Fenoaltea - The Sound of Palermo

We meet Mauro, aka Fenoaltea, in the offices of Scomodo, a hub of cultural and community activity in the Capital. He's just back from a live show in Palermo, and despite his tiredness and young age, he takes his time, the right amount of time, to choose the right words to describe his outlook on electronic music and on the changing climate around it.

You're very young, I'm almost afraid to ask, how and when did you start?

My first approach was almost accidental, when I was sixteen, my dad gave me a copy of Djmag magazine and in doing so unwittingly introduced me to the world of DJs. That universe got me hooked right away, and once I realized it wasn't just about playing tracks but also making music, it became clear to me that this was exactly what I wanted to do: get people dancing by producing my own tracks.

And what influenced you the most at the start?

Definitely the electronic scene on Soundcloud; Muramasa, Flume and all these young artists who uploaded music in such a fluid, accessible way come to mind. It's an incredible platform where listeners could have direct contact with the artist, there were no degrees of separation, and anyone could upload their own tracks, even unfinished ones. That universe gave me a way in to discover, and then dig deeper into, the genre I play now.

Speaking of accessibility and music outreach, you recently played for Radio Raheem as well…

Yes, I played for them the day before "Amunì" came out. When I got the offer, I said yes right away because I'm a fan of the project and of web radio in general. It's a place where DJ sets are made to share musical culture, not just to get people dancing. I like that it's a space dedicated to listening to music, where the DJ's selection introduces you not just to tracks but to a whole sonic universe you knew nothing about until that moment.

Let's talk about your EP: "Ti fa ballari e ti fa chianciri" is a tribute to Palermo — was there a particular feeling you wanted to convey?

The title, "Ti fa ballari e ti fa chianciri," was meant to be representative of the city, almost like a slogan, because Palermo makes you cry but it also makes you dance. The intro and outro are much more emotional, while the three middle tracks are more driving. Since it's electronic music, it's definitely harder to convey a direct message. What I tried to do was produce tracks where the mood of the music also reflects the mood of the word. For example, "Amunì" is the fastest, most driving track, while "Ruci" is the sweetest one. I tried to play with that ambivalence.

Was the intention to convey an image as well as a sound?

I wanted to describe the city both visually and sonically, and to some extent I wanted to reinterpret it. Because I know Palermo doesn't play electronic music, but I'm sure that if it did, it would sound like this. This EP is my vision of electronic music in Palermo.

So it's an interpretation of how the city resonates?

Yes, absolutely. In recent years Palermo has opened up to new kinds of sounds. I noticed it during live shows — it's almost like a demand, a need felt by people on the dancefloor. In fact, so many collectives have sprung up in Palermo bringing in music that used to be inaccessible in the city, like UK garage or drum and bass. And as a result, this creates an audience that welcomes and at the same time demands new musical stimuli.

And what do you think that's down to?

I think it's because the people who stayed in the city want to shake things up, want to push things forward, trying to break through the stagnant air you can still feel in much of Sicily. And it's great, because I noticed it at the live show I did in Palermo not long ago, where there were so many people wanting to discover and dance to a new kind of electronic music. I think a lot of people in Palermo and Sicily have seen themselves reflected in this project, and so they engage and actively take part in every night out, helping it grow.

Let's talk more about the EP: where do the samples in "Santa Lucia" come from?

I found out just yesterday (laughs). On my computer I have an audio folder full of samples, some I find and some I make myself. About three years ago I sampled this audio from an Instagram video, very quickly, without noting down the source. I'd simply heard these phrases and recorded them on instinct, and then years later I used them in producing the track. During the live show in Palermo, a girl came up to me and told me it was her original video. It was a reel about the feast of Santa Lucia, a day that's deeply felt, blending the city's culinary traditions with social themes. Personally, it's also a date I'm very attached to, because it's my brother's birthday. And in fact the final audio is a recording of a phone call between my grandmother and my brother, where she's upset because it's his birthday, and it's also the day of Santa Lucia, and she can't make him arancini because he no longer lives in Palermo. And so, with that audio, the EP closes, like a circle.

Do you think Palermo influences your music?

Definitely, and I realized it the moment I decided to make "Amunì." I'd moved away years before, and yet this word had gotten stuck in my head — it was so powerful that, in my opinion, it could be lifted right out of Sicily. In fact it's a song that's been listened to a lot abroad too, by an audience that appreciated it even without understanding what it meant. It stayed a beautiful word to listen to. And that's exactly where the influence comes from — for twenty years I heard someone telling me "Amunì, Amunì muviti… Amunì spicciati." And three years after moving to Bologna, the first thing that came to mind was: I have to use the word "Amunì."

On that note, how do you create your tracks?

I need to live through a whole set of experiences before going back home, opening my laptop and starting to produce a song. The reverse method of just producing doesn't work for me. My approach to production is more punk, more freestyle, I do other things in life, then I come home and an idea hits me.

Do you often go out to listen to other people's sets?

Not that often, to be honest, whereas at home I listen to a huge amount of music, not just electronic, but lots of different genres. Mainly I listen to ambient or progressive or indie. And that's exactly how ideas come to me, by feeding on completely different things.

Playing live, have you noticed differences in the audience from city to city?

As far as the tracks "Amunnì" and "Ammutta" go, I've always noticed the same reaction, people respond really happily, which is wonderful. I also tried playing "Santa Lucia" live, on a rooftop in Palermo at sunset, and it was a really emotional moment of empathy and sharing. I think on a mainstage at one in the morning it would have had a different effect (laughs).

What do you think of the Italian electronic scene?

I've noticed that lately there's been a huge amount of Italian electronic music being produced, it's finally taken off and it's really cool. Maybe the only thing that bothers me is that it seems like there's a lot of focus on making it sound like it does abroad, people even talk about Italian Uk garage, but to me that's a contradiction in terms. It would be nice to talk about Italian electronic music. There are so many interesting things with Italian inspirations that should be used as a reference point, without having to look abroad. Lately there's a real buzz of young people, even unknown ones, who are really talented, and it's a shame to have to make comparisons with other countries, even though I do recognize that the dominant culture is British.

There's a real ferment right now of young people making electronic music and changing the scene a bit, don't you think?

There are so many really talented ones, Camo comes to mind, there's Giorgio, Pentola, but looking back I also think of Populous, Krookers and many others. We've had, and we still have, so many people making electronic music, and making it well, with real involvement and in a way that draws you in.

Is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with?

Right now I couldn't say, but a collaboration I care about a lot just came out, with Camoufly. I met him as a fan at a night out a few years ago, over time we became very good friends, and the track we made together, "glory" (released on May 2nd), came about completely by chance. I simply sent him a demo one day, just to share it, with no idea of a joint project, he found it interesting and then we built the track together from there.

How's the tour going?

What's happening is beautiful, the response from people in Palermo to the project has been lovely, but so has the response outside Sicily, outside Italy. I'm really happy about it.

Was there a moment when you realized you were becoming successful?

No, and even now that moment hasn't come. Also because when I'm not playing, I'm working. And when I play live, I'm very focused, so maybe I don't fully register how well the live show is going. The people around me have to remind me that everything's going well.

Does the musical project need to have an intrinsic meaning for you, beyond just being a passion?

I'm very critical of myself, because I care a lot about what I do. Making music has been a way to communicate something, to let a feeling out. Taking the instrumental side and producing my own tracks, as a project, not just for others, putting that instrumental element front and center, I think that's emblematic of my need to express myself. With this EP I was able to do it directly, because I went through every emotion; it was romantic, funny, sad. It was pretty much everything.

(May 12, 2025)

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