One of Defected’s new stars doing it his way
Meet one of Defected Records rising stars whose latest record ‘Home Is Where the Hurt Is’ is currently doing damage all over clubland…
You go by the name of Solo, is there any message or meaning behind the name?
“I used to do graffiti for a long time, and I liked the ” SOLO” lettering. Plus I am a bit of a bear sometimes…I enjoy very much to meet people and party , but I also love to disappear in my cave and make music for a long time.”
What was the deciding factor that made you pack up and move from sunny Italia to rainy London?
“The main reason was the music. Italy is beautiful and quality of life is really amazing, but music business isn’t very developed, whereas in London there are so many people involved, clubs, promoters and a great energy!”
Having gained increasing amounts of attention over in homeland Italy and earning yourself some impressive residencies in the clubs out there, what was it that really kick started your career over here once you landed in the UK?
“Making records really. I started knowing people by working as sound engineer for some artists and after a while they were telling me my records were good and so I started releasing them. Also some promoters started to book me around UK, so I had the chance to show my sound and style, and then it all started to roll really fast.”
You used to play in a band…what was it about the electronic music scene that won you over in the end? How did you end up going from a set of drums to a set of decks?
“I loved playing with the band and touring all together was great fun but ultimately I am a quite solitary person, and I started to enjoy much more to be in studio by myself and practicing on the decks. And of course the crowd in clubs is a bit more mixed than in rock concerts… more ladies!”
How would you describe your sound? And are there any particularly strong influences?
“I would say that the main character of my sound is the groove. I think the right swing on just drums and bass can make people dance for a long time, so some of my records are very stripped down. With time I started having fun also learning how to do proper arrangements and melodies; it all depends how romantic I feel when I’m in studio!”
How did it feel to have one of your records picked up by Claude Von Stroke for Dirtybird?
“It was great!! I couldn’t believe that one of my idols had listened to one of my songs and wrote straight away to sign the record. At the time, Congaloid, was ready to be released on another label, but Von Stroke convinced them to cancel the release and give it to Dirtybird. What a day!”
Your latest single out on Defected, is called ‘Home is Where it Hurts’… tell us about it…
“The title comes from the song I’ve sampled, the French singer/songwriter Camille. I was listening to her album while waiting to board a plane and found the atmosphere dark and beautiful, so I started the main idea of the song while on the flight. Then after the weekend I came back in studio, recorded the new vocals with Syron and worked on the arrangement. It’s a very special song to me, because it comes from such a great inspiration.”
You’re playing for Defected at Ministry on Saturday…what can people expect when they come to see you?
“I have played at Ministry some times, and every single time is incredible!! Expect lots of smiles and cheeky records.”
How does the English club scene compare with the one over in Italy?
“They are very different but both really great. In both countries clubbing is very important, I would say the main difference is in time; British people like to go to clubs earlier and party, Italians take it a bit longer to get warmed up and the best parties never start before 3 am.”
What are your future plans, do you have any main focuses for the rest of the year?
“I have so many new songs to release, and I am also focusing a lot on my new label, named Congaloid (a lucky name for me! ) I’m listening every day to many demos, and found some amazing young producers that I want to push…”
Anything else you’d like to tell us about…?
“We’ve just finished the edit of the video for ‘Home is Where it Hurts’. I’m very happy with it, and lots of my friends have been involved in the project. I can’t wait to show it to you!”
Solo plays Ministry of Sound’s 103 on Saturday 21st July.
Home is Where it Hurts is out now on Defected Records
http://www.defected.com/store/details/Solo+featuring+Syron/Home+Is+Where+It+Hurts/2414/d
Latest mix
http://soundcloud.com/mrsolo/solo-pulse-radio-mix-july-2012
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