Interview with T4L about their album Biogenesis

Interview with T4L for their album “Biogenesis”

Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias “Flux Bpm On The Move”

T4L, aka the Italian producers Alessandro Carusi and Manuel Toso, have been active in the industry for nearly six years. Passion for electronic music and their friendship created T4L as a project in November 2004. Their first ever release was “Moonwalk/Perfect Blend” on the famous In Trance We Trust label. Many singles followed and after Tiësto secured the T4L remix of “Nyana” for his “Just Be Remixed” album, they quickly rose to fame and now the boys finally present their debut artist album, entitled “Biogenesis”.

Those who followed the career of T4L will still remember another early single, entitled “Overland”, which they released on Dedicated Records and of course the remixes they made, for instance, for DJ Jurgen’s “Wicked Waves”, Team SR’s “Leaving London” and Daniel Wanrooy’s “Ocean Terrace”. Over the past year, the Italian producers delivered many more singles like “Biogenesis”, which was used on the DJ SL’s Nordic Edition of In Trance we Trust and “Alternative Route”, “V.I.P” and “Carved”, which successively all found their way to the three editions Mr Sam’s “Opus” mix compilations.

Thanks to T4L’s own dedication and the constant quality of their productions, a real artist album was only a logical step. And based on the support from DJs and acts like Cosmic Gate, Paul van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Tiësto, Armin Van Buuren, Sasha, Judge Jules, M.I.K.E, Above & Beyond and many, many more, it was not a moment too soon. “Biogenesis” features a wide variety of grade-A trance music and not only features the hits “Biogenesis”, “Alternative Route”, “V.I.P” and “Carved” but also the superb “Nibiru 2012”, “Moments Are Forever” and a stunning collaboration with the lovely Esmaye, who does the vocals on “Fragile”.

If you look around at the most important and credible trance forums you will find very positive and encouraging remarks from the trance fans about this excellent album, so it’s the best time to request an interview from the fantastic Italian duo and talk about the beginning of that project, the progress of their career through to the making of “Biogenesis”. Prepare your favorite Italian food and tasty Italian wine and indulge yourself in the deep reading of this interview.

Dimitri: First off, I would like to know when and where you were born and your star sign. Do you believe that horoscopes reveal some kind of truth or do you believe that each person drives its destiny and there is not something like fate that can be read in the stars?

Alex: I was born in Rome 31 years ago, Aquarius. I believe in God and I read the Horoscopes just out for curiosity. I do believe that man is the master of his own destiny so here I am, trying to make mine.

Manuel: I was born in Rome on the 22th of June 1981 and I am Cancer. I don’t know if the stars can drive our destiny but for sure there is a destiny for everyone and maybe the stars can influence it.

Dimitri: You are coming from a Mediterranean country that is blessed with natural beauty and great contribution in the music industry with big international pop stars like Eros Ramazotti and dance stars as well like Cappella or Mauro Picotto. From the Italian electronic dance music producers, who are the ones that you admire most and why?
T4L: Mauro Picotto. We’ve been inspired by all his work, he’s been able to evolve his style throughout the years keeping the quality of his productions at top level.

Dimitri: I wonder how the club scene is at the moment in Italy. Do you have many clubs where international DJ stars are performing regularly and is there a style of electronic dance music that Italians like more? Is there a substantial trance scene that can make this style grow?

T4L: At this time what Italians like the most is house and electronic music and luckily there’s plenty of clubs where the “big” ones play. The trance scene is finding it very hard to get on surface, most of it is played in the north of Italy but recently it seem that something is happening... So yeah, let’s hope for it!

Dimitri: It will be great to let us know under what circumstances you met each other and why you decided to get involved in electronic dance music production and particularly trance?

Alex: We met each other in a record shop, back in 2000. We were both working at different things at that time; I (Alex) was working for a radio station in Rome and on solo projects while he (Manuel) was working with another guy on hard trance music. Coming basically from the same musical background we immediately shared our passion for trance music. After we arranged our first productions together we understood straight away that we should have aimed for something bigger.

Dimitri: Music is certainly something very subjective and for that reason has different impact on each person. I wonder what “Trance” music means to you and if you can give us some arguments about the superiority of trance music in contrast with other EDM styles.

T4L: We don’t think like that: in our opinion there isn’t a superior style, there are many and each one has its own characteristics. Music has no boundaries, people need to label it... But we love trance music because it gives us good vibrations.

Dimitri: Did you have formal training as music composers or you are 100% self-taught? Do you feel that it’s essential for a dance music composer to come from a formal music production course or do you think it’s not vital nowadays as many young people learn by themselves how to do it by watching training videos on you tube?

Alex: 100% self-made, also because when I started, there wasn’t a proper school for it and no YouTube at all! I took was guitar lessons for a couple of years but I wouldn’t call it “formal training”! It’s not essential if I got to this point but it can make your life easier! For example Tutorial Videos nowadays can really help you learning the basics of the main sequencers around.

Manuel: self-made as Alex. Through the years you feel that you have to always do better and your sound becomes more mature but there isn’t a proper school to learn it; you have to spend time on your things.

Dimitri: Your first ever release was “Moonwalk/Perfect Blend” on the famous In Trance We Trust label at Black Hole recordings. How did you manage to attract the attention of that trendsetting label and see your tracks released on it?

T4L: We posted a Nyana remix to Black Hole for fun and, just like a miracle, Tiësto loved it! From that moment on we kept posting other tracks to them.

Dimitri: Of course you did a remix for Tiësto that was released on his “Just Be Remixed” album. How did you feel when he asked you to do a remix from him and what is your opinion about his contribution in the global electronic music scene and his decision to abandon his trance roots to discover new more epic progressive house territories?

T4L: Nyana was one of our first tracks finished in the studio. We did it because we loved it from the beginning and wasn’t released as single so we decided to approach this remix. The story behind the true release is very funny. We sent the Nyana remix a couple of days before the second Tiësto In Concert. We went to the event and while we were waiting at the airport we couldn’t check our email inbox because of an Internet connection problem. When we got back from Holland 2 days later we finally got to check the emails and we found an email for Black Hole asking if Tiësto could play our remix because he was “pleasantly surprised” by our work. Can you imagine how we felt? Missing the chance to listen to your own track played by the best DJ on the planet at the best event at that time? It left us speechless for 30 minutes with a big headache!

Dimitri: You cooperated quite close with the French trance superstar Mr Sam. How did this collaboration come about and are you going to carry on working with him in future projects?

Alex: I went to Misteryland, that’s when I first saw Mr. Sam. I had such a good feeling about him so when I got back to Rome I spoke with Manuel about the feeling I had and he agreed with me to send him an email asking for his feedback on our tracks and that’s how everything started. At the moment we’re all working on our own stuff but who knows what the future holds...

Dimitri: Let us move on to your excellent album “Biogenesis”. Many people comment really positively on it and even write on well-known forums that it should be considered one of the best albums of the year. Now that the album is out, do you feel 100% about the final track listing and the overall feeling of it?

T4L: 1000% we’d say! We’ve made more than 20 tracks for it but we just wanted to make sure to keep the average quality of each track as high as possible so we’ve cut it down to 12 tracks.

Dimitri: How long did it take you to complete it and do you have a funny or a serious story to tell us that happened to you while you were producing the album?

T4L: We’ve spent over 3 years on this album and that gave us the time to understand how well the work was done. We’re very proud of it!

Dimitri: Is it possible to describe the studio where you produced the album for us? What kind of hardware and software do you like to use and do you have any advice to any aspiring producers on how to start producing trance music in particular?

T4L: A very simple environment. As hardware: mixer, pc and Virus TI. As software: several VST, especially Native Instruments stuff and Rob Papen stuff. We believe that the number of VST plugins and hardware you have got is not so important; what makes the difference is “what” you compose. Can we give some advice to the newcomers? Yes: don’t waste too much time chasing the latest technology, but get some good inspiration!

Dimitri: It will be great to take go on virtual tour through this fantastic album and give us a short comment about each track of the album and what it means for you, about the production or anything else that you would like to say.

01. Like A Chord
T4L: The masterpiece of this album, we love it!

02. Alternative Route
T4L: Paul Van Dyk and Sasha like it so that speaks louder than words...

03. Sensation
T4L: That’s the type of uplifting trance we like to listen to when we are at a big event.

04. Biogenesis
T4L: A fusion of styles: trance-techno-progressive.

05. Nibiru 2012
T4L: It sounds so loud in the club; it gives me shivers!

06. Carved (with Mr Sam featuring Tiff Lacey) (Trance Mix)
T4L: A banging trance vocal track we’ve arranged just for this album.

07. Moments Are Forever
T4L: Old style trance with a hint of techno. We got inspired by the old times when we first went clubbing.

08. Fragile (featuring Esmaye)
T4L: The only down tempo track of the album, it gives you a great chill out feel.

09. V.I.P.
T4L: Dark and captivating...

10. Voyager
T4L: A train ride everyone should try.

11. Haunting
T4L: Best club track on the album, a mix of climax and a powerful groove.

12. Mediterraneo
T4L: Again, uplifting track with an Italian approach.

Dimitri: On this great album you work with the lovely ladies of trance, Tiff Lacey and Esmaye. I wonder if you are in favor of instrumental or trance tracks and what is your opinion about those who believe that vocals add poppy ore “cheesy” edge to trance?

T4L: They’re right, there’s nothing wrong about it but we rather play and dance to instrumental tracks.

Dimitri: Are you going to tour the world supporting the release of the album? Do you have events confirmed so far and in which places did you perform so far?

T4L: There’s nothing planned like a tour at the moment, we have some gigs in Italy with some international artists. For the rest we’re just considering some bookings so... Stay tuned!

Dimitri: If a club promoter decides to book you, what kind of a show and DJ set can they expect from you? Is it a back 2 back DJ set or do you perform your music live with synths and laptops?

T4L: A back 2 back DJ set performing an emotional journey through a techno-trance fusion.

Dimitri: Do you actively use Internet and do you take part in the well-known social networks like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace? Do you see Internet as a crucial medium in the progress of the career of music producers?

T4L: We’re Internet addicts! Definitely on all of the social networks, you must be on it nowadays. It’s an important place where you can display your work and it’s an essential portal where you can interact with fans, DJs and labels.

Dimitri: What other things do you enjoy except producing and listening to music of course?

Alex: Simple things: sports, excursions in the mountains, reading books, meet up with mates, etc.

Manuel: almost the same things ;-)

Dimitri: Is their life after “Biogenesis” -Let’s finish with your future projects after that great album: are there any forthcoming remixes or collaborations coming up in the near future?

T4L: Well, there’s something in the pot but I can’t say too much yet...

Dimitri: Lastly, what is your opinion about the online radio stations and their positive contribution to sustain a global audience for dance music?

T4L: “Spread the word” as some say, we like that. They can bring trance music everywhere, even to those places where there aren’t big venues or small clubs. It also shortens the distance between DJs and fans through support and feedback.

Dimitri: Please give us your message to our web site visitors that spent some time to read this interview.

T4L: We got to this stage motivated by all of you. Thanks for your passion in trance music. We’ll see you around.

Many thanks to Alessandro Carusi and Manuel Toso aka T4L for their great answers and their fantastic compositions that put international dance floors on fire.

Many thanks to Jeroen for his fantastic assistance to organize this great interview.

Many thanks to Mark for his great support in my radio shows with fantastic timeless releases.