by Danielle Holian
For our readers, please describe what you do.
We are an electronic/songwriting duo, from Italy, mixing and performing two different experiences and attitudes: mine, Giovanni, for songwriting (as a writer I come from theatre and verses), and Matteo, for electronic composition
Why did you choose ‘Apalis Duo’ as the band’s name?
I was struggling to find a name that sounded cool, and as writer, that were cool to “watch”. I put down many options, searching here and there. One day I read this name “Apalis”, in a file name project of Matteo. It sounded good, it had his aesthetic dignity: just added “Duo”, as we are two persons behind. Yeah, not a big concept behind…
Who or what are your influences?
We have been mainly influenced by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Nick Drake, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Massive Attack. We both have listened to a lot of classical composers. I personally love Shubert, Arvo Pärt, Tchaikovskji.
How has being from Genua, Italy affected your music?
The Italian influence is much more clear in my arrangments as an acoustic songwriter, while Matteo has a totally northern electronic style. I’ve been much influenced by the Italian songwriting tradition; Fabrizio De André, probably one of the best story teller we have, was from our city. But talking about our music, I am not sure somebody could easily argue we are from Italy.
What can we expect from your debut EP?
There’s a lot of good music out there. Very good electronic, very good songwriters. But not a lot of people who try to combine these two ways. In the EP, we will publish an electronic/songwriting mix that could be interesting from this point of view.
Tell us a bit about the songwriting process for the band.
There is a pool of drafts composed by Matteo through years. When we find one particular, I start developing the structure, writing lyrics and recording the first voice on. Then Matteo mixes it. More or less, this is.
What would you consider to be the incisive moment in your artistic career?
When the German label (Amselcom) called us, for sharing the enthusiasm having heard our song “Sad Sad Christmas”, this is probably the moment I found “incisive” our artistic career.
What has been a highlight for the band so far?
An artist has two stages for his joy: the moment of the creation, in which you achieve for something beauty, and the moment in which you offer this to the others and participate their happiness. These are the real highlights that anyone can experience.
Where can people view your music?
We put any new composition on www.soundcloud.com/apalis . Being very productive, any week there is something new to listen there. My songwriting compositions, as solo artist, are partly available from www.soundcloud.com/traverso-giovanni. We also have a band, called Graham Jane, which released 5 rock album on Bandcamp. Our EP, as “Apalis Duo”, will be released by Amselcom and available in common digital stores.
The ModernRetro Magazine 