Mariel Ito was an early alias of the Cuban-Miami born Eric Estornel (aka Maceo Plex), releasing on labels like Modern Love, and SCSI-AV, before being put into hibernation in 2006. Mariel Ito was heavily influenced by the IDM and electro sounds of the mid to late 1990s, including artists such as Aphex Twin, Gescom, Bitstream, Gimmick, Pendle Coven, the pioneering Sheffield bleep sound and the Belgian imprint R&S.

“When I was 3 years old, Miami suddenly became flooded with refugees from Cuba called the Mariel Boatlift", explains Estornel, "There was a huge crime wave and Cubans that had been in Miami for years would call the “bad” refugees 'Marielitos'. I was a problematic and hyperactive kid constantly getting into trouble, and eventually my teachers began calling me el Marielito. Usually only Miami Cubans understand the pun”.