Feature: Delaunay [Interview]

Delaunay is an Italian producer and mix engineer who first appeared just over a year ago with a series of releases via Gertrude Stein Records. His fresh take on melodic house and techno now lands on Polyptych with 'Saint Séverin', alongside a heavyweight remix from Ten Walls. We had a chance to catch up with Delaunay just prior to the release in this exclusive interview. Enjoy!

Hi Delaunay, thanks for joining us today, tell us where in the world you are and what your plans for the week are?

Hi guys, I’m happy to join you today. I’m from Treviso and I usually work as a producer and mixing engineer in my area. In the next few days I will certainly celebrate my new release Saint Séverin, but I also have some work to be done. I’m involved in the recording of some parts for my next tracks and I will mix some brand new tracks from friends.

Talk to us about growing up and living in Italy, how has it affected your musical taste and the music you make?

In Italy we breathe a lot of good music. I always listened to a lot of both Italian and international music, but I would mention two aspects that have mainly influenced my compositional style. First I’m coming from years of clubbing life: in the past I traveled a lot searching for new artists and new music, I also played in several clubs in my area. Second, I come from a conservatory career where I studied Electronic Music and Sound Engineering.

What are your favourites venues to play or attend an event at in Italy and why?

Unfortunately in Italy now clubs, parties and dance events are closed. I love playing in front of people, making them dance with my music. I hope to land in some festivals in the future or to continue to play at events in the clubs, even the smaller ones.

There are many amazing artists from Italy, particularly in the melodic house and techno arena, is there anything you would attribute that too? Is it the influence of Italian stars such as Tale Of Us perhaps?

I prefer a more international horizon. Yes, I have a lot of influences in the world of melodic music, some names are Stimming, Gui Boratto, Super Flu, Andhim, Ten Walls… but also Italians such as Stereocalypse, Lehar, and, yes, Tale Of Us.

Tell us about your record/music collection, where do some of your early influences lie?

I have a lot of records, I really love the first two albums of Gui Boratto. Delaunay's project is also influenced by early me music. In general I love music where acoustic instruments are mixed with electronic parts. I love working alongside musicians, and find with them a balance, a color, the right interpretation to be included in the idea I have in mind. This is what I search for in the music of other artists. For example I really like Super Flu work with Dortumunder Philharmoniker or the last album of Oliver Koletzki. Over the years I have also learned a lot from artists of other musical genres such as classical, contemporary, rock, indie rock. As I said I always try to listen to a lot of music looking for interesting ideas and often forgetting about the musical genre.

How have you been dealing with COVID-19? Your country was hit very hard early on in the pandemic. How are things now? Are you seeing some brighter days there now?

I’m more a producer and a mixing engineer so luckily I live on a happy island. I had some good jobs during the quarantine and I was also able to work on many of my new projects. It's a hard period for everyone, and we'll need a few more months before we get out of it. Live music events are still very much in trouble, I hope they will be back soon. Not only artists need events, but the public too.

What is your feeling on all the live stream sets happening now because of COVID-19?

I think dance music is primarily functional to dance and for that reason it needs live audiences to make sense. However, I agree that we cannot live without music. So I don't see much sense in direct streams of our genre, but if there really aren't any alternatives, better to have them.

What is something you do now (regularly) that you did not before COVID-19?

I have the same routine of before COVID. I work everyday in the studio alone or with musicians.

Once nightlife eventually resumes globally what kind of effect do you think this period in our history will have on the clubbing experience?

People need to move, to listen to music, so we'll go back to previous regimes. There will probably be some changes in the music scene but I don't think we will see a reduction.

You have a new single entitled ‘Saint Séverin’ out now on Polyptych. Tell us a bit about it and how Parts 1 + 2 of the track differ from one another.

My entire project is inspired by the early 20th century painter Delaunay. Saint Severin was a series of paintings of the same cathedral. In my case the two songs are in the same key but the colors and the structure are very different. The choice of the leading instruments is very different: the first part sees a trumpet relating with piano, while in the second part a Wurlitzer electric piano talks with a Marimba, ending with a contrabass.

You have a remix from the legendary Ten Walls on the release also. Was this someone you had in mind from the beginning? And how does it feel to have such a storied artist remix your project?

This wasn’t planned. I totally have to thank the label Polyptych for this opportunity. I love the way Ten Walls writes music, it is very close to mine. I also know my tracks weren’t easy to remix but he gave a beautiful interpretation to my original idea. He managed to make the piece more striking without making it more banal, but rather adding characteristic elements. A really well done remix.

Where does your inspiration come from? And was there anything in particular which inspired you to write ‘Saint Séverin’?

As I said, the first inspiration lies in the colors used by the painter Delaunay. The second inspiration comes from acoustic or electric instruments, which also means relationship with musicians. I love working with musicians, sharing ideas and building songs together. Saint Séverin was born directly from the instruments I chose.

What’s a piece of gear or software that always gets used when you’re writing a track?

It depends on the period. In general I always try to add and play an acoustic instrument to give personality to my tracks: pianos, violins, guitars, basses…

Is there a movie you would have loved to have produced the soundtrack for? And if so why?

Honestly I don't know but I can say that I am envious of The Artist. It is absolutely at the top of my favorite movies. I love how sound and soundtrack integrate with images.

Current five favourite tracks?

It is a hard question, I listen to a lot of music. In melodic house and techno world probably these five: Andhim remix of Opals, Window Crack by Douglas Greed, Spacehip by Super Flu, Agitation by Oliver Koletzki & Niko Schwind and my Saint Séverin n°2.

Apart from music, what makes you happiest?

I love the connection between people, friendship, and parties. The energy these things give to life makes everything more special. I am also very passionate about art, I really like early 20th century painting.

What does the remainder of 2020 hold for you? Anything you can share with us?

I can picture a very busy end of 2020 in my studio and I hope to let you hear some news soon. If you allow, I would also like to thank all those who collaborated with me in Saint Séverin: Francesco Sartor, Francesco Zavarise, Genny Botti, Simone Castellan, Sean Lucariello, Federico Pelle, Alberto Gatti, Andrea Bordignon and obviously Mikhail of Polyptych.

'Saint Séverin' is out now via Polyptych : https://pa.fanlink.to/PLT148