The second instalment of brand new WWD mix series 5 for 15 is here! Following on from a stellar Di Chiara Brothers performance last week, we take things deeper with one of Italy’s most impressive producers in 2014. He’s a man who’s tracks have garnered attention from every corner of the globe in the last twelve months, winning the plaudits and welcome of renowned imprints such as Parquet, Anjunadeep and Steyoyoke. He is of course Whomi! 2014 has been a massive year for the producer, who’s deep, enchanting tunes have found their way into the sets of some major players, which include the likes of Mano Le Tough, Hunter/Game & John Digweed. With a big 2015 clearly on the cards, we were emplored to have him join us in the hotseat for a tasty mix and a little Q&A action. It’s all below, enjoy!
WWD : Stefano, thanks for stopping by! Where are you right now and what have you been upto this week?
Whomi : Hi everyone and Thanks WWD for the feature!
I’m in Bergamo – Italy right now, my hometown, and I just got home from a gig in Berlin (Steyoyoke party at Kosmonaut, back to back with my studio mate Skena)
It was a busy week. I worked on new music, I sold my Moog Minitaur Synth (so sad… but I really want the new Moog Sub 37, so the Minitaur will become useless), switched to Logic X, passed some days with parents for Christmas and spent two wonderful days in Berlin, one day to play and one day to enjoy the city.
WWD : 2014 has been a big breakout year for you, what have been the standout moments?
Whomi : Yeah, 2014 was a very good year! It’s just the second year for me in the underground electronic music scene, but I passed so many beautiful moments.
I produced my first EP ( Roads / Near Walls EP on Parquet Recordings), I took a plane for playing my music in a real gig for the first time, got a residency in Amsterdam at La Rêve events, received some great remix requests,and the most important thing for me: my music has been played, charted and loved by some of my favourite artists and mentors / guru in the scene.
WWD : You finished November jamming with Maceo Plex in your hometown. That must have been a
special moment. Did you enjoy it?
Whomi : I really enjoyed it. I played back to back with Skena again, in a club in our hometown where we spent basically every saturday night back in the years, so it was a very special moment.
The night was awesome, tickets went sold-out and Maceo did a terrific set. He is a tremendously skilled artist and very kind person.
WWD : You’ve been hammering away at a new EP this month, can you tell us about it?
Whomi : I have a new tune of mine going around since March 2014 which finally caught the attention of some great artists. The Maeve crew (Baikal, Mano Le Tough, The Drifter) is playing it since June, Marcus Worgull is also playing it in his sets. I think it’s a quite good track and I want to release it as my second EP, so i passed the last 4 months trying to do a great b-side tune to complete the package.
I know, it’s a long time, but It’s very hard for me because it’s a bit different to my usual music. I’m also really slow in producing music for the reason that music has to came spontaneously, just for fun, because i feel it and because I want it, when I’m ready and when I’m in the right mood for doing it. By the way, after 20 drafts and trashed snippets, it seems that I found a right idea only the last week.
At the same time, i’m working on the second EP on Parquet and a third one on Anjunadeep, but I’m taking my time, for the reason i said before!
WWD : You’ve put a little mix together for us, what will we find in there?
Whomi : In my mix you can find some great tracks and remixes by Kris Davis, Hunter/Game, Benotmane, Stimming, Kiasmos and others. But let me say some words on track number three, five and six.
Number three: an old unreleased track of mine. It’s called Pale Runs The Ghost, which basically is a track that i won’t release. it’s just for my sets, for my own pleasure. It also needs some serious fixes if I’ll decide to release it. I’m not totally happy with it but it’s working well on dancefloors and podcasts.
Number five and six are my two favourite songs of the mix.
At minute 30:00, number five, you can check out the terrific remix by Kris Davis for Affect – Akaria, coming out in January on Save Us Records. When Hrvoje (the labelboss) sent it to me I was just speechless and I stood motionless on my chair listening to it from the first to the last second.
Number six is a new beautiful remix by Martin Roth. Unfortunately I don’t know any details and I don’t know when or if it is going to be released. I just know that it is constantly on-repeat on my iTunes!
WWD : We’re about to close out the year, what was you favourite record in 2014?
Whomi : I really can’t choose a best one.
Probably, i would say the new Kiasmos album. I jealously keep the limited edition white vinyl on the shelf in my home studio. New Thom Yorke is also big. it was independently released via bitTorrent, which is very cool and impressive for nerd people like me.
Levo by Recondite was also great and unforgettable. I firstly heard it at Circoloco DC10 in Ibiza last summer played by Tale Of Us as the closing track of the night. Epic moment.
WWD : Most impressive live performance you’ve witnessed?
Whomi : I’m not a big fan of live electronic dance music performances. Nothing is comparable to the Radiohead live show in Firenze back in 2012. You are speaking with an old guitar player, so with the word “live” i mean a very different thing from some “live” performances I’m seeing in clubs. By the way i never attended a live show by KiNK or David August which i’m sure they will totally change my opinion forever.
WWD : 3 guys you expect to turn heads in 2015?
Whomi : I have one. Kris Davis. 100%!
WWD : Lastly, what’s the schedule looking like for the new year in terms of releases and shows? any big dates we should look out for?
Whomi : Nothing definitive, but expect the new EPs I mentioned before. I’m also very looking forward to play to an event in Amsterdam in May. A festival hosted by La Rêve! The line up is secret for now but it will be HUGE, trust me!
Follow Whomi :
Facebook: www.facebook.com/whomimusic
Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/whomi
Twitter: @whomimusic
Web: www.whomimusic.com