Big up to Fabio Monesi for rocking the house a couple weeks back on 30/09/2016! We’ve just about recovered and put together a video capturing the vibe of the event, check it out below! We also caught up with the man behind Wilson records on his approach to DJing, producing and running his label.
Hey Fabio, how’s it going? Tell us, when and why you got into DJing and production?
I started DJing very early, at the age of 13 I was already playing in clubs in Milan. At the time it was possible thanks to the Saturday afternoon parties where young people could go to real clubs. I started making music around 2009 when I understood that the only way to play outside Milan was by releasing records. A few years later, the idea of starting a label became stronger and stronger, so in 2012, after a trip to London, I finally launched Wilson Records.
You were born in Milan but you have been based in London for some time. Some of your releases have been dedicated to the city. What inspires you about this place?
London is a unique town. I learned that everything is possible in London. You just have to work hard at it. People are very open mind and the connections between people are spontaneous, they just happen. This city gave me a lot, I had to give something back!
You are known to use a variety of vintage and analogue gear for production, what attracts you to these instruments rather than other ways of creating your sound?
It’s very simple. Analogue machines have personalities, computers don’t. The approach is totally different and so is the final result.
Similarly, where does your dedication to vinyl as a format come from?
As I said, I started playing as DJ very early, vinyl records were still very popular at the time and they were the main format. I learned how to play mixing vinyl records, so I kept buying them.
Your label, Wilson Records, is vinyl only. Tell us about the imprint’s ethos and how the artists on the roster contribute to that.
When I release an artist it’s because I love their music – it’s very simple. In order for me to love their music, it has to be made in a certain way. It’s something very personal, I have to feel an emotion and it usually takes half a second for me to do so. Releasing music on vinyl is not a trend. It’s loyalty to the roots.
You have also released under the Hissman moniker. How does this persona differ from your given name?
I started making music under this moniker around 2014, when my passion for different sonorities was getting stronger and stronger inside me. It was born as a secondary and secret project but with the time, I started looking more into that experimental direction. I don’t like to focus myself into one sound, I like to change and I like to release everything I feel in a certain moment.
Finally, what can we expect from yourself and the label in the near future?
The upcoming Wilson Limited 04 will see the light very soon. I’m very happy with this project as it was born with the sole intention of supporting physical record stores and I have to say it’s working very well. I’m working on a new EP on Wilson and Perseus Traxx will be the man behind Hardmoon London 10. I can’t say more!
