There are a billion things you could do to make something knock. I personally like to use a lot of clipping, compression, limiting, and saturation.
But those choices mean nothing if they are not informed by the feelings first.
If I could give someone a starting spot that they could build an emotional production from: All emotions are founded on a lifetime of experiences… Draw inspiration from a childhood song, a video game, a tv show, or a picture.
Those core memories really got the gears spinning for me and over time that began to inform the more technical production choices I made.
The future depends on artists who reach beyond the EDM bubble and create without letting social media dictate the process.
You’ve been talking about 2016 as a golden era for trap. What made it so special to you? What elements of the era are missing in modern music? How do we bring it back?
2016 was a rare moment in music. Some of the magic for me is definitely nostalgia, but in truth that era really was different. It was raw, accessible, and free of rigid rules. Trap lived in this sweet spot between underground and mainstream, experimental yet polished, and emotional yet heavy. The cultural crossover was booming — online communities lifted artists into the spotlight. Artists wrote love letters to what inspired them through the music they released. The climate was soulful, communal, and alive.
Today, much of music feels commercialized, with artists chasing trends or viral moments. Everything feels locked into these air-tight genre boxes that don’t invite much from outside. To bring back what made 2016 special, we need to be honest with ourselves: Are we building community? Are we taking risks? Is our art timeless or is it just trending? The future depends on artists who reach beyond the EDM bubble and create without letting social media dictate the process.
What’s the best single moment you’ve been able to experience through music?
This was around the time I was starting to take my music seriously. I was with my dad at a blues show in downtown DC. We were seeing Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears.
It was a super fun night all around. Such great energy. During the intermission, he looked back to me and said “just keep doing this music thing, I don’t know where it is going to take you, but just keep doing it.”
Those words have been ringing in my head since.
It was such a small moment but it stuck with me because I’m sort of the oddball in the family. Everyone went to work on the corporate side of things and I dug my heels into the ground to go after music.
My father played a key role in my sobriety and hearing him validate the work I had been putting into music and myself gave me a lot of momentum to keep pushing full force.
How much of the music that you make do you actually release? What determines if a song is release-worthy?
I release about 20-25% of what I make. So every 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 tracks will get put on the calendar.
A song has to give me chills. If I’m not having a physical reaction to the song, it means I haven’t communicated the perspective clearly. It won’t translate to anyone else emotionally if it doesn’t translate to me in the same way.
Put into the world what you wish there was more of, your best ideas are ahead of you, and try to laugh a bit while you do it all.
What advice would you give new producers who are still early in their journey?
Put into the world what you wish there was more of, your best ideas are ahead of you, and try to laugh a bit while you do it all.
At the end of the day we do this for fun, we do it for ourselves, and we do it to bring people together. Don’t lose that ever.
When you’re not working on music, how do you enjoy spending your time?
I love to play silly video games with my friends and I enjoy lifting at the gym. It really helps me de-stress and clear my head when things get hectic.
What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
I am making my NCS debut on the 30th of October and I have a collab with my homie soooshimi dropping in November that I’m super pumped for.
Any final words for fans?
I am just really grateful for this community. I can’t stress that enough. Y’all keep me honest and that is worth more than gold. This medium of art and the people who support it have given me a new life and a new reason to keep going. I’m so excited to bring you guys along for the ride! <3>
c8o Guest Mix Tracklist
c8o – ID
c8o – Im Still Young
c8o – stuck
c8o & HAIKU – drift
Eastghost – D’VOCEAN (HAIKU flip)
c8o – mariposa
Defussion – ADÉMAS-II
HAIKU – Samara
FUZION DANCE X IM GOD (VAVN FLIP)
c8o – x111 (feat. Sillage)
c8o & MRJay – ID
c8o – ID
Willix – Astral
othos – ID
c8o – !unspoken
bafu & tearsofmine – Inner Void
c8o – !nmymind
Senkya – Who Will Love Me?
c8o – ID
c8o – ID
c8o – ID
baby keem – trademark usa (c8o rmx)
LAUTRE. & HEARSAY – ALONE
c8o – ID
c8o – casino
c8o – Hermes
ice spice – in ha mood (c8o rmx)
c8o & soooshimi – ID
c8o – ID
c8o – ID
