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GroundSounds recently caught up with Italian multi-instrumentalist and producer Stèv to see what sounds he was pumping out of his earbuds. Read below to find out about his musical evolution and be sure to check out his eclectic playlist of fresh tracks! Stèv’s latest album ‘Beyond Stolen Notes‘ is out now.
I had a lucky childhood thanks to my smart parents and I used to listen to tons of great music due to my mother’s big passion for records. She’s always been an interested listener and loves to discover new sounds, so I was surrounded by both traditional music and alternative stuff. I started forming a more concrete interest in music when I was about ten, though. I remember, when I was in middle school, I started breakdancing and became involved in the local Hip-Hop scene. That was the main point where I started developing an artistic identity: I became fascinated by the Hip Hop culture, started DJing, buying vinyl and my first pair of turntables and began to produce music with a fresh “beat-making” attitude. Most of the time, I would sample from old 45” records that I found at flea markets. I expanded my set up even more by then buying a bass guitar and I started playing it on my own and inserting real basslines into my productions.
Later, I came into contact with Bonobo’s first album Animal Magic (thanks to my cousin, who is a DJ and has an endless musical knowledge) and that music blew my mind. I suddenly and finally understood what I was looking for in music with real clarity! I started reaching for melodies, harmonies and the “beautiful” side of electronic-made music. At that time, I was obsessed with DJ Krush, DJ Shadow, Prefuse 73, Massive Attack and so on… and I floated between the 90’s Hip-Hop and Trip-Hop sides for long time.
The next step in my “musical evolution” occurred thanks to my omnipresent passion for Japan. I discovered Nujabes’ productions and that was another crucial point for me – a milestone had been reached and my consciousness was expanded even further. Literally a few days after, I discovered Emancipator’s track “With Rainy Eyes” on the Hydeout Productions second compilation. That was the time where I realized the importance of the live musical instruments in music and more specifically, what I was doing so I re-picked up the keyboard and started taking guitar lessons.
With all things considered, I listen to a truly wide range of music and I think it’s all because of where my history with music started. I grew up surrounded by different styles of music and I felt like I wanted to explore and discover them all. There’s no particular style that influences me more than another, because I’m fascinated by music in general. Sometimes, I find myself stuck on a genre because it probably fits how I feel in that precise moment. For example, I remember, when I was writing the new album, Beyond Stolen Notes, I used to listen to a lot of different stuff: Nathan Fake, Clark, Interpol, kidkanevil, Susumu Yokota, Hammock, Yoko Kanno, Kaki King and so on… but on the flipside I often find myself falling in love with scores and movie soundtracks due to the fact that they’re full of different moods and can fit to almost every feeling you’re experiencing.
(Above photos by AliSe Blandini)
1 – Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – T.R.O.Y.
2 – DJ Shadow – Stem/Long Stem
3 – Massive Attack – Risingson
4 – Bonobo – Sleepy Seven
5 – Nujabes – Voice Of Autumn
6 – Emancipator – With Rainy Eyes
7 – Nathan Fake – Superpositions
8 – Clark – Tooth Moves
9 – Interpol – Obstacle 1
10 – Susumu Yokota – Tobiume
11 – Hammock – Still Secrets Remain
12 – Stèv – New Lands Discovery
