Italian techno prodigy Stiv Hey is playing Beijing this month. We threw him a veritable smorgasbord of lighthearted interview questions ahead of his show at Lantern. Here’s what he said.
Italian electronic music has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Why do you think this is?
I really think Italy has a lot to say in terms of electronic music. We have our signature sounds that you can really feel coming out of our country.
But we hear that tight regulations, licensing and policing are making it difficult for electronic music to thrive in your native Milan.
Correct. The law and politicians are not making it easy, but Milano is one of the biggest cities in Europe with a lot of clubs and clubbers, so the scene is always on fire.
Semi-related question: AC Milan or Inter Milan?
FC Inter!
Your SoundCloud profile describes your sound as “futuristic techno.” But how do you know what the future is going to sound like?
[Laughs] Nice one! I am completely certain how my future will sound like, and I already know something really different is cooking in my studio. My vision has always been to create different music experiences for my fans, be it through my sets or production.
We also checked out your Spotify profile, and it seems that your biggest contingent of listeners in Santiago, Chile. Why’s that?
Really? You should teach me how to check those stats. I have never been in Santiago, but I’m looking forward to going on a full South American tour later in the year and seeing the Chilean ravers!
Which one song do you play for guaranteed crowd reaction?
On my computer I have a folder called “BOMBS” that is full of tracks that guarantee reaction. The tunes are all very different in style and work great for any situation where I want the crowd to explode. To answer your question: for guaranteed crowd reaction I play the best song for that particular crowd in that particular moment.
Your latest EP invited us to “come into your mind.” But what will we find there?
The Come Into My Mind EP was maybe one of my fans’ most liked – they felt the connection with my musical ideas when listening to those tracks, and this is what the title is about.
Dubfire signed you to his label and opens his sets with your tracks. How important a figure has he been in your career?
Ali [Shirazinia, AKA Dubfire] is one of the most important people I’ve met in the scene. He really showed me what being a professional DJ means. His support for my tracks – by playing them at big festivals – allowed me to connect with a lot of techno-lovers. This was really the start of my international career.
We spotted some sleeve tattoos in your press photos – can you talk us through what they mean?
This is a long story, as the tattoos on my arm were not made at once. Every part was added at a different moment and has its own meaning. I’ll save this for our next interview.
Which has been more important to your artistic development: studying music theory or playing Ibiza?
Definitely both of them. DJing and producing are two different subjects that need to be developed at the same time, but separately. This is my approach to my job. Hard work on all fronts!
Tell us, in three words, what 2017 has in store for you.
Techno, techno and techno.
One last thing: Hey, Stiv Hey. Hey!
Hey! You got it!
Fri Apr 21, 10pm-late; RMB50 (advance), RMB80 (door); Lantern, see event listing.
0 User Comments