Mauro Di Martino is a Sicilian DJ and producer who has been active since the late 1980s. After twenty years under various aliases, Mauro merged with his alter ego Musumeci in 2009. Constantly demanding as a producer and remixer, his music boasts releases on labels such as Innervisions, Kompakt, Watergate, Moblack and Diynamic. In addition, Mauro is the founder of Engrave Ltd, Multinotes Recordings & Buttress Records, all three well-known labels in the industry.
We were lucky enough to be able to ask a few questions to get to know him a little better.
The interview
- "Hi Mauro, first of all thank you for granting us this interview. Personally, I'm a big fan of your music and I'm happy to investigate a little bit more about your career! The first thing I would like to ask you: who or what inspired you to get into music? Is there a particular episode that linked you to the musical industry?"
- "I discovered that I loved music quite early on, listening to it made me feel good.
In my adolescence it was my favorite way of escaping from reality. I found so much fun in selecting tracks that could be a sort of live soundtrack for my days or moments spent with friends. At parties, some people would play an instrument or sing, I was the one playing records instead. Later on, I felt that other people's music, although wonderful and extremely stimulating, was no longer enough to define me. I needed to compose music that spoke about me, about the emotions I had inside. At a certain point, I think I found a congenial way to express my inner feelings, what I was otherwise unable to express. A dear friend once told me: 'music is the extension of the soul'. I don't think I have ever heard a better definition.
I have never thought of music in any other sense."
- "Your discography can be defined as a cross-over of electronic, melodic and disco genres; we were very impressed by your evolution over the years. However, among all the releases, I'd be curious to know two tracks that you are particularly fond of."
- "Music as an expression of the feelings contained in the human soul has no boundaries and does not know catalogues. Genres are conventions invented by the market, to convey and sell a product in the best way. But this is a whole other aspect that has nothing to do with the creative process. In the moment we start talking about genres, the music industry, discography, we stop talking about music and start talking about the market. Of course, I have nothing against the industry, I'm happy that there is a market that can make so many people live with their greatest passion.
But I find it more exciting to talk about the creative moment, about the magic of being able to transform your feelings into music. Whether it's a DJ set or I'm trying to compose a song, I always try to use the most appropriate language to express what I'm feeling. I look for the right rhythmic movement to induce a certain state of mind in the listener.
I look for the right instrument, sound and melody to express one mood rather than another. This need to represent various emotions pushes me to confront different rhythms and styles. Almost all of my small compositions have a story to which I am attached, they belong to a specific moment in my life that has made them particularly significant. If I had to choose just two, I would definitely say "Pawn Storm" and the remix of "Ti Chuong" for Emmanuel Jal."
- "The pandemic has inevitably increased the streaming of DJ-sets by artists. We were lucky enough to be able to collaborate with you and Lehar last summer on "Recall Streams: Lehar + Musumeci" in Mykonos. Do you think this kind of content will disappear definitely or could it somehow be a new way of "consuming" electronic music?"
- "Silencing the human soul is impossible, not even the greatest disasters we have faced in our history have succeeded in doing so. The Covid-19 pandemic is no exception. Certainly, it has had a strong influence on our daily lives. However, music as an expression of our spirit is more alive than ever. Personally, I feel an even greater longing for music. Having said that, it is difficult for me to imagine dance music outside of a context where people come together to share a moment of collective expression.
Being able to share certain experiences in person is necessary for survival, at least for mine. I don't think that the streaming of a musician or a DJ could ever replace the experience of attending a concert or a party in person. In my opinion, the two should not be related. We have learned that streaming an event can respond to certain needs that are not necessarily linked exclusively to the emergency of the moment we are living in. I believe that streaming an event can certainly be a way to increase public participation, but I think we all agree that it is a completely different kind of experience."
- "From your point of view, who are the 2 artists you currently play the most or appreciate the most?"
- "I appreciate all artists whose sound has the urge to say something personal or at least tell a story, even if it is already known, but with their own words and ideas.
There are way more than two, the list would be long and to shorten it would be unfair.
I can't wait to come to Turin, thanks a lot for the opportunity!"
-"Grazie Mauro!"
If you missed "Recall Streams: Lehar + Musumeci", relive it below:
Discover more about Musumeci:
- Spotify
Recall Team