Coffee break with Fideles
With releases on Afterlife, Innervisions, Still vor Talent and many more, the Italian duo Fideles is ready to impress the music lovers around the world with their new Cerchio EP on Exit Strategy, released on the 26th of January. Daniele Aprile and Mario Roberti started collaborating in 2010 and since then they have delivered a flawless series of quality-driven tracks. With hypnotic melodies, tribal infused grooves and an above the average attention to mixing and mastering, Fideles tracks work both as club bangers and home listening pleasures.
After a first impressive release in early June 2017 (The Border EP), Fideles now return to Exit Strategy with the highly anticipated Cerchio EP. While the 3 tracks are connected by beautiful synth lines and tight percussions, each part of the EP delivers a different mood, giving us a mature and well-rounded record. We asked Daniele and Mario to tell us more about themselves, their new release and their plans for the future.
Each track of the EP is very unique. How would you describe the relationship between the 3 tracks?
The connection between the 3 tracks comes first from a sentimental root. They come out of different moods, processed and conceived in different periods with the common goal to transfer emotions in the most incisive way to the listener.
Cerchio is the most energetic and powerful track of the EP. Everyone needs to dance while listening to it, its result on the dance floor is really impressive. Distorted Foam gives more deep and analog sounds to the entire EP, whilst Panorama completes it in the best way with its hypnotic and repetitive groove, its romantic and soft sounds.
This is your second EP on Exit Strategy. Can you tell us more about your relationship with the label?
Our relationship with Exit Strategy is good, indeed this is our second EP on the label. When we were given a second chance to release on ES we were very happy and glad, we hold great esteem and respect to the people behind the label and to their daily work to make it more unique in its genre. This release makes us proud. After The Border EP this feels like a proper follow up with some specific features close to the first EP, you need to listen to The Border and Cerchio to understand.
Can you tell us more about the influences of this record?
This is an important question, and delicate at the same time. There are a lot of musical influences and inspirations from the past in this EP, from 90s electronic music to more progressive sounds and of course timeless deep melodies. Our first prerogative is getting the best from every song we like, assimilating all the details that feel so close to us and merging them with our music idea, so that each track should impress the listener.
Together with Exit Strategy we put together this Spotify playlist with our influences to Cerchio EP.
Is there a special track that led you to electronic music?
Daniele: This is such a difficult question to answer… it’s so hard to mention one or two tracks that led us to electronic music. Both of us made a personal journey, we both started playing the piano, Mario completed piano studio sessions. I left piano studies after 5 years because I started approaching the electronic genre. I got inspired by artists such as Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Tricky and many more trip-hop artists. Mario started liking progressive and trance music, that’s why to mention a specific track is pretty hard for both of us but if we had to choose only one:
Daniele: Underworld – Two Months Off
Mario: Daso – Go Upstairs
How did you choose the name Fideles?
Contrary to what most people think, 'Fideles' comes from a French name. We were on holidays in the French Pyrenees, walking along the narrow snowy streets of a small city, when we looked up at a shop banner called 'Les Fidèles'. It was like a lightning strike, we fell in love with this name and we felt it should be our name. Something to remark our passion and fidelity to the music, something that helps us respect what we do with love and sacrifice everyday.
Did you find differences between working alone and working together?
We basically like to work together, but sometimes we need to work alone, this can help us both making progress on music production and reach better ideas at different times of the day. To do that we have 2 studios just 500 meters from each other. The main idea is to start a specific idea in our own studio and bring it in the evening to the shared studio where everything is easier. We can discuss about synths, instruments, and even sometimes quarrel because of a snare or groove choice, and this can take several hours to define. This is not possible while you are alone in the studio, that’s why we definitely like to share the studio sessions.
How do you decide what to release and on which label?
First step is doing music of course, then we usually listen again and again to decide which label to send to. Once we have a good selection of music for each label we send it over to them. This is basically an easy step, as we know the labels we would like to release music for some time now. With some of them there is a good connection/relationship and sometimes we get direct request for tracks or remixes, it's always nice to see people reaching out to us.
Fideles in London - Photo by Rob Jones
Do you enjoy more producing or mixing?
Both activities are so complementary. While producing, you can pick up emotions, sensations and might transfer them in the best way to a specific tune. This is an intimate moment when you are almost naked from the music, releasing what you feel inside without rules or specific limitations. With mixing, it’s totally different, you need to tell a story, getting in touch with all the people who are here to listen to your performance. So you get a role of responsibility while there, you lead people to connect with your music idea and this can create amazing moments. In these fantastic moments you use instruments, beats, grooves and melodies to establish this personal connection, something really emotional.
What's the one thing that has to be in your studio all the time?
Daniele: beer or red wine for me
Mario: water and e-cig. We are easily pleased :)
If you could collaborate with any artist in the world, who would you choose to work on a track, and who would you choose to have an 'All night Long' B2B set?
This list would appear so long, most of them are basically singers, a beautiful voice can improve a well done track and make it more emotional. Probably Sohn would be one of these, or Tracey Thorn, we really love her voice. Regarding an all night long b2b set, choice looks so hard, lot of professional and good artists nowadays. Maybe would be interesting to share the decks for an all night long with Mind Against, we definitely like their dark and introspective sounds.
Do you have a particular country or city where you wish to play? (And haven't played yet)
There are so many beautiful cities and countries where we wish to perform soon from USA, Asia and Australia, but to be honest we wish to play soon in Japan. We are sure it would be a wonderful place to play and of course we are curious to discover the club culture over there. Playing in a new city/country means you can understand better how people react to your sound in different places, and this can really help to do better in the future.
Do you have any suggestions for people approaching music production?
Few things to say, maybe to work, work and work harder. No tricks here, just to free your passion for electronic music and let it lead you to yourself, your own capacities. Working hard, with constancy and true commitment. Sometimes this means you need to give up free time, friends or anything else. But if you really love music, that won’t be that hard.
Three things that you wish to accomplish in 2018?
Doing a super remix for a good label (we are working on it), performing in South America (we have lot of good friends there), and get Mario drunk for the first time :)