Analog People in a Digital World

Two of Italy’s biggest producers dazzling the dancefloor

Matteo, Sant…welcome to DMCWORLD. You boys are on a roll, your new single ‘Dazzled’ featuring Nina Miranda has just smashed to No. 1 in the Ibiza Buzz Chart, talk us through the tune, when did you create this absolute monster and how did the hook up with Nina happen…

“Ciao Dan…very happy with the IBIZA BUZZ Chart No. 1. We said we wanted to achieve more Buzz Chart No. 1’s the last time we spoke and we did it! ‘Dazzled’ is due for release just in time for the summer ahead of our debut Album ‘Brassaholics’ The Single will include hot mixes from DJ Sneak and The Cube Guys plus a bit special Unplugged Version we are recording as we speak. We actually recorded the Instrumental Mix a couple of years back and passed it on to a handful of friends. Pete Tong first played it on BBC Radio 1 Live from Ibiza making it “totally on the money for sunsets in Ibiza” and since then it’s become a secret weapon for some of our fave DJs. We thought we should try and record a Vocal Mix and always wanted to work with Nina Miranda. BIG fans of her Smoke City classics ‘Underwater Love’ and ‘Mr. Gorgeous (And Miss Courvaceous)’ We just sent her the track and she came up with the song some months later and the rest as they say is history…”

Your production duo have been together six years now and have worked with the likes of Armand Van Helden and DJ Pierre – tell us how you first started to fall in love with dance music – what were the first songs that got you into the groove?

Matteo: Underworld – ‘Born Slippy’
Sant: Cassius – ‘1999’

Can you remember the first proper house club you went to? Who was playing?

“The Alien Club in Rome with DJ Ralf.”

Early DJ heroes?

“Ralf here in Italy and David Morales back in the ‘90s.”

First break into the music industry?

“2002 with our very first single together Solsonik feat. Sharon May Linn – ‘Till The Daylight’ Analog People In A Digital World was born in 2008 with our debut EP ‘A Japanese Whale / The Violet Trip” on Fatboy Slim’s Southern Fried Records.”

DMC’s Kris Needs once said when talking about you…”they have obviously dunked themselves in steaming vats of classic Detroit techno and modern cutting-edge foragers like Radio Slave but, crucially, emerge with a sound of their own.” How would you describe your style?

“Old school House and Techno meets new school Jazz and Latin. We like to call it Analog People in a Digital World but the answer was obvious!”

What is the big 10 you are spinning right now?

“Been locked away in the studio to finally get the Album out there we hadn’t much time to check out new music recently (promo companies we are sorry for the lack of reacting) It has to be something from Cadenza, Crosstown Rebels, Defected, Get Physical, Hot Creations, Hysterical, Jalapeno, Rekids, Snatch! and Strictly Rhythm tho’ we love those labels!”

Who are the producers from around the world you are giving high fives to at the moment?

“Azari & III, Carl Craig, Joe Goddard, Riva Starr and Rudimental and too many more to mention but those involved in our Album ‘Brassaholics’ are definitely some of our fave producers right now…Tim Deluxe, Gramophonedzie, Thomas Gandey, X-Press 2, DJ Sneak and Pirupa…”

What do you think is going to be the anthem of the summer?

“So much cool stuff around at the moment but don’t think we’ve heard THE anthem of the Summer yet. We love Flashmob – ‘Need In Me’ and Sarah Main – ‘Balla Concetta’ will certainly become an Ibiza fave as well as Mason & Marcos Valle – ‘Solarium’ and our IBIZA BUZZ chart No. 1 ‘Dazzled’ feat. Nina Miranda of course! We expect to hear something new from Dennis Ferrer and Michel Cleis soon too. Or perhaps our collab with Yolanda Be Cool if only we get that vocal right in time for Ibiza?”

You have created some sumptuous pieces of dancefloor music. Your debut EP on Fatboy Slim’s Souther Fried label got the ball rolling, your remake of the St Germain ‘Rose Rouge’ classic had the likes of Pete Tong and DJ Sneak drooling – what though, do you think is the finest production you have created so far?

“‘Rose Rouge’ and ‘Circus’ got that Midas touch but ‘Dazzled’, ‘Tattoo Girl’ and ‘The Love Inside Of You’ really mean something special to us…”

So we come back to the APIADW villa after the club in Italy. You slip on your Back To Mine top 10, what grooves are filtering out as the sun is starting to rise…?

Matteo:
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Chemical Brothers – Surrender
Daft Punk – Homework
St. Germain – Tourist
Groove Armada – Lovebox
Massive Attack – Mezzanine
Moby – Play
Moloko – Things To Make And Do
Portishead – Dummy
Royksopp – Melody A.M.

Sant:
The Beatles ‘Magical Mystery Tour’
The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’
Billy Joel ‘The Nylon Curtain’
U2 ‘The Joshua Tree’
The Police ‘Synchronicity’
David Sylvian ‘Secrets Of Beehive’
Bee Gees ‘Saturday Night Fever’
Burt Bacharach & Elvis Costello ‘Painted From Memory’
Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’
Rage Against The Machine ‘Rage Against The Machine’3

Who would you say are your early musical influences?

“Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers, Cassius, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Laurent Garnier, Moloko and St. Germain.”

What is coming next from the studio from Analog…?

“Just finished Remixes for the Milk & Sugar classic ‘Let The Sunshine’ and brand new from DJ Sneak, working on new Remixes for Basement Jaxx and Fatboy Slim as we speak…”

It’s your birthday – which DJs do you invite to spin and what would be the musical policy?

“Pete Tong presents Carl Craig, Fatboy Slim, Laurent Garnier, Luciano and Ralf. Oh and don’t mind a bit of Flower Power too…”

Pete Tong has raised his worries about how big business and the billionaires from America may be the ruin of EDM in the coming years. Live Nation buying into Cream being one reason. What are your thoughts on the new US invasion…?

“Pete’s right…It just seems everyone in the US is into Dance music all of a sudden. And funnily enough dance music wasn’t so popular there when they invented house music. We don’t mind mainstream as long as that means quality such as Madonna asking Azari & III to support her on tour or Radio 1 adding Rudimental feat. John Newman – ‘Feel The Love’ to Playlist…”

Which Italian clubs are having it right off at the moment?

“North: Titilla @ Cocorico in Riccione, Magazzini Generali in Milan, Muretto in Jesolo Venice and Moxa in Mantova
Central: Goa in Rome, Tenax in Florence, Red Zone in Perugia and Saponeria in Rome with Bizzarro
South: Guendalina in Santa Cesarea Terme and Mercati Generali in Catania.”

What are your guilty pleasure record?

“It has to be Matteo Esse & Sant – You & Me (In Miami) (Manifesto Records) from 2003 that’s actually totally different from what we are up to now but still like it…

What are the big gigs this summer?

“Just got asked by a DJ legend to play at his Ibiza Residency. Wish we could reveal more but watch this space!”

As people with their roots in the music industry, what advice can you give to the thousands of aspiring DJs and producers wanting to follow in your footsteps?

“Don’t believe the hype! Don’t believe the auto-buy! Your very own brand of music quality and style is the strongest marketing tool on planet earth…”

What annoys each other about yourselves when locked in the studio?!?

Matteo : “Sant is vegetarian that means I can’t eat homemade meatballs and fried or stuffed squid in the studio!”
Sant : “Matteo’s new sunglasses…”

And finally, what is the finest dance record ever made?

“Daft Punk – ‘Around The World’ and Moloko – ‘Sing It Back’.”


‘Brassaholics’ Album due for release on Hysterical / Ego Summer 2012
http://soundcloud.com/apdw/sets/brassaholics-album-preview/

‘Dazzled’ feat. Nina Miranda coming soon on Hysterical
http://soundcloud.com/apdw/dazzled-instrumental-mix-as

‘Rose Rouge (Tocadisco Remix)’ out now on Hysterical
http://soundcloud.com/apdw/rose-rouge-tocadisco-monster

‘Brassaholics’ feat. Gramophonedzie & Ben Onono out now on Hysterical
http://soundcloud.com/apdw/sets/brassaholics-on-the-floor-feat/