If we go back to your teenage years and explore your background, what was your approach to the clubbing scene? What did you enjoy about it and what do you think influenced you?

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Naples, a city where club culture is deeply ingrained. I started immersing myself in this scene as a clubber many years ago when Naples was at the peak of its most important era in terms of underground music and represented the epitome of clubbing in Italy. I had the opportunity to hear many international DJs and electronic music artists who came here to perform in the past years. It was really exciting during that time and many Neapolitan DJs and producers emerged in the scene, carving out their own space and making significant contributions to the world of techno on an international level. The fusion of house music and techno particularly characterised those years and the journey of these artists, shedding light on a groove that has always distinguished Neapolitan artists in the industry. This movement inevitably had a great influence on me; from being a clubber, I became a disc selector (it was 2009), and my immense curiosity to explore the world of electronic music has always driven me further, eventually leading me to become a DJ and producer myself.

Producing music is a deeply intimate artistic expression, capable of evoking sensations in the listener and subconsciously drawing them into your personal sphere. What elements do you want to be identifiable and recognisable in your music? What are the distinctive traits you always want to be associated with?

I believe that your voice is the most important instrument you can have. Through it, you can express the deepest concepts and ideas and create hypnotic sounds. Knowing how to sing is not essential; it’s enough to know how to use it. In my case, my voice is a prominent element in my productions. Our vocal timbre is the most identifiable and powerful thing overall.

Speak freely about your feelings while producing, your state of perfect comfort where you feel 100% yourself, what you feel and what you aim to evoke in those who experience your sets.

My studio is the place where I feel 100% myself, where I can reach my highest level of tranquillity and freedom. There are moments when I feel like experimenting, so I isolate myself in my studio, without a phone, with subdued lighting… It’s in these moments that my world unfolds completely. I start with a deep and closed pad, play some chords, and create very ‘dreamy’ harmonies that evoke very intimate sounds for me. When I feel I’ve found the right balance between all the sounds, I start recording some vocal takes, playing with words. Then I move on to the rhythmic part, immersing myself in the search for the perfect grooves for the sensations I feel in that specific moment. I don’t worry about what the result will be; I don’t let myself be influenced by any external contamination in these moments; it’s just me and my creativity.

Talk about Anfisa in the early moments, the first time you produced a track, the moment you realised it would be your path, and how you think you have changed stylistically and in musical choices.

It was in 2016 when I took my first steps as a producer. Several years had passed since I started playing in clubs, and as time went on, I felt more and more the need to produce my own music. I spent hours and hours in the studio, completely losing track of time, fascinated by synthesisers, drum machines, sound design, and all the tricks. My early productions were more geared towards the dance floor, where I wanted to play, and the labels I hoped they would be released on; I used a more instinctive approach. I also taught myself how to produce, so it took me a bit longer to find my true musical identity and to start taking musical risks.
The turning point came in 2020 when I founded my label NSDA. I wanted the opportunity to feel even more free, to have no psychological influence and to create something that didn’t necessarily have to be “approved” or “supported.” I released my first EP on my label, “Listen,” where I talked about my evolution and tried to create a more conceptual and intimate journey. It was also the first work where I started experimenting with using my own voice in my productions. What better instrument could I use to express my emotions than my own voice, which until then I hadn’t appreciated as I should have? At that moment, I understood the potential of telling my story not only through music but also and above all through my own voice. I began experimenting with the various ways I could use it: applying effects, making the right cuts to create the perfect harmony between the various takes, changing the intensity of the words during recordings. Once I gained this awareness, my approach to productions changed radically.

As a listener, what do you expect to perceive when you listen to a track? What do you think are the basics and fundamental elements that turn everything into a high level performance?

As a producer, when I listen to another artist’s track, my attention focuses on the technical aspects of the song, giving me a completely different perspective than an average listener. Personally, I pay close attention to the intricacy of the sounds and how they are treated. Through listening to a track, I can identify the level of creativity of a producer and understand whether they are constrained by conventional patterns or unafraid to break free from them. Harmony and balance between the artist and their music are the key elements that transform everything into an identifiable performance.