Luca Bacchetti delves into ‘Night Over KwaZulu’

Luca Bacchetti delves into ‘Night Over KwaZulu’

27 May, 2008 | 3.20PM

• Section: Music News Topics: Beatport Blog
• Written by: Amanda Connon-Unda

Last night, Italian DJ Luca Bacchetti played his first performance in Toronto.

In a small venue called Loki Lounge, a modest crowd gathered to fill the dancefloor in Toronto’s ‘clubland’ area.

Bacchetti’s much anticipated performance certainly did not disappoint the lucky people in attendance who craved his music.

His set was tactful and well suited to the venue.

He started with more minimal grooves, and later got into some funkier Latin techno, with his signature sound of just the right amount of funk and a sprinkle of darkness. 

After a few drinks, by around 1 AM, the whole crowd was moving their feet and dancing.

All in all, a stellar performance by a great producer who had my vote for Best Minimal Artist of the Year for the 2008 Beatport Music Awards.

Luca Bacchetti sat down with Beatportal in Toronto, and told us about his latest news.

Last month you released the ‘Human EP’ on Wagon Repair.  I noticed there are samples in another language - where did you get the idea for the track ‘Night Over Kwazulu’?
And, who is the voice in the track?

I’ve been using real Zulu choruses, where I’ve been trying to create an African sounding atmosphere...dressed with techno!

During apartheid, the South African empire created the State of KwaZulu, declaring that all the South Africa’s Zulu citizens were to be considered KwaZulu, but not South African.

Therefore, millions of Zulu had to move to ZwaZulu.

Later, with the end of apartheid, the KwaZulu citizens were again declared to be South Africans and were allowed to be free to move around the nation.

This track is my modest little present to the work of Nelson Mandela, someone who has always fascinated me.

Zulu means “people from the sky.”

What a beautiful concept! 

Music unites people—this track is a peace message!

You were nominated at the Beatport Music Awards for the Best Minimal Artist of 2008. How do you feel about your place as one of the best minimal artists in this list?

It was a real surprise for me.

The last three years in the studio have been really massive!

Luckily, my productions and remixes have always been well received by crowds and have moved up in Beatport’s charts.

I’m proud to work for labels such as Tenax Recordings and Wagon Repair.

I think it’s great to see that my work is appreciated.

This makes me feel ready and willing to make new things.

Were any of the other artists nominated for Best Minimal Artist among your favorites? Would you nominate anyone else to that list of nominees?

Honestly, they are all artists that I love and respect a lot—I play their records.

I think they better represent this style we commonly call minimal. 

I would like to add names such as Loco Dice, Martin Buttrich and Wighnomy Brothers.

Who are your musical influences? What kind of music were you into before minimal techno?

I am very open-minded toward music… I come from a hip-hop background.

My legends are bands like the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy.

I have been going through phases of musical interest, from black music to drum ‘n’ bass, break beat, rock, jazz, Detroit techno, etc.

A lot of this background taste in music deeply influences me when I am in the studio.

However, house music has been the driving line of my musical path.

Linking and mixing different styles—that’s why I think that saying “minimal” is a clichè.

When I look at it nowadays I think minimal is often a mixture of house and techno.

What’s on the agenda for you, as far as new releases, tours, and collaborations with other artists?

My new EP for Tenax Recordings will be out in June 2008.

I did a remix for Paul Ritch on SCI+TEC, which is a Beatport exclusive and will be released on July 11th 2008.

I also did a remix for Samlag for Snork Enterprise, and I am working on an album for Wagon Repair that will be out next Autumn.

The Wagon Repair album is going to be a eclectic one, in cooperation with many artists.

Working for Wagon Repair is amazing!

I am also working with my friend and great producer Davide Squillace, but this a very very top secret project.....Shhh!!

This summer will be intense with many gigs: Europe, US, Australia, Japan.

On the 15th of August I’ll play at a very important Italian Festival with Dubfire, Carl Cox and Alex Neri.

I’ll also play in Ibiza at Space with Danny Tenaglia, for his Thursday residency, which is a great one!

Yesterday Danny called me, we talked for over an hour about music, religion, family, and the world.

He is a superlative person, and a very sensitive guy.

I was glad to talk with him and I think and hope we will make something together next winter...but it will be a surprise!

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