D.In.Ge.Cc.O “I grew up in a very contaminated musical environment”

We interview the new Italian producer D.In.Ge.Cc.O. after the release of his new single remixes of the ep that he had released a year ago on Waste Noise. A mixture of styles such as the Big Beat, the Breaks, techno and the Italian Old school … Enjoy the information.

1 – When and how did you get your interest in electronic music?

I grew up in a very contaminated musical environment. With my father passionate about classical and pop music and my uncle Dj in the early 80s. I grew up listening to the new wave of the 80s and the sinth pop of that period (Alphaville, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, Talk Talk) and with an innate passion for rhythm. I remember that already in kindergarten my parents were summoned by my teacher at the time to let him listen to how I could create rhythms following the teacher on the piano with tamborelli and maracas. Then my parents decided to let me study piano forte calssico privately from the age of 6 and from there I continued these studies for more than 10 years, also deepening those of composition and harmony. I have audio cassette recordings of my piano forte compositions since the age of 14. At the same time my passion for sinth and electronic music has evolved hand in hand but always accompanied by a true interest in every musical genre. I listened to music of all kinds, I was passionate about making compilations by recording pieces on the radio on audio cassettes, discs of all kinds and always having an interest in the news of the moment. The first record that I think I bought with the money I earned as a DJ at friends’ parties was “Flaunt It” by “Sigue Sigue Sputinik” a mixture of post Punk and electronic music very tied to the Cyber ??Punk culture that was emerging at that time.

2 – What have you been doing with your time in lockdown in your city or country?

 As with everyone I think it was a dramatic and surreal moment at the same time. I will always remember one Sunday when I heard a patrol of the local police passing by, looking out the window, reminding everyone with a megaphone to stay in the houses and not to go out. Atmospheres from science fiction films that I never imagined having to live in reality. The drama that many citizens have gone through without even being able to be close to their loved ones at the moment of passing will remain forever etched in the historical memory of our country among the most affected in the initial phase of the pandemic.

In my free time at my disposal I have tried to carry out some works that I had in mind mainly related to the composition of the songs of my new LP but I also tried to acquire new skills especially in the field of video making. In fact, at that time I made a series of video clips of the pieces of my LP called “G” that you can find in my youtube channel.

It was an experience that in any case helped me to rethink a bit about myself, my goals, my life in general. A moment of inner reflection and inner growth that has also been reflected a lot in the artistic creation.

3 – How do you assess the trajectory you have had and what were the reasons that led you to start it?

From an artistic point of view I have always done what I liked without any kind of conditioning. The only rigor in my work is imposed by myself.

I am not interested in the scenario that is in fashion even if I have always been attentive to all the news of the international and avant-garde scene. I am more and more convinced that nowadays above all the music scene can evolve giving space to independent music where the major innovations in the music field are concentrated. I have always considered any fundamentalism to be silly, especially in the musical field. This subdivision of genres and sub-genres that often results in productions that are all the same. This market trend is penalizing creativity. I find ridiculous some producers who propose minimal rhythmic constructions with harmonic and melodic constructions and non-existent ideas, perhaps enriched by a singing of some pleasant voice in the belief that they have made a quality product because it is faithful to a fashion trend. How boring in this way of making music? As for me, I will always try to follow the trend of experimentation, of contamination between genres, in search of something innovative. Without prejudice to the fact that innovating today can often also mean looking back, reinterpreting certain styles of the past, always trying to update and personalize them.

4- What was your criterion when producing your last EP?

I started from the initial idea linked to the song. The courage to follow your dreams even if you have to have the courage to take the last train to make them come true. We needed a captivating harmonic construction, melancholy but also full of hope. And then the energy of the main arpeggio, a powerful sinth that immediately gets to the point and wants to give shape to the courage to embark on a journey towards a courageous choice, towards a new life. The different versions of the remixes then manage to underline the various emotional aspects of this journey very well. The exotic touch of a journey into the unknown, the fear and strength it takes when the journey is coming to an end, the ability to dream during the journey, the power and strength that generate the choice towards new life and ethereal journey of the mind within oneself caused by the awareness of having undertaken a fundamental decision for one’s existence.

5 – Could you recommend a set that you are especially proud of, and that we can see on your Soundcloud or on YouTube?

you can find in my spotify playlists the selection that rappresent the music that I love. There are tracks of Plaid, Rone, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Jon Hopkins and many others less know

6 – What can you tell us about the scene of your city? What would you improve?

In the Italian province there is always a great contradiction. The idea of ??clubs or festivals that operate or that were born in the Italian province that it is enough to invite the big name or have the artist of the moment play locally is synonymous with creating a creative scenario.

The false conviction of the Local DJs who may have had the good fortune to share the console with these big names, paid handsomely, is consider themselves representative of a great club or movement as it happened perhaps in the 90s with very different conditions. In the same province like in the larger cities(such as Milan, Rome, Naples), on the other hand, we find truly underground movements that try to do something new, to experiment, to truly create creative collectives. Often they have little say in the matter and manage to get little noticed, especially by those magazines specialized in the sector that have always spoken of the same names and the same places for decades, believing themselves the spokesperson of the verb. I believe that a creative movement capable of giving an innovative boost to Italian electronic and dance music can still develop from this lifeblood that is being born from below. I am sure that sooner or later it will have its space and the right consideration.

7 – Finally, what can you tell us about your present and future projects?

I’m finishing the songs of my next LP. My previous LP had a critical attention and implication beyond all my expectations, especially in the scenario of international and Italian independent music. In this new work I have continued the elaboration of research and the contamination between genres without ever betraying the characteristics linked to an electronic music production. It will be a more intimate record and more contaminated by influences from jazz fusion and world music. I can’t wait to move on to the mastering phase because there are some songs I really care about and which I think are among the best I’ve ever composed. For the rest I will devote myself to video productions that are taking more and more place among my current passions. In this regard, I remind you to pay close attention to my youtube channel where the video of “Because you try to catch the last train” will soon be published, directed and created by a very talented collective active in the Italian independent cinema scene.

Gianluca D’Ingecco