We chat to the man behind Bochum Welt, Gianluigi Di Costanzo, about collecting vintage electronic instruments, how his compositions reflect his mood and the release in sharing himself through his music.
Interview by Tamara Arden
Before the age of technology, producers were manually creating studio-friendly formulas on their tracks. Now, the medium of the internet offers everyone the accessibility of making music in an easy and convenient way. What’s your take on the progression of software and how does it alter your production process?
I use more hardware than software because I feel more expressive that way. I collected vintage electronic instruments mostly built in the United States or in Japan, with which I try to create custom sounds that I use in my tracks.
Your first EP ‘Scharlach Eingang’ was released over two decades ago and was met with great acclaim, dubbing you one of Aphex Twin’s alter egos. How did it feel to be on par with the pioneer of IDM music and how has your voice evolved since then?
When the EP was released, NME wrote that they were amazed by the strange pseudonyms Aphex Twin was using, and that Gianluigi Di Costanzo (me) could be one of them because my EP was released by his own record label. He is highly rated by the music industry, so it was unexpected to me that the press considered me that way. Since then I have kept making music following a spontaneous path.
The pace and tempo of ‘April’ transitions from crunchy beats overlaid with pixelated pads to blissfully organic and spring-like sound tracks via tender piano laced ambient numbers. Tell us about the idea behind this narrative?
That’s what comes naturally, it’s a mix between my temper and the desire to try to express myself. The piano layers and the sound search you describe come from this.
Your music has an intricacy spread through each track, often spreading the climactic points across the board instead of boiling them up and releasing. When producing new material, what kind of headspace do you need to be in to best create these compositions?
The compositions reflect my mood and what happens around me. I just try to prepare and use sounds that represent what I feel.
Some artists believe in paying tribute to those before them, whereas others create an original sound by staying away from consuming any material in their own genre. How do you approach your storyboard before laying down a foundation?
I’m affected by the real life, it is a spontaneous process, I really do not plan it.
How has the anticipation for feedback changed from your first releases to the release of your most recent work ‘April’?
I have always been reserved, I just try to be myself.
What do you look forward to most on the day of a new release? Do you engage with your fans online?
I usually try to communicate by posting music and information and I enjoy seeing interaction.
You’re on the lineup for The Playground event at The Steelyard in September. What are you looking forward to?
I am happy to play The Steelyard in September, I will play music that I enjoy listening to, which strikes me emotionally but also danceable. I look forward to it.
You can purchase tickets to The Playground event here
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