Valentinø is the project of the Italian artist Valentino Marchiori, based in Genoa. He’s the founder of “Mantra Club” icon of Techno movement in the area. Valentinø is also a record producer; his own label Overtime Recor- dings released on several historical labels such as: Second State / Suara / Materia / Etruria Beat etc. His sound and musical selection is rich in frenetic rhythms and hypnotic melodies spacing out multiples genres.
Firstly, can you tell us about your release on ARTCORE – how do you describe the sound of the tracks?
I feel that the EP is engaging, or at least I hope people think that anyway. Its capable of reaching a wider audience and not just a specific target. Melody and vocals are important to me in my productions and help to make both of the tracks on this release easier to use in a selection of different DJ sets.
Have you always produced or liked the Psy-trance style? If so why and when did you first realise this was for you to pursue?
I have always listened to genres that are 360 degrees, by that I mean tracks that are able to include a vast range of sounds in my sets. Having initially never produced the psy-trance style, I believe that this is now a sound that I can resonate with the most and helps me to represent myself in authentic way. I set out to establish myself within this sound and have met so many amazing people along the way, which lead me to connect with Indira for this release.
Did you start out first as a DJ or a founder of Mantra? How did one thing lead to the other?
I started out as a DJ and built my career in Genoa in Italy where I became recognised for my style and resourcefulness. However, I felt that this wasn’t always enough for me, and didn’t fully fulfil some of my goals, so I started to work on the idea of opening a club. The club became a point of reference, and a home for all the people who love music from my city and beyond. Having a club where you curate the nights, means you get connected to the industry in a different way, and it has helped my career so much in terms of the people I work with and have booked. Your network is always growing and that I see as a good thing for my career as both a club owner and DJ.
What do you feel makes a good venue / club stand out against all the others? What are the essentials?
Speaking personally when Mantra is concerned, I think all clubs should start with their sound system, look at building a great team of people to work with you to ensure that things are organised, and everyone has excellent communication. With these 3 things, you can go a long way, but some are easier said than done. I want my customers and ravers to come here and feel a part of the team, a home for them to come and enjoy music with like-minded people and friends. My club is not in the city centre, which can be a negative thing, as people do not just pass by, however it also means that those who do come here, are coming here with a purpose and they know what to expect, they make the journey to be a part of our nights here, which is special.
How has techno changed in Italy in the last 10 years?
Techno is that somewhat eternal musical genre, the nuances, the facets can change and it can have a thousand different interpretations, the scene in this genre is subjected to sudden, very fast generational changes, one day a genre goes into fashion, the day after, something completely different. Especially post covid, the underground techno scene has been seen changing extremely fast.
Releasing on a label like ARTCORE can no doubt help your career, what opportunities do you have when it comes to playing some of their label showcases? Are you booked on any?
After signing/releasing with ARTCORE, without a doubt the career path changes radically. It will be a significant starting point, the opportunity to showcase myself in this way doesn’t happen every day, having the chance to perform on stages like Madrid, Barcelona, London and Serbia. So it’s definitely an incredible boost for me.
Finally, can you tell us how you plan to spend your summer this year? What gigs do you have, plans for Mantra club, as well as releases and more.
Already, the summer promises to be hot and very busy, with dates already scheduled in Italy and for now Europe, I can already say that among these there will be Croatia with Barrakud in August, there will be Luxembourg, Bilbao, Jesolo, Amsterdam and the rest, you’ll find out.
My dream is to be able to keep Mantra alive, even with my prolonged absence due to tours, while my productions are also in the pipeline. At this moment I want to give exclusivity to Indira’s label, releasing a distinctive sound that can let me be recognized.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you!
