Obscura x Ïterum - OFF BCN

DJ Ralf

Fedele

Exploring the tension between maximal impact and subliminal experimentation, Fedele presents an uncompromising vision of modernist machine music. His sound fuses the edgy sonic tweaking of electro, the motorik thrust of techno and complex emotional expression which draws on his roots as a trained violinist. Hailing from Bari in Southern Italy, Fedele’s career to date has taken in every dimension of the global dance music megastructure, and yet his direction has always been focused on originality and sincerity. As a young local DJ playing hip-hop, RnB and soul, on a voyage of discovery in the peak 00s years of minimal techno and through to his position as an established international artist, the music comes before everything else. His first steps as an active participant within the techno scene were within live, hardware-powered trio Agents Of Time, which led to releases for Jennifer Cardini’s Correspondant, Maceo Plex’s Ellum Audio, Tale Of Us’ Afterlife and on their own Obscura. In a natural evolution, Fedele forged his own path away from the group, releasing his first solo works on Tiga’s Turbo label and retaining Obscura as a platform for his own productions and those of kindred spirits sharing his creative vision. As Obscura continues to evolve as a label, Fedele equally broadens the possibilities within his own work, maintaining close ties with Ellum Audio and Afterlife, remixing artists such as Stephan Bodzin, nurturing his more experimental electro tendencies as Sharp Felon and exploring other avenues of expression such as live soundtrack work with director Alessandro Piva. The core of his practice remains an intuitive connection to hardware-based production and performance – an expressive extension of his heart and soul transmitted through circuits and wires and out through the system. As well as a producer and live act, Fedele is a prolific DJ found in any of the significant, iconic parties you might care to mention from around the world. It’s telling that some of his many back-to-back experiences are with pioneering titans including Miss Kittin and DJ Hell to name but a few – artists whose sound chimes with Fedele’s own, but crucially those who forged their own paths and set the tone for huge movements within electronic dance music. As that calibre of artist makes their mark through conviction, individuality and perseverance, so Fedele is doing the same.

Spencer Parker

The London-born, Berlin-based artist masterfully straddles a heady mix of house, techno and disco that has seen him become a regular at legendary spots like Panorama Bar/Berghain and Concrete while his output sits in the boxes of DJs like Ryan Elliott, The Black Madonna, DVS1 and Gerd Janson. With a record store background, it’s unsurprising that Parker’s instinct to dig is paired with an unapologetically high standard when it comes to track selection. As a result, he’s a DJ who draws on undiscovered classics as much as he does unreleased material during a typical set. This perfectionist stance spills into his production work too - taut, energetic and often relentless productions released through a select group of outlets including his own Work Them Records and Radio Slave’s Rekids, an imprint he very much considers a home away from home. With a constant desire to keep things fresh, Parker is no stranger to side projects though. Many Spencer Parker edits have graced record store shelves and DJ’s boxes while 2011 saw the initially uncredited itsnotover 12” series launch, becoming a bonafide cult classic before culminating in a CD album release (and critical acclaim) in 2014. 2018 sees Spencer Parker in rare form. His DJ diary continues to grow with the USA, South America and the antipodes adding to an ever evolving and enviable EU rotation. Work Them continues to grow, with Parker fostering new talent like P.Leone and Valya Kan as well as inviting established acts like Rising Sun, DJ Deep, Italojohnson and DJ Fettburger to contribute remixes to his own Different Shapes & Sizes series of 12s. Late 2018 will also see Parker drop his long awaited second LP, the follow up to 2011’s ‘A Gun For Hire’, via the imprint.

Cristina Tosio

Luciano Esse

Arvenn