9+1 Q&A with Armonite

What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

After studying Composition at the Conservatory of Milan and Computer Science at the University of Milan, I started woking in music administration. But after a while, I realized I was really missing being a part of the creative process. Every day I would work with these talented musicians and it was like this constant source of stimuli. It was influencing. Next thing I knew I decided to get back to my lifelong first vocation: composition and songwriting.

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

As with the previous album, “And the Stars Above” is an instrumental mix of electric violin, keyboards, bass, and drums. The sound of the album is more oriented to soundtrack music with textures that feel very immediate. It’s a journey through 12 tracks, starting with “The March of the Stars” inspired by Dante’s Paradise and ending with “Ghosts”. It also features two bonus tracks: a piece for piano solo, “The Fire Dancer”, and the String Quartet “A Playful Day”.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

Movies, technology, video games, books, philosophy, travels. This is the most of me. When you read a book or watch a movie, imagination is stimulated and new ideas come to mind in a sort of domino effect. I’m a great lover of movies and TV series. Thinking of music like a sort of movie sequence helps me a lot when it comes to composition.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

Instrumental rock for electric violin, keyboards, bass, and drums. No vocals, no guitars. Plus electronics, classical, and world music, topping of progressive metal and a pinch of pop culture. Isn’t that curious enough? [laughs]

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

This is a million dollar question! If I was on a desert island, I would need something complex enough not to get bored after a few uses. I’d say Mozart’s Symphonies, ‘Shining’ for movies, and a good history of philosophy as a book.

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

I much prefer studio, as I feel more like a composer than a performer. Composing is the thing I’m more comfortable with, though I understand that live performance may give new life to the composition.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

When we were touring with our previous album, ‘The Sun is New each Day’, we went to Switzerland, where we had to play at an elevation of 2,000 meters (6,500 ft). We used the snowcat to bring our instruments up there. So cold! But also very fascinating.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

The Fire dancer. It’s my oldest track, dated 1999. It’s been awarded an International Composition prize with Luciano Chailly in the jury.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

In November, we went on tour for the promotion of the album, starting from Japan, where we had 5 concerts. Now, I’ll start composing for our next work.

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

I’d want you to ask me ‘Why do you compose?’,

and I would say ‘So that I don’t need words to answer’ [laughs].

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

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