- A key noise artist gets funky.
- Nino Pedone, the artist better known as Shapednoise, treats sound like a sculptor treats stone. "I like doing really sophisticated sound design," he told us in 2016. "I am not interested in doing really extreme music for the sake of doing really extreme music." That meticulous approach colours his productions, where you'll find moments of beauty between piercing shrieks and blasts of noise. Pedone's bold style has garnered plenty of fans, including some of experimental music's key names—Dominick Fernow, AKA Prurient, released the first Shapednoise album, The Day Of Revenge, through his Hospital Productions label in 2013. In the years since, Pedone has released two albums and a handful of singles, all continuing to hone his brand of vibrant noise. His third album, Aesthesis, lands on Numbers next month.
Many of Pedone's club and festival appearances are live sets, which means we don't often get to hear the music that inspires him. This week's RA podcast, a collection of 28 tracks, gives us an idea. Drawing from modern techno and experimental music, plus classic IDM, it's an intense, often challenging, trip through Pedone's world of noise. It's funkier than what you'll catch Pedone playing live, so settle in let him make you move.
What have you been up to recently?
The last few months have been very demanding as my new album is coming soon on Numbers. I have been working with Pedro Maia on the new A/V show, Aesthesis, which premiered at Atonal last August. It is a live version of the record. I’ve also been working on different sound design projects related to cinema. While doing this I have been focussing on my record labels. In fact, the debut of Shackleton as Tune Of Negation is coming out this week.
How and where was the mix recorded?
The mix was recorded at my studio in Berlin. Regarding how, I'd prefer the music to speak for itself.
Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?
The idea is to showcase a full-on Shapednoise club experience. I like to do eclectic sets and keep things exciting. The selections wander into the rhythmic possibilities of the techno and hardcore continuums while also using noise and abstraction as tools for sonic uproar.
You've lived in Berlin for around eight years. How have the city's techno and experimental scenes evolved in that time?
When I moved to Berlin it was the end of the so-called "minimal" era. The modern dark techno sound Berlin is famous for was exploding. Today things are more exciting, apart from the standard house and techno scene. Thanks to new artists collectives and promoters, the club scene is more varied, interesting and pushing a number of boundaries in sonics and visuals. Also regarding the techno scene itself, new diverse and interesting realities have been created. Regarding the experimental scene, for sure the city has always been very open in giving the possibility to artists to experiment as much as possible and there is growing interest and a good crowd for it.
Earlier this year, you worked with Gabber Eleganza on a soundtrack for the sportswear brand Diadora. How did you approach a project like this?
Alberto and I had been discussing the concept of the project before we started working together. The idea was to create a soundtrack for an art exhibition and audio installation called Ultratempo at Stazione Leopolda in Florence. The concept around the coexistence and sound synthesis of sports activities using field recordings of different and specific moments. For me it was important to apply the extreme sounds of Shapednoise's sound design trademark to these field recordings, sculpting and moulding them in a way that created a cinematic and colorful composition.
What are you up to next?
Pedro Maia and I are planning to tour with the Aesthesis A/V show soon. I would also like to focus more on my own productions, so I'll be spending more time in the studio.
Tracklist01. Tzusing - Circa Taipei
02. Nazar - Warning Shots
03. Modeselektor - Fentanyl
04. HEITH & Weightausend - Mower
05. Slikback - Rage
06. Loraine James - London Ting // Dark As Fuck ft Le3 bLACK
07. SØS Gunver Ryberg - Rabenlandschaft
08. Szare - Miner
09. Rrose - Swallows
10. Neville Watson Dee Sides
11. Le Dom - Primal
12. Daniel Avery - Hyper Detail
13. Caustic Window - Humanoid Must Not Escape
14. Shit and Shine - Acid Minor
15. Naaahhh - My Theme
16. Orson Wells - A Slam Dunx
17. Errorsmith - Never Enough
18. Samuel Kerridge - Possession Control
19. Ossia - Concrete
20. AFX - Fork Rave
21. Mun Sing - Balloon
22. Dj Bloodbath - Dj Bloodbath.1 extended
23. J Tijn - Literal Clownstep
24. Emptyset - Bloom
25. Zuli - Trigger Finger
26. Advanced Audio Research - FYP
27. LOFT - That Hyde Trakk
28. Ghostemane - Mercury