Domenico Imperato is an Italian artist who recently dropped a new release on Oscar Aguilera’s label HE-ART Blue. Keen to learn more about the tracks and his background in music, we decided to ask him a few questions…
> For the people reading this who have not heard your music before, how would you describe your style, and the key elements that define it?
My style is eclectic because it embraces various sounds; from melodic house to indie dance and with hints of techno.
> Your most recent release is on Oscar Aguilera’s new label HE-ART Blue, could you tell us about the concept of the release?
I had the honour of meeting Oscar Aguilera and seeing his label HE-ART Blue during the pandemic. It has been love at first listen, after our mutual friend Vikthor introduced us online. Oscar liked my songs, and decided to sign “Destiny”. There will be other releases on HE-ART Blue, and it was an honour and my pleasure to work for his label.
> Could you talk us through the creative process of putting a track together, and list any specific equipment used to bring your sound to life?
Every track for me has its own creative process. In the case of Destiny, I took an old song from about 25 years ago, and I got a vocalist friend to re-sing the lyrics. I created my own melody and built a new backing track that was all mine. Oscar arranged for my track to get remixed by a very special artist called Blanca Ross, and I’m super happy with her work. I produce tracks inside a software program in my small home studio, which also has a keyboard, microphone, and Maschine from Native Instruments. It’s a simple setup, but every track I make has my own sound design.
> There is a very distinctive female vocal on your track, did you record the singing yourself or is it a sample?
Every track I make with vocals are always sung by singers, as I don’t like to use samples, so I use real voice recordings wherever possible.
> Alongside your original mix, you also did an alternative version called the “Orbital Mix”. What inspired you to do two versions, and what makes them different?
Orbital version was created for a club set and is the closest in terms of the style I usually play at an event or party. The original mix is more for radio listening, and very far from what I’d usually put in a DJ set.
> What is coming up next in your music schedule, do you have any other releases in the pipeline?
In September or October, I have another release on HE-ART Blue, which is completely different from this one.
> Could you give some advice or words of wisdom to any aspiring producers who might look to your music for inspiration?
My advice is to find your project size, and a sound that puts the chills down your spine. For example, do you like to make tracks as if they are all individual pieces of music to be treated like singles… or do you prefer making groups of tracks that together tell a story like on an album.
Also take inspiration from when something happens in your life, something special that gives you a feeling that you want to share with other people, or maybe an exciting adventure, or a tense moment. It can also be a sad moment if it’s something that inspired you to try and tell a story.
> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today, we like to finish our interviews with a couple of questions that are a little bit light-hearted… without getting too personal, could you tell us something many don’t know about you?
I’m comfortable writing messages and talking online, but in person, I’m a very sensitive and shy person. Thanks to the confidence I get from music, I’m able to not blush when I show myself in public.
> You don’t need to mention names, but what’s the most “outrageous” thing you’ve ever seen happen in a club… was it something outrageously brilliant, like a blindfolded DJ mixing seamlessly and scratching with their elbows, or something outrageously cringe-worthy, like some embarrassing drunk person urinating on the dance floor?
I saw DJ faint and accidentally pour a bottle of alcohol on the equipment behind the DJ booth. I have also seen DJs forget the bags with all their music at the airport, or being thrown out of events for their bad behaviour in the VIP room.
> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, is there anything extra you want to add before we wrap up the conversation?
I would like to thank you all, and I’m hoping to be able to exchange a few more words with you all soon, as it has been an honour for me.
> You can pick up a copy of Domenico Imperato’s release on HE-ART Blue from …HERE…
