Die Schachtel was founded in 2003 out of an idea by Fabio Carboni and Bruno Stucchi, omnivorous listeners with a passion for sound in the broadest and purest sense of the term. Behind some of the decade's most significant releases, the Milan-based label enjoys an enviable reputation on an international scale and embodies an authentic, courageous approach to making records (and more).

Die Schachtel's programmatic mission takes shape through the reissue of "obscure" works by predominantly Italian artists who made a decisive contribution to the shaping of new musical canons (Enore Zaffiri, Franca Sacchi, Domenico Guaccero, Luciano Cilio, Prima Materia, InsiemeMusicaDiversa, etc.), and, through the imprint called "Zeit", the production of emerging musicians engaged in the pursuit of uncharted sonorities (Å, Christa Pfangen, Stefano Pilia, 7k oaks etc.).

In the summer of 2010, "Musica Improvvisa" was born, a massive box set of ten compact discs devoted to as many improvised ensembles, all committed to proving, through the language of electroacoustics, that Italy has nothing to be second to when it comes to originality in musical output. A true summa of the Italian improvised music scene of the early 2000s, the box stands out for its striking packaging and a run of just five hundred copies, which would soon turn it into a genuine cult object.

"Musica Improvvisa" is "an electronic improvisation project, an open dialogue between different musical experiences, narratives and aesthetics, meant to disorient and then re-orient listeners along new sonic paths." The loss of orientation and its recovery are in fact the only means by which the listener can fully enjoy a work in which chance, dissonance and white noise serve as tools to climb back up the slope of one's own listening experience and finally reach an ecstatic silence. The stream of consciousness flowing from the creativity of each artist involved in the project pours straight into the listener's heart, creating a devastating emotional vortex: nothing seems to happen by chance, just as no element seems out of place. Rarely has anything come this close to perfection.

The opus consists of ten full albums, a DVD documenting the improvisational metamorphosis of the ensemble Xubuxue, a twenty-four-page booklet packed with information (in English) about the intentions of each group, and a poster featuring the instantly recognizable artwork of Dinamo Milano studio (the same studio that has always handled Die Schachtel's design).

We had a chat with Fabio Carboni, who revealed a few behind-the-scenes details about the project:

What is "Musica Improvvisa"?

It's a project that brings together the performances of ten freely formed groups, chosen with just as much freedom and without any intention of offering a definitive account of the Italian scene. This is probably also apparent from the variety of sounds and backgrounds found in the box, where everything happened in a very natural way.

What criteria were used to select the artists and musicians who took part?

If I remember correctly, we started thinking about the box set project a couple of years ago, maybe a bit more. Specifically, drummer Fabrizio Spera (of the ensemble Thau, ed.) had sent us some really interesting material, and shortly after that came the Xubuxue record... At that point we asked ourselves, "why not put together a super box set including all this material?" So we went back through the works that had come our way over the previous years and that we felt could work for us; at the same time, the mirage (and that's what it was for a long time) of the box set gave us time to negotiate with the many musicians involved in the project, discussions with some of whom had actually started quite a while before. So it's hard to pin down a precise selection criterion — I'd rather call it a kind of discovery, followed by a mutual (shared) affinity. As we said, the materials and sonic approaches are truly heterogeneous, and the thread connecting these experiences to the label really comes from a series of relationships built up over time but also... improvised ones, which very naturally turned a simple collection into "Musica Improvvisa".

Did the artists and musicians follow specific guidelines, or did they express themselves in complete freedom?

No, no directive was given (I have to say this almost never happens), but there's always a shared moment of discussion, of listening and also of critique about the work being built; it's part of a process that's made together. This is perhaps the moment I prefer most.

Were any cutting-edge recording techniques used?

I'd say no. At least, not that I know of!

What does the Italian improv scene have to offer that's new in 2010?

I really have to wing it here because I wouldn't know how to put it, but I've always had the feeling of being in front of something harmonically and acoustically alive, very much alive, not cerebral, combined with the pure pleasure of listening.

Do you remember any curious anecdotes about the making of "Musica Improvvisa"?

Well, I'd be tempted to answer "the printers' quotes": putting this project together was truly a nightmare! Then again, the record business is like that everywhere…

Which musician involved in this project did you manage to build a particular connection with?

With Dario Sanfilippo (of Amp 2, ed.). I barely know him, but I find him really likeable. He's a genuinely nice guy!

Which of the ten albums featured in "Musica Improvvisa" do you feel personally most attached to?

I'm a song kind of guy, so I'd say the third track on the Xubuxue record, with a strong preference for the middle section.

Your releases are marked by wonderful artwork, instantly recognizable and traceable back to the Die Schachtel stable. Who handles the graphic design?

Bruno! He is the man! The entire graphic development, including the choice of materials and printing techniques, is the work of Bruno Stucchi, friend and partner as well as the other half of Die Schachtel.

Why don't your booklets include a text in Italian?

The premise is that, generally speaking, there's a noticeable lack of Italian presence internationally in contemporary production related to art in general and to music in particular. Die Schachtel was born with a specific vocation towards the Italian scene, both from a historical-archival point of view regarding overlooked avant-gardes, and from that of new productions tied to a younger contemporary scene. The choice to open up to an international audience and market therefore becomes essential: that's why our releases – just like our website – are in English.

Where will it be possible to buy “Musica Improvvisa”?

The temptation to say "in all the best record stores" resurfaces, heheh… No, seriously: you'll be able to buy it online by following this mysterious link.

Are you planning to organize events or concerts to promote the box set?

Well, I do have a few ideas, but they'd be hard to pull off. In any case, I'd love to bring the project back to the stage, even in a condensed form, with the groups formed freely and temporarily, playing without interruption. There was a preview before the box set was even ready, on the occasion of Audiovisiva, on May 28 and 29, 2010, at the Palazzo del Ghiaccio in Milan. Under the very name “Musica Improvvisa” we presented, over two nights, five of the ten freely and temporarily formed groups: Tumble, Ligatura, A Spirale, Amp 2 and Amuleto. But of course, in the fall we'll organize more than one evening with the box set's artists.

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