Mattia Trani is considered one of the most talented young artists of the techno music landscape of recent years. In 2012, by founding his own label Pushmaster Discs, Mattia managed to score important collaborations with artists like Ben Sims, Juan Atkins, DJ Hyperactive, Ilario Alicante, Rolando, Skudge, DJ Stingray and many others. Today his platform represents a small “musical universe” and his work is supported by many American music heroes like Jeff Mills and Robert Hood, but also European artists like Laurent Garnier and Ben Klock, with Amelie Lens and Nina Kraviz as self-proclaimed fans.
Bringing the listeners from sordid 90’s warehouses to blazing next-millennium cyberpunk sceneries, from drum’n’bass flavours to techno or intricate ambient works; Mattia Trani announced his new triple LP entitled 'Scenery'. The 15-track album is going to be out via Pushmaster Discs on May 28th, 2021 in Vinyl and digital formats. (Pre order Triple LP: Bandcamp)
Taking advantage of the announcement of the release of Mattia Trani's new album, we had the honor of having an exclusive interview with him, in which he tells us a little more about his new triple LP 'Scenery', a little detail about its production, meanings and more. He also tells us a bit about his life and how he is going at the moment.
Read what he has to say below.
Hello Mattia, thanks for talking to us. First of all, how are you and where in the world are you taking this interview?
Hey guys! it’s a pleasure to talk with you :) i'm good thanks ,really busy about my album coming out in the next weeks and im taking this interview from my home in Bologna, Italy.
How’s the year been for you, all things considered?
Really hard year, good and bad because it's more than a year that we don't play our regular live shows so i miss to tour and do my job but i can tell u that i’m doing lot of productions in this year so i’m really happy that in this “dead” moment i'm very present into the techno world and the music scene.
How have you been dealing with the coronavirus and lockdowns, has this made you more or less inspired and productive in the studio?
Great question! to be honest yes and no, as every day i got a different mood, so there are days i don't want to play piano or i don't want to stay in studio cause i don't do anything and i have only confusion/chaos in my mind. For example when we stayed in lockdown it was really difficult but I found the force to do it and I closed many projects. I know if you stay focused you can find inspiration but it’s understandable if u dont find it.
How do you stay motivated to keep producing music, any tip?
As for a big period we didn't go out from home as the pandemic and lockdown, i can suggest to try to do everything that can maybe inspire you in music, so maybe listen lot of music, watching movies or maybe play some cool video games, this is my tip to be always inspired.
Congratulations on the release of your new triple LP ‘Scenery’ on your own label Pushmaster Discs. ¿Can you tell us about the production processes and inspiration behind each track?
Thank you! Well, I can tell you that it is hard work in years after a lot of experiences, places I visited all around the world and many inspirations from people, many video games I played, movies etc. The production process was not so complicated because I decided to not follow any trends, I mean maybe a lot of people will say that the sound is 90s but for me it's not, it's directly my think from me to the machines in my studio, I just did what I was thinking at that moment.
Every time I write music and especially an album I ' d like to tell a story and not only many dancefloor tracks, many dancefloor tracks are not an album for me, so i hope that people will understand my story and my vision of the future.
Also can you tell us about some of the highs and lows in writing and producing it?
Well, it’s the first time i did a triple vinyl so maybe was difficult to organize the time of every track and organize a coherent lineup of the tracks and respect the lengths on vinyl, an intro and outro, and as i told u in the past question the important is to create a truly story inside your music.
¿Do you believe your production technique has changed or evolved since your Debut LP “The Hi-Tech Mission” four years ago compared to your most recent triple LP “Scenery”?
Yes definitely because many years ago i was an hardware addicted and i only used audio recorded from my machine but after years of experience now i'm more virtual analog music maker, so i prefer to use both things, like to use an external hardware like the moog sub 37 that i used a lot into this album but i even use many great plugins inside my daw and i think that this album sounds really more powerful than my last album and the sound is definitely more dynamic.
This is a question that maybe I shouldn't ask, but there's a favorite track or do any of the tracks on the new album hold a particularly special place in your heart?
Well, i can say that the track “endless optimism” is my gift for fans, supporters and music lovers for the future, as you can see on the title never lose the optimism and let’s try to think positive for the future, negativity is not the right way and feel u bad and depressed, the situation is difficult but we will be back.
Tell us about your guests in ‘Scenery’, which are Theo Nasa & Lizard, AADJA and 051 Destroyer, why do you invite them and what do you have to say about their collaborations?
Lizard is a great underground jungle/drum n bass producer of my city, we are friends since years as we played in many parties here so i decided to include him in the production.About Theo, after he did a video review on instagram on 2019 of my nakba ep i said: "man this is a crazy dude, i love the way how he’s going crazy on socials and his character, and last but not least his voice for me is really good so i decided to make a track all together and i love it.About Hilary AADJA, she's a great talent we did 2 ep together on my label but as she’s a great singer was interesting to do a more “industrial “ different track than the classic warehouse/peak time techno so i ask to her to send me some trippy choir and she did it in a great mood.About 051 destroyer, into the album i missed a great electro new school track so i decided to do a featuring with myself as 051 destroyer is me uhuhu.
You said "musically you may sum up my main influences in three things: techno, acid, drum’n’bass”, ¿can you name an artist in each genre that you have as an influence in your career?
These are the 3 main words about the music i produce but i have many many names and artists that i love in the music scene, from jazz /classical musicians to techno pioneers that i've always been inspired of their music like Bill Evans, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Ken Ishii, Basic Channel, Aphex Twin and many others.
Other than being an artist, are there any other passions you have in life?
Yes, I like a lot of sports (I usually watch them but even play them) and it’s been 1 year that i started to play a new sport that I love: Golf. I really like to go inside these big places , really quiet with the nature /animals and stay all day there and not stay on social media, I feel really free and I love the sport so it's like to stay only you, your equipment and the field, that’s incredible and really help me to stay in relax, chill but while doing a good sport that can help your body and your mind.
Now we're clear that all eyes must be on this remarkable triple LP 'Scenery' that is coming out at the end of may, but what else should we be looking out for from you this year?
I putted all my passion in techno music and everything of my soul inside this album, so after this album i think i will try to live the real life and i will go on holiday for some months hahahahahaha, but who knows, music is like a virus that will never disappear inside me so i do not exclude something new when i will recharge the batteries.
Thank you Mattia, for taking this interview.
Listen to the premiere of the track: 'Mattia Trani - The New Hardgroove Era' below:
