PIETRO CASELLA: SHAPING AN ICONYC FUTURE

Exuding that classical Italian-made confidence, Pietro Casella has abruptly risen through the ranks in the electronic dance music industry. Despite being just 27, Casella is smart beyond his years and has already spearheaded brands such as Adriatique’s Siamese to the upper echelons of the circuit. Now, back in Milan following a formative stint in the cold nights of London, Pietro is a precocious visionnaire called to imagine an exciting tomorrow for John Johnson’s ICONYC as its new A&R in this new phase for the imprint.

Join Type < / 01 Magazine for a distended conversation with the reserved, yet poignant Pietro Casella as we link up to discuss the future of ICONYC, his understanding of electronic dance music, views on the current state of the industry, limiting inspiration, and more.

Thank you for being with us Pietro. Are you ready? Let’s take this one all the way back to its origins…How and when did you first come in contact with electronic dance music? What was it about it that caught your attention?

There wasn't really a specific moment or situation that I am able to recollect now, yet what I have always been able to track was indeed a method, a personal approach, my way to engage with music in general from the very beginning till now. Furthermore, I must say the emotive exchange with the subject has also remained intact and intense through time. I guess, the focus on electronic music and its multiple shades eventually just settled and narrowed definitely after quite some different musical phases I went through, which were very far from one another and totally disconnected, but in some way turned out to result complementary and precious for my actual knowledge, which continuously shapes.

Through the years, surely something came from a more direct and physical approach, such as clubbing or personal sensorial experiences, but I'd say that most of the feelings, both positive and negative, the passion, the curiosity, and a sort of necessity I feel towards music still just develops within myself, in a very introversive way. I just never really feel satiated, neither in control nor dominant about it, as in a continuous yet beautiful sort of submission to this art, specifically.

Are those feelings still there? Or have your views on electronic dance music changed over the years as you dove deeper into the industry?

Tough one. As said before, feelings are somehow just untouched and undamaged and still a valid reason for me to pursue this in whatever possible way, including the professional one. Honestly, what's been changing for me are just the sources or specific scenarios that allow me to consume my emotions, whatever they are in the moment.

Regarding the actual scene, I am totally aware that things are and must be happening on a larger scale than ever before or that I was used to. However, it often does occur to me to remember the recent past with a sort of melancholy and I still tend to enjoy the more intimate sides of it. I would say that work, thinking through the creative process, and all that happens behind the curtains are surely included there.

We do seem to cling to the past more often than not…Are you aware when this happens to you? Do you automatically tend to discard the past when trying to look forward?

Well, the comparison is always there. I mean, if you’re not doing well at the moment, but you look back to “happier” days, then, yeah, that’s probably going to affect you. In a way, I’m always tied up to the past. I do try to move forward, but, eventually, I’ll return to that which was good for me. Like music. I always listen to the new stuff but might find myself stuck to an old record. I think it's about how we can tie and connect things from the past back to the future.

Everything moves so fast these days that I don’t think that we have time to appreciate or understand the present, and it kind of slips from our hands. I tend to suffer from this, so things like retrospect are good tools that add value to what we do.

Speaking about understanding the present…You have already managed some top-tier brands. So, what was it that drew you to ICONYC?

Embracing the ICONYC project felt quite natural and smooth to me. Circumstances might change around us, but I think in this field, keeping intrigued and stimulated is the key. As renovation is one of the label's focal points for the future, that's basically where my needs and wants match with the other part. I am very grateful and pleased to take up this opportunity.

And now you’re poised to usher in a new era for ICONYC. What’s your vision for the future of the label?

In the very end, it is all about making records and music. From my side, it's about stating my vision through something that does not belong to me directly and at the same time giving back a suitable and dedicated space for talented artists to express their vision. I really hope that anyone who interacts or works with ICONYC will be able to feel that.

So, how would you like people to perceive ICONYC in the coming months?

In a way, this ties back to the approach I take. For now, I can tell you that every release will be different from the last. However, there is a phantom thread connecting what we have planned. The main idea is to push music that is both functional to the dancefloor, and something that could be understood and appreciated by merely listening in a more intimate and chilled situation. It’s more about a “feeling” than anything else. I’m not really trying to force anything in particular. You’ll find quite a broad range of sounds in the coming months, and not everyone will like what we do, but we know that’s part of the game as well.

As an A&R, would you say “genres” limit labels and stifle innovation? Or is it all about having people know what to expect?

From my personal experience…I grew up as a big fan of labels like Ninja Tune, Innervisions, City Slang, Warp Records, XL, and Music From Memory, to name a few. In a way, I was dragged around by the music. Without much expectation, other than finding quality music, these labels pushed me to new things.

The fact is that I have grown since my early days as an A&R. A while back, I might have heard something, and if I didn’t “get it” right away, I would have dismissed it. Now, I understand that context is not EVERYTHING, but a quite important and sensible key factor. Call it personal growth and evolution, I guess. I feel like I used to be really selective of what I was hearing at that particular moment. Today, I understand that what I might not like is probably down to the context it was presented. So now I try to listen beyond that, imagining how things might work given different scenarios.

So, is it all about the music these days? Or do you also take into account the artist and how the artist is portrayed?

Honestly, I listen to every demo sent to me. Every day, every week. I really have no personal preference. You know, if the music is a 10, then it’s a 10. But that is a truly rare occurrence. And, at the end of the day, this is also a business, so when it comes down to the wire, we do look at everything. But I will never seek to change someone’s nature. If I know someone is not the most active on social media, I can’t really expect much from that artist on that particular front, can I?

Taking this into consideration, what are some of the most important things you’ve learned so far as an A&R? Have you ever passed on a song that went on to become a hit?

Yeah. I have. At most labels, decisions are taken in groups, so most of them are rarely unilateral. One has to also keep in mind that, a lot of times, running a label goes beyond just selecting the right music, so there’s a certain “flow” to consider. However, I’d say that this is an extremely intuitive area. When I see that everything is there, then I don’t question it too much, I just go with it.

Where do you go for inspiration? Are there other brands that have had some sort of success that you seek to replicate?

I mainly love these simple drawn-out ambient sounds and industrial sonorities that seem to set a story to music and leave me enough space to fill the whole with my imagination, simultaneously and accordingly. About it, at the minute I am digging Mica Levi, Oliver Coates, and Clint Mansell.

What’s your take on the current landscape? Can you visualize any coming changes in the coming months or years?

Honestly, I listen to a rather copious amount of records. There’s still music that I like….but I would say that most of it is out of the spotlight, in the shadows. But that’s because I listen to a lot of music, so it’s easier to feel “disenchanted” by certain things. I don’t really like much of the industry nowadays, but there are gems around, that’s for sure. It’s a matter of perception, but there’s always value to it.

Unfortunately, most of it has become super commercial or trend-driven. It’s hard to find the good stuff. The music isn’t front and center anymore. Today, at least at festivals, it all relies on big LED screens. I’m not saying that the music is not enough anymore, but I’d say that the answer lies somewhere in the middle. I’m certain that if you take the screens away, people would still dance. The music is good, we’re just overloading our senses, and that is what takes away some of the inherent magic that the music has to offer. It’s just harder to connect in that way these days. Like Icarus, we’re flying very close to the sun, and we will eventually burn up. But that’s a good thing. The big names will evolve, and move on to bigger things. And, in turn, there will be space for more creative-minded individuals and forward-thinking labels. I’m certain some fads will come to an end in the near future.

A last one then before we let you go…As an A&R, what’s your take on AI? Are things gonna change for the worse?

This is something I haven’t really concerned myself with. There’s a natural selection with my process, so I just happen to find most things organically. I tend to work with certain names and people who absolutely love the craft, so I know where things and ideas are sourced from. So it’s not something that I have had to work around or with. But if I do find out, I might be put off. I’m more of a traditional guy…