voices #53
◦ “voices” is the place where we ask, artists reply and you read.
here we got:
Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi
answering some questions. We have already observed their drone / ambient / experimental work here.
[1. IDEA]
■ The A. O.: The track from “A Small Life and Unnoticed Movements” that we prefer is “Small Body”. Can you tell us how it came to light?
► Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi: Through six musical pieces and six short films created together with filmmaker Fausto Caviglia, we wanted to create a space for slow listening and attentive looking, where sound and image invite the viewer to observe the world at a different pace.
[2. CREATION]
■ The A. O.: How do you usually approach composition? Do you start with a concept, a sound, a state of mind or what else? How do you generally proceed from the initial seed to the complete work?
► Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi: Our compositional process often begins with sound itself. The synthesizer plays an important role in our work, and we tend to start from a particular sound or sonic texture and let it guide the development of the piece.
In this sense, sound becomes the initial seed of the composition. From there we follow the creative flow, allowing the music to evolve organically — sometimes discovering unexpected directions, and sometimes discarding large parts of what we initially imagined.
[3. FEEDBACK]
■ The A. O.: What do you hope listeners feel or experience when engaging with your music?
► Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi: More than anything, we hope listeners can slow down and immerse themselves in the experience. Ideally, music becomes a quiet travelling companion rather than the protagonist — something that accompanies a personal inner journey rather than directing it.
[4. IDENTITY]
■ The A. O.: In a world saturated with digital music content, how do you try to keep your sound distinct and personally meaningful?
[not answered, ed.]
[5. INFLUENCES]
■ The A. O.: Mention 3 albums that you consider relevant to your musical path and why.
► Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi: Three albums that have been particularly meaningful for us are:
○ Trilogie de la Mort — Éliane Radigue
○ Harmony in Ultraviolet — Tim Hecker
○ In a Few Places Along the River — Abul Mogard
These are records we return to often. Each time we listen to them, they have the ability to transport us somewhere else and suspend our usual sense of time.
[6. REGARDS]
■ The A. O.: Leave us with a quote you love.
► Giacomo Vanelli & Matteo Cantaluppi: “Silence does not exist.” (John Cage)