Coffee Break with 19:26
Rising talent 19:26 undoubtedly had a notable year with releases on Fur Coat’s label Oddity, and more recently BOg’s imprint Atlant. The Italian prospect is supported by heavyweights of the industry, who share their love for his productions on a global scale. His style can be defined as melancholic, with the use of uplifting synths and melodies. We were lucky to have a chat with him about the effect the pandemic had on music production, alongside the transition process from being a lawyer to becoming a musician.
Hey Raffa, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. First of all, many may wonder what your artist name ‘19:26 ’ means. Does this name represent something significant in your music or personal life?
Thanks to you Guys for having me!
The choice of "19:26" was not too difficult and reasoned. Indeed, it came quite spontaneously. These are simply my numbers. I believe everyone has his own. These are numbers that have accompanied me since I was a child, it is a bit like a bond. The first time I read it on a mural in Naples, I was maybe 4/5 years old. The last 5 minutes ago on the clock. Many coincidences events are linked to those numbers. But if I have to identify one in particular, I certainly think about the closing time of the minutes of my state exam to become a lawyer. Exactly 19:26. I just know that this series of numbers has always chased me and I chase them. I try to find a meaning. And it is this relationship with time, with an anniversary, a special memory, a misunderstood message that made me choose this name for the project.
Artists come from all sorts of backgrounds prior to dedicating their career to music fully. Could you tell us a bit more about your musical journey?
Yes, I started out of pure passion, when I was about 13. I spent whole days playing in the attic of my house with turntables that my parents gave me.
It's one of those things you just do because you feel it. From there I started working in the first clubs in my area, organizing parties with my friends and things like that... Then in 2008 I moved to another city further north in Italy (Bologna) to enroll in the law university. In those years in the city there was a thriving scene in the field of electronic music. I also chose it for this reason. After completing my university studies, always in the middle between music and law, I felt the need to start producing something of my own. And that decision changed all my plans, because then I realized that I couldn't live without it anymore. So after passing the lawyer exam I started a duo project called "What_if" together with a dear friend of mine, receiving the support of many artists of the scene (Tale of us, Adriatique, Fideles) but never releasing anything. Towards the end of 2019 I started working on my solo project “19:26”. And here we are.
Your relationship with Atlant seems to be growing. Last year you were part of their VA, but also released two EPs and a Radio Show Mix on their imprint. What is your favourite release on the label so far and how did your relationship start with them?
Sure! Atlant has been and is an important point of reference for me and for my music. I've practically followed it since its launch and have always enjoyed their sound, so I decided to send them a pack of demos. From that pack came my first EP "Last lights from Betelgeuse" and the next VA "Voyager II". A good bond was immediately established with BOg and the whole Atlant family. I really like their way of working in the care of some details such as the choice of the artworks, the promotion, the communication. And so the natural evolution of this relationship led to the collaboration between me and BOg for the release of the single "22 Police".
About my overall favorite release of the label I say "Venere".
On the other hand, if I have to choose a release from the ones I made on Atlant I say "Last lights from Betelgeuse", because it was the first of my project.
Every producer has a different work flow and distinctive sound. Is there anything in particular that you feel is part of your signature sound, and do you like to experiment as much as possible in order not to create similar tracks?
This is an interesting question, because sometimes it happened to me to reflect and discuss this aspect. I'm not aware of my signature sound. Many artists, friends, collaborators tell me that I have my own recognizable sound. But if so, I can say for sure that it was not something wanted, pursued. And that doesn't bother me anyway. On the contrary, I definitely like to experiment, I'm always looking for new, different things. I don't think I've ever saved or reused the same synth or kick that I created for previous tracks. I like to start from scratch every time because I love the process.
In your music some captivating and original melodies stand out, how do you write them?
Oh, Thank you so much! Look, honestly it's hard to answer this question, because I often change my approach. There are no rules. For example, sometimes I used to open a project and start playing with synths without a precise idea, trying to create melodies that fit well with the drums and groove. And on other times, however, I have been thinking about a melody, a type of sound in my head, so suddenly and without warning. It rings so clearly to me that I feel like I'm actually listening to it. So I open the daw and in the shortest possible time I try to write it identical, both in its notes and in the design I had imagined.
The majority of your tracks don’t include vocals, appart from a collaboration with BOg. What are your views on adding vocals to melodic tracks and are you more on the side of vocals or non vocals?
Honestly, I have nothing against vocals on the tracks, in fact I really like playing and producing stuff with them. By nature I prefer it, it stimulates me. But it must be really original and quality vocals, whether they are the side or the main elements of the track. And it is not easy to find them with these characteristics. In the case of "22 Police" it was easy to work on a special voice like Ed Begley's. But anyway I can tell you that right now I'm working on an original and a remix, and they both contain vocals.
Classical instruments will never get old and they are often combined with contemporary electronic sounds. Are there any specific classical instruments that you like to implement into your tracks, and what impact does this have on your productions?
As I told you before, I always try to add different elements in my projects. The piano is definitely one of them, along with guitars, harps, etc.
To be honest, I really like playing freely, creating melodies, harmonies without drums and without a specific style or genre goal. And I think that adding these tools to a techno track can certainly open my vision to unexplored worlds. This is often the best move to stimulate inspiration.
Are there any specific artists or musicians that have shaped your vision and the way you produce or DJ?
I listen to a bit of everything, without distinction of genres. From classical music, to rock, to jazz ..
In the field of electronic music in particular I do not miss anything: ambient, trap, EDM, House, techno, acid. Each genre or sub-genre has something, even just a few elements that I appreciate, that enrich me.
And among the many artists who have marked me there is a project that more than the others has changed my mind about underground sound: Prince of Denmark / Dj Metatron / Traumprinz.
You are based in Milan. What impact has the Italian culture had on your career? What do you think of the rapidly growing melodic scene in Italy with artists such as Toto Chiavetta, Musumeci, Glowal and Dodi Palese pushing boundaries further every year?
Well of course, Italian culture has had a strong influence on my way of seeing things, in music as well as in other things. I mean, I was born and raised here and my previous experiences in clubbing also happened mainly in Italy. And I honestly can't tell you how much the growth of the artists you mentioned is due to a real Italian scene to which they belong. I struggle to locate it. You know, in recent years many things have changed. The management of some social and technological problems has now assumed global dimensions. We have seen this with the agreements on the climate emergency and with the current pandemic. And music, especially electronic music, goes in this direction, becoming a global phenomenon, so actually I can identify only a single international scene. But for sure many of the most talented artists around the world are Italian.
DJing and producing are two different forms of creative expression even though they do overlap each other quite frequently. Do you see yourself more as a producer or as a DJ?
I wish I never had to make this choice, but if I had to choose I would tell you that I prefer the production, its process. it is the engine that drives me the most. Often, in some periods when things don't turn out as I would like, I end my sessions frustrated, dejected. But when I wake up the next morning the magic happens, because I wake up with the same enthusiasm and adrenaline of the first day. And it is this aspect that makes me happy. I think that's why we're here talking today.
As for my music, I think it's an essential component of my sets. Basically I produce the music that I would like to play live.
Your recent set for DHA is a very uplifting mix that provides energy with heavy melodic sounds, an hour packed out with tunes. What do you aim to achieve in your sets and do you have different goals compared to when you create music?
Thank you! Certainly the DHA mix represents a lot to me. It was a brave choice, because I decided for the first time to release a mix made with 100% of 19:26 music, with the exception of the closing track which is an edit made 3 years ago with the “What_If” project. I waited some time before proceeding with the publication because you know it is difficult to judge your own stuff, especially in 1 hour set.
And I think actually the process of building a set is not that far from the concept of arranging a track. Indeed I believe that the thinking process is similar, creating the right moments of energy, emotion, silence and contrast.
You're fairly new to the scene however in a short space of 7 months you’ve managed to release on a number of well established labels such as Atlant and Oddity. Many top artists such as Adriatique, Fideles and Tale of Us have been playing your productions which is an achievement in itself. How influential was 2021 for you as a producer and did the lockdown have a profound effect on you taking more time in making music in comparison to other years?
Yes, a large part of my musical project developed in the midst of the pandemic. It was a very productive time for me, and it still is today, but I don't think that's due to the lockdown itself. I mean, it didn't change my habits much. I was a bit of a hermit even before the covid, spending many hours in the studio every day. What affected me, however, was given by what was happening around, a totally new situation for our generations, with daily war bulletins, deserted cities, collapsing economic activities, and therefore despair, fear but also hope and optimism. . A mix of emotions that certainly influenced my music and my mood when I sat down to produce. I felt I could fight the pandemic making music. It was really weird.
Quick fire questions: Club or Festival?
Club
Pizza or Pasta?
Pizza
Inter Milan or AC Milan?
SSC Napoli
House or Techno?
Techno
How do you like your coffee?
Ristretto