Combining aggressive sound design with hypnotic grooves and melodies, Massano’s rapid rise in the melodic techno scene continues to accelerate. Hailing from the outskirts of a thriving electronic music culture in Liverpool, Massano burst onto the scene with his first releases on Running Clouds; Velocità and The Feeling, gaining major support from widely known DJs. Following this initial recognition, Massano proved himself as an established artist by featuring in Afterlife’s Unity 2 compilation and later releasing EPs on top labels Afterlife and Oddity. His debut Afterlife EP ‘In My System’ received huge support and performed incredibly well on Beatport, with the EP reaching number 1 in the Beatport releases chart, Drown reaching the top 10 of all genres, and all 4 tracks reaching the top 5 of the melodic house & techno charts. He further grew his network by releasing on recognised labels such as Atlant, Eleatics and his own imprint Eternity Sounds. Whilst gaining frequent support from DJs like Tale Of Us, Mind Against, Mathame, Camelphat and Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1.

Furthermore, Massano has proven his DJ skills to match his producing, playing in some of the most famous venues around the world, including Afterlife Tulum & Printworks, Wembley Arena, the Orange Velodrome & Circus Liverpool, playing alongside the likes of Tale Of Us, Camelphat, Stephan Bodzin, Anna and Mind Against and Recondite to name a few. Along with having his mixes featured by Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 and Tomorrowland’s One World Radio.

WWD: Hi Massano, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today! Before we chat about the present, let’s start off by digging into your past a bit. What personally drew you to the electronic music scene and who were some of the first dance music artists you ever listened to?

I think I was lucky to grow up in a time when electronic music became recognised, being featured more and more in the charts. I remember as a child my dad used to play me the music of Faithless and The Prodigy, so I was around electronic music from an early age. My first ever concert was actually Faithless when I was 11! In high school I always loved electronic music but did not really take a strong interest until college, when I started listening a lot to music from Drumcode artists, Camelphat, Eric Prydz and then shortly after, Afterlife, Tale Of Us, Artbat etc. The latter came from listening to Pete Tong on a weekly basis and hearing him play their music, instantly falling in love with it and feeling the desire to produce music like them.

WWD: Was there a specific moment that caused you to pursue a career in music? And what led you to choosing the name ‘Massano’ for this project?

It was when I was in university, I was considering different fields that I wanted to pursue a career in and I thought that there was nothing I had more interest in than music. So at this point I started pursuing a career in music in any area, even applying for internships in more management or marketing focussed areas of music. I loved producing music but I never expected to get to this level where I could work full time doing what I love, so I feel very grateful to be in this position. The name Massano came from a brainstorming session where I wrote down lots of alternatives, coming from anagrams of my name or things that were important to me. In the end I liked the sound of Massano and thought that it fit the style of music that I produce.

WWD: For anyone who is just getting into your sound, what are some things you would like future fans to know about Massano?

I’m not sure I really understand this question but I’d like to think people see my music as innovative, in a style that they have never heard before, making them feel powerful and united with other people. I’d like to think people see my style as forward thinking, always trying to improve and develop the next big sound trends, rather than follow them.

WWD: Congratulations on your recent ‘In My System’ EP!  Can you speak a little bit about the initial inspiration for this EP and what the production process was like? 

System and Odyssey were 2 creations that came just after lockdown when I started to tour again. I used lockdown to develop my melodic skills, producing more floaty and chilled tracks and then when lockdown ended I was ready to produce the energetic club bangers again. I think this is evident in this EP because they combine emotive, euphoric breaks with aggressive and powerful drops, that really help to create a memorable moment on the dancefloor. For the Drown remix I made this just after Christmas before going to Tulum for the Afterlife show, I wanted to do this remix because I felt that with this vocal I could create something that would really resonate with people. The idea for the track was to include many memorable sounds, combining analog acid sounds with modern, metallic sounds. When I first finished the track, I wasn’t 100% sure if I liked it but then after seeing peoples reactions in Tulum I knew I was onto a hit.

WWD: If you had to choose one track that would best describe the Massano sound, which one would it be and why?

I think its clear to see how my sound has developed over the last couple of years, obviously The Feeling has been my biggest hit so far and I think this demonstrates my innovative style. But I think the best reflection of my current sound is Drown, because I love how many big sounds it features, really helping to captivate the listener throughout.

WWD: What attached you to Afterlife as a label partner for your music?

I think they are also an innovative label always looking for the next big sound, and they saw the potential in me and trusted me, helping me to grow with them.

WWD: Have you received feedback from other artists on your EP and do you often find it helpful to test your music with other artists before it gets released?

Yes lots! I have a close circle of friends that I always send my tracks to for feedback which always helps but I think the biggest help is testing it in the clubs and seeing peoples reactions.

WWD: When you dive into a new production, do you like to form a game plan upfront or do you let the process happen organically? What does your studio process look like for a regular studio session?

It varies really, sometimes I go into a session thinking “I want a track for this purpose” and others I just go in, randomly start creating sounds and see where it goes. I find both can be work well but I think the second often comes out with more creative ideas, even if not usable for that track, they always help to keep developing my sound.

WWD: Looking to the future, how would you like to see yourself grow as an act? Any significant goals you are currently striving towards?

I would love to be on the same level profile wise as the industry leaders, and be recognisable for developing my own style or genre like many of the biggest artists have. I also hope to in the future have my own label and events where I am able to freely release and support the music I love with my own audience.

WWD: If you could go back to the very first gig you ever played and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t worry, everyone makes mistakes. As long as the music keeps going, the audience doesn’t care, if you make a mistake just laugh it off and the audience will laugh with you.

WWD: Finally, who are some artists that you’re currently listening to that you think we should keep an eye out for?

I love the music of David Lindmer, Un:said, Raphael Mader, Mark Hoffen and Kalmer.