We catch up with Italian producer Andrea Cassino, who is celebrating the release of his collaboration with Danny Lloyd as Nocturna, on his favourite label Sudbeat.
If you had to pick one track which solidified your love for electronic music early on what would it be?
The first that comes to my mind is Infusion – Legacy (Junkie XL Remix) which I’m still using it sometimes during my performances
What was the first and last record you purchased?
My first record I purchased talking about vinyl was William Orbit Barber’s – Adagio for strings (Ferry Corsten Remix). I started listening trance music, unfortunately nowadays this genre is totally changed and frankly I’m no more attracted to this music. My last record I bought is August Jakobsen & Jacob Husley – Blue (Minilogue Remix) released on Bedrock. Minilogue are definitely one of my favorite artists ever.
What would you say is the highlight of your career thus far?
Don’t know if there is a real highlight into a career of the artists, looking at me I consider a highlight every step I do in my musical path, the career is made by several steps and I consider each of them a highlight, a step more into this endless path, so my last step is absolutely to have released Nocturna – Big Bang EP on Sudbeat and also to have gotten a big remix from Hernan Cattaneo, one of most respected dj in the musical world.
You talked about your release on Sudbeat. Obviously you made these tracks as a collaboration with Danny Lloyd. Can you tell us a bit more about how you two guys got together. Why did you create the name Nocturna? Are there any other projects in the pipeline for you guys?
Danny is not just a musical collaborator but mostly a big friend for me is very important to have a nice togetherness. We met each other in the summer of 2006 in the same after party here in italy where we both were playing and I was so impressed about his session and he told me the same about the mine. In a short time we started to collaborate, swapping originals and remixes untill to produce together. We have released several productions on Lowbit, Kunai and Kumquat and now on Sudbeat as well under the name Nocturna.
We decided this name Nocturna because we usually produce together during the night, the time that we both are free. Nocturna is a middle way to say “night” between italian (notturna) and english (nocturnal). We are working cosntantly during the year and we have some productions on the way to finish. Also we are experimenting a new setup for our live performance.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise people?
In addition to music i have lot of others passions, one of that are planes. I really love them how they work and how they can fly even if they are so heavy. Untill here nothing strange, the think is when I was younger I was really afraid to fly and to be afraid of something you love is a strange thing. To dispel this fear i decide to understand everything about planes and all phases of the flight, especially takeoff and landing. To do that i started playing with Flight Simulator and now I know enough about flying and I can travel everywhere with less problems.
Who are some of the best undiscovered talents in your eyes?
Mike Griego is absolutely one of my favorite producer in this moment, I really like his unmistakable style never the same and never expected, sometimes smooth and other times aggressive but always all surrounded by an elegant clear and deep atmosphere. I consider Mike also a great dj, I had the pleasure to play with him in Argentina and he selected one of the best warm up that I’ve ever heard in my life.
Which producers consistently inspire you?
During my musical path I had a lot of artists which inspire me, but just few artists consistently inspire me, few of them are Sasha, Hybrid, Monolake, Maetrik, Telefon Tel Aviv, Moderat, Minilogue and Trentemoller.
What artist or track would you love to remix? and who would you love to be remixed by?
I’d love to remix Hybrid, I love every album they have produced they combine melodies and powerful groove often in break beat style which makes the track even more aggressive all those elements that always I try to use on my productions.
I’d love to be remixed by Guy J because I consider him a big musician and composer, he is always able to transform tracks into immersive, deep and emotional journey and they can be used in every situation during a performance.
What our your goals for music in the next couple of years? What are you hoping to achieve?
One of my goal is the launch of my own label together with Danny Lloyd, a label where we want release just quality music and not a quantity of music with no sense that nowadays is easy to see around the labels. Also I want to improve my mastering technique, today there are many people that improvise a studio mastering but there’s needs a lot of experience to be good.
As for as the label, I hope to achieve quality music and big collaborations with big artists and maybe parties and showcase. Yes it’s just a hope but if you want it you can get it.
What would you say is the best mix compilation of all time?
I was impressed by all the Global Underground compilations but the best for me was Sasha Global Underground 013 Ibiza
Current Favourites
Food: Pizza
Drink: Caipiroska Lime
Drug: Weed
Animal: Dog
TV Show: I don’t watch TV
Movie: Fight Club
Video Game: Flight Simulator
Album: Sasha – Airdrawndagger
Track / Song: Infusion – Legacy (Jankie XL Remix)
Producer / Band: Pink Floyd
Record Label: Sudbeat and Lost & Found
Nightclub: Bahrein – Buenos Aires
DJ: Hernan Cattaneo
If the final DJ/live set of your career was next week what would your last track be?
This is an hard question, I met many beautiful tracks during my career, but there is one that has been introduced me into the world of electronic dance music, this track is Xpander from Sasha and would be great to close my last set with that one.
Click here to visit Andrea Cassino’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AndreaCassinoMusic
