INTERVIEW: Artslaves

Artslaves was born in 2012 from two Neapolitan producers, Alessandro Rondinone and Domenico Gei, who decided to merge their names and create a new project.

We have had the pleasure of interviewing them and this has been the result.

Hello Artslaves, thanks for speaking with us here at Chromatic Club. We’ve been listening to your new EP ‘What People Say’ coming via the TBX Records label. Can you please tell us about this record, how it sounds and how you would define the Artslaves sound in general?

Hi guys! "What People Say" was born from our idea to create a track different from what we were used to doing. We were really focused on incorporating a nice guitar cut to give it a kind of Latin mood. Our sound can be described as a blend of Minimal Deep Tech and Tech House. We enjoy playing various styles during our sets, aiming to surprise our listeners with a mix of both new and old tracks.

Can you explain the name Artslaves and tell us who is involved, where you are from and what are your roots in electronic music?

We are two friends, Alessandro and Domenico, from Caserta, Italy. We came together to form a music label and decided to create a musical project—a DJ duo—and fully dedicate ourselves to music, essentially becoming slaves to this art, the music. We started DJing at a very young age, playing in local clubs and participating in significant events in Naples. It was in Naples where we had the opportunity to listen to some of the biggest old DJs like Erik Morillo, Roger Sanchez, and many more, which greatly influenced our roots in electronic music.

You’re running the label Moan Recordings, can you please tell us about this imprint, when you launched it and what you’ve been doing with it since launching it?

We felt the necessity to create our own imprint and release music from all the great producers we love. Moan was born in 2012, and since its inception, it has received incredible support from big DJs and producers worldwide. We have organized label showcases in some of the best clubs across Europe. We've put a lot of effort into shaping Moan into what it is today—one of the most recognized Deep Tech labels. Our aim is always to release music from the greatest artists in the scene.

How are you making your music? What kind of equipment do you use in the studio?

We produce our music using Ableton and various VSTs. However, we also have a fondness for incorporating real drum machines, ranging from Korg Electribe to Roland TR-8, 808, and 909, as well as vintage synthesizers.

We can see you’ve been touring far and wide across Europe performing in the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Ibiza, Romania, Norway, Finland and of course all over Italy. It’s amazing to see you reaching so many countries.

How would you define yourselves as DJ’s, what is your approach to the performance and where is your favourite place to play?

This year, we've had the pleasure of visiting various countries and had a great time, meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. One of the beautiful aspects of this job is the opportunity to travel to new places and explore different cultures.

Our approach to performance involves thorough research and understanding of the venue, the local culture, and the audience. We always arrive at least 1.30 hours in advance to study and grasp the flow of the night. This helps us start with a clear vision and not disrupt the evening if it's already heading in the right direction.One of our favorite cities and positive clubbing experiences is Frankfurt, where we've been playing at Tanzhaus West for 6 years and participating in open-air events organized by We Are Together. Every time, it leaves us speechless with a high-level audience and vibes.In October, we had the incredible experience of performing for the first time at Toffler in Rotterdam—wow!

What’s next for Artslaves, new music, exciting new shows on the horizon and anything else you can tell us about?

In 2024, for us, it will be a year of redemption, confirmation, and hopefully growth. We have been working in the past months, and even more so now, on a much broader project with more frequent releases and higher-profile shows. We will have releases on labels such as Moan, Bamboleo, Roush, Deeperfect, Tbx, and others yet to be revealed soon. Our upcoming confirmed shows include venues in Bergamo, Zurich, Amsterdam,Ibiza, Frankfurt, Mannheim, Naples,London and Milan.

Could you please share with us a secret weapon you’ve been playing in your sets recently?

Our secret weapon in our sets has always been mixing the new and old sound, reading the moments and trying to understand how to best express our sound in different types of events. The rest is done by inspiration and the people.

And lastly, your personal favorite track of your own?

Our favorite track over the years is undoubtedly "Promiscuous," for much more sentimental reasons than the track itself. We released this track 10 years ago in collaboration with our friend Wade on our label, Moan. It was supported and played by all the biggest names and allowed us, for the first time ever, to gain recognition beyond the borders, especially overseas.