"Cyberpadania I" is the debut EP from No Label’s new project, it not only serves as a reclamation of Italy's often overlooked "Lento" electronic music style but also sets the stage for an ambitious LP scheduled for release later this year. Embracing the tempo range of 80-110 BPM, this EP revives the entrancing, slower rhythms that once thrummed through Italy's 1990s and early 2000s club scenes, particularly during "Preascolto" sessions that prepped crowds with downtempo techno before the night eventually escalated.
In the 90s, icons like Gigi D'Agostino pioneered the "Lento Violento" style, a harder evolution of the lento sound. While influential, this sound eventually faded from the Italian music scene as new international genres permeated the local culture. Despite this, the genre's impact still resonates today in some global circles, noted by artists like Danny Harle acknowledging the unique qualities of Italian Lento music. With "Cyberpadania," No Label not only resurrects this genre but also infuses it with innovative elements such as a mix of Lento kicks, Drum and Bass breaks, and an eclectic blend of Trance, Hip-hop, amongst other personal influences. The EP is punctuated with AI-generated vocal samples from notable Italian figures, including Silvio Berlusconi and Vittorio Sgarbi, adding a layer of uniquely modern cultural commentary.
The visual component of the EP, crafted by Matia Chiodo, merges renaissance Venetian aesthetics with present day digital artistry. The cover features a reinterpretation of Giovanni Bellini's portrait of the Doge, superimposed with the artist's own likeness, symbolizing a poignant juxtaposition of Italy's golden past with its current perceived decadence. This coupling of historical reverence and contemporary critique encapsulates the artist's complex feelings towards modern-day Italy, serving as a tragicomic expression of living through a perceived cultural and moral decline. "Cyberpadania" thus stands as a bold reimagining of Italian musical heritage, steering it with fresh audacity into the present and beyond.
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