One of the most eclectic artist on the Italian scene. He climbed the charts with many projects, often working side by side with top artists. In 2008 he decided to give life to his own labels, NuZoneGears and SistemiSolari, that focuses on discovering new talents. Synergy is its style : Sergio "Sygma" Marini releases trance, progressive, techno, with tracks, remixes and collaborations with many artists and labels, reaching once again the most important charts. In 2018 Sygma joins Black Hole Recordings, releasing his single A DEEPER TRUTH, together with actress Anne Hathaway.
His latest release on Zoomer Arashi with Marco Paolo Pierucci aka MaVor is out now.
1-Dimitris: 2023 just started but it will be cool to let us know how was 2022 for your career. Let us know about achievements or goals achieved that you are proud of.
Sergio: 2022 has been an year of transition. I'm proud to have reached many goals with the success of my collaborations with Italian legend Mario Più and German top DJ producer Ronski Speed. With him I released a track named AZURE on Giuseppe Ottaviani's label...Giuseppe played it LIVE ( I mean with keyboards not in a DJ set ) and it has been one of the strongest emotions of my music career. While producing new music I started working on my own tv series named ALLA DISCOTECA. It's a documentary series that talks about clubbing with interviews to really cool artists, it's available now on Prime Video in Italy, soon it will be out worldwide.
2-Dimitris: Do you have already some concrete plans for 2023 and if you are allowed to announce them to our readers please tell us what you are preparing for us in the coming months regarding releases and performances in gigs/festivals.
Sergio: My next music releases are collaborations with more artists. I'll have two new tracks with Mario Più, a cool tech trance with vocals and another track with another legendary DJ producer. And I will probably produce ALLA DISCOTECA season 2.
3-Dimitris: It would be fantastic to talk about your brilliant track AZURE with Ronski Speed. Please tell us how this track came about and what was the idea behind it.
Sergio: I released some remixes but my latest single was AZURE with Ronski Speed, out on Go Music. I had an idea while playing a song from Ron in my radio show. I tried to elaborate this idea and I sent him. He found it really cool and we started working on it together. In his hands the song became something fantastic and Giuseppe Ottaviani was really excited to sign it for his label.
4-Dimitris: How long it takes you to produce a track and can u describe the production process in simple steps?
Sergio: There are no rules. Sometimes I can composes melody in five minutes and then take weeks to find the right "dress" for it ( for example my track GRAHAN ) , sometimes the song is complete and mastered in half an hour. I'm very instinctive.
5-Dimitris: Did you had any particular difficulties accomplishing any of your tracks or any specific production challenges to share with us?
Sergio: A few years ago I released a song in collaboration with actress Anne Hathaway. Yes, the real one, the woman you saw on INTERSTELLAR. I took a sample from a speech she did and we asked to her manager to authorize us to use her voice and her name. She agreed and she has been happy with it! I could not believe it....A DEEPER TRUTH is out on Black Hole.
6- Dimitris: Which music composition software or hardware you prefer and why? What is your opinion of the latest movement to produce music with more analogue equipment and with less or without any digital software?
Sergio: FL studio, Spire, Serum. But you make music with your mind, having good ideas. The stuff you use to produce is a secondary aspect of the process. I haven't heard anything about a comeback of analog stuff...
7-Dimitris: Do you prefer instrumental dance tracks or you adore vocals? Please explain to us your position and if in your latest production you have vocals tell us how did you choose the specific singer and if it was great to work with her/him?
Sergio: I prefer instrumentals but it depends on the main idea of the song. There are vocal tracks that are quite boring...I'm working with a hugely talented singer now, my friend Fra.Gile, we did some stuff together and I'm sure she can do very well in the trance scene.
8-Dimitris: If you really like to produce vocal tracks which vocalist/singer or lyricist on electronic dance music you aspire to work with?
Sergio: I really appreciate Emma Hewitt and Haliene but I can say I already did what I wanted. I released a song with Tiff Lacey years ago, I find her one of the best trance voices ever, and now I want to go on with Fra.Gile to help her finding her deserved place in the scene.
9-Dimitris: Do you believe that artwork on your latest track is good and do you believe that artwork can attract listeners or record buyers? Can you mention the best artwork of a track ever released?
Sergio: I don't think it's so relevant. Nowadays everyone can have a supercool artwork thanks to A.I. ...I remember really catchy artworks on 1605 and on Drumcode releases.
10-Dimitris: In which label your latest release will be? Tell us your opinion about that particular label and your connection with them.
Sergio: My next one will be a collaboration with Mario Più, on the supercool new techno label in the Black Hole family, ZOOMER recordings. It's a really good label and I'm sure it will grow up. This one will be with my real name, while as Sygma I'm about to release the soundtrack of my series ALLA DISCOTECA.
11-Dimitris: Do you have your own record label? if yes tell us when did you set it up, the reasons behind this decision and your top 3 releases on the label so far plus 2 or 3 releases that we should look after from your label.
Sergio: I have more than one. NuZoneGears is a deep and techno label. SistemiSolari is for melodies, trance, edm, progressive. NuZoneRecords is for rap, pop, even nu-metal.
Unfortunately I don't have so much time to work on them , I always wanted to help young talents to start working, dealing with agreements, copyright, publishing companies etc.
Some cool releases on SistemiSolari are a song with Fra.Gile named LIKE FIRE and an EP from myself Sygma, including a cool remix of my track PRANA from Vision X.
12-Dimitris: Are you planning to complete an album or mix compilation soon? if yes please give us all the details about regarding tracks and how will look and sound like?
Sergio: Naah...I'm releasing the soundtrack of my series but I'm not so famous to plan an artist album..😁
13-Dimitris:How much time do you spend promoting yourself in your social media and you see this as essential tool for self promotion and getting bookings too? Which social media is the one that seems to work better for you?
Sergio: Maybe Instagram it's the best now. But I believe social media are not about how good you are but about how much money do you spend on yourself, independently from the quality of your work. I find this horrible.
14-Dimitris: Do you have your own radio show/podcast/twitch stream or Vlog(video blog)? If yes please give us a comment about it and how long it take you to prepare for it and if you are always excited to produce it?
Sergio: I have a weekly radio show named Nightlife sessions and yes I really enjoy producing it.
15-Dimitris: Please share your most funny and most serious incident that happen to you during your DJ performance?
Sergio: Years ago I took the microphone and shouted out how cool Sicily is....but I was not in Sicily...I was in Calabria!!! 😅
16-Dimitris: Are you enjoying to visit music conferences and do you have any plans to attend any of them in 2023:
Sergio: Yes! Planning to be at Sonar in Barcelona and ADE in October.
17-Dimitris: Please note for all the new talents that read this interview to get some inspiration from you any technical tips in relation to your DJing or music productions. Also any piece of personal or music business' advice that has helped you to progress even further and is worth telling to the new upcoming talents.
Sergio: All these answers are on my series ALLA DISCOTECA. But I really believe you have to focus on having good ideas, that's all.
18-Dimitris: Is there a club classic that you would like to remix or rework in 2023? Do you attempt often to do your own bootlegs of classics?
Sergio: I'm planning a rework of a classic in spring ( oh...well now I remember I have to complete the master!!! ) . There are many I wish to remix but only as official remix : CHILDREN by Robert Miles, BORN SLIPPY NUXX by Underworld, PUNK by Ferry Corsten...
I enjoy offering bootlegs in my social channels but they are remixes of trending new pop, rock songs.
19-Dimitris: Vinyl sales are rising and there is strong demand for vinyl releases? What is the reason behind that trend and do you see it as a positive development?
Sergio: I can't believe this. I guess that if you compare the numbers of CDs, mp3s that are around zero, obviously if you sell 20 copies of vinyl it gives the sensation you're selling a lot. But do you really think people have a turntable at home?
20-Dimitris: Many artist right now attempt to come closer to their fan base and use the meta verse in order to offer exclusive content to their most dedicated followers. Do you have any plans to do the same and what is your opinion about this plan to grow on metaverse?
Sergio: Yes I have. Top secret for now.
21-Dimitris: Do you believe that music genres or styles are still relevant today? What is your opinion about hybrids and artists attempting to mix influences from various genres in their tracks?
Sergio: I think styles are irrelevant. I never thought you should play one music genre independently of the quality. You have to focus on good music and forget about style, genres and categories.
22-Dimitris: Finally tell us if you are able to make a leaving out of your music business (DJ/producer/label owner/teaching or mastering tracks) and if not what other jobs are you doing in order to make a decent leaving?
Sergio: I can not survive with my music brands only. I work as ghost producer and I have some family incomes. But nowadays if you think to have a career in the music business you have only one chance : to be rich.
Dimitris: Your message & wishes for Flux Bpm Online readers.
Sergio: Thank you guys! And be ready to check my series ALLA DISCOTECA, it will be available soon for foreign countries.
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