As a co-founder of Engrave Ltd and What Ever Not Italian DJ, producer and gifted carpenter Dodi Palese is now responsible for a ‘colourful’ approach to electronic music by running his own label Rakale. Ahead of the label’s launch and Dodi’s debut EP, ‘Colourful Space’, he reveals some secretly hidden ‘Atlantis’ information at Torture the Artist and speaks about the most ‘colourful’ producer in the scene, his passion with Italian dishes and, of course, the struggle with building up his new record rack – apart from some music and Pablo Picasso. Also you can listen exclusively to Dodi Palese’s track ‘Colourful Space‘ that will be released next week.
Torture the Artist: How do you start your day?
Dodi Palese: My day starts early, I’m at the studio at 6 am already. The early hours of the day, when the city around me is waking up, are the most creative for me. Early in the morning, when the mind is still fresh, it’s my best possible time to put down some ideas.
Torture the Artist: What is brainfood for you?
Dodi Palese: Every day I enjoy TV series, long walks near the sea, I listen to a lot of music. My brain is never on a diet.
Carl Craig […] the most ‘colourful’ producer and maybe even the best.
Torture the Artist: What’s the most ‘colourful’ record in your vinyl collection?
Dodi Palese: There are some unofficial Carl Craig remix collections, the most ‘colourful’ producer and maybe even the best. Out of the three volumes, I only have the second and the third (the first seems impossible to find).
- Carl Craig – Volume Two
- Carl Craig – Volume Three
Torture the Artist: If you were to pin colours to your mood, how does it differ with black/white in contrast to other colours?
Dodi Palese: It depends on the day: I usually prefer colours, but when I’m in a black/white mood I may have some strange ideas in mind.
The titles of my EP and my tracks are suggested to me by a humanoid coming to my studio periodically.
Torture the Artist: Do the track titles of your new EP derive from influences in your musical past? How did track titles like ‘Elephant’, ‘Funkaroots’, ‘Atlantis’ or ‘Colourful Space’ come about?
Dodi Palese: You are forcing me to reveal a secret: the titles of my EP and my tracks are suggested to me by a humanoid coming to my studio periodically. He says he comes from Orion, but I’m not so sure. Anyway, this will remain a secret, right? <laughs>
Torture the Artist: ‘Atlantis’ is not just a track name on your new EP, but also the name of a mythical sunken city. What hidden places would you like people to discover with the track?
Dodi Palese: Each of us has a hidden city to discover. Sometimes you do not need to make a long journey because the city is submerged within us. That is, if I must think about a trip to where my Atlantis can act as an accompaniment, I would like it to be an inner journey.
Torture the Artist: Who would you like to remix a track of your new EP ‘Colourful Space’?
Dodi Palese: Henrik Schwarz.
Torture the Artist: Recently you posted a picture on your Facebook account showing an unfinished record rack. How much of a craftsman are you and do you prefer manual over technical work?
Dodi Palese: I’m not too keen on manual work, I admit it. In fact, the rack is still unfinished!
In RÀKALE, the label I manage alone, I bring together my personal tastes, making choices where the responsibility is just mine. This is both an aspect of idealism and a challenge.
Torture the Artist: Since you co-run two record labels, how much of an idealist are you?
Dodi Palese: The most difficult thing is to keep these two sides in balance: to continue making music honestly and consistently with your own ideals and dreams, but also taking in consideration the needs of a constantly changing marketplace. The managerial aspect puts you in the position to explore, experiment and discover new music; in this sense, managing labels with other colleagues serves as a great opportunity for discussion and openness. In RÀKALE, the label I manage alone, I bring together my personal tastes, making choices where the responsibility is just mine. This is both an aspect of idealism and a challenge.
Torture the Artist: Imagine you had a clone of yourself working for you. Which task would you assign it to simplify your life?
Dodi Palese: If I had a clone he could fit the rack. I will never succeed!
Music accompanies every moment of my life.
Torture the Artist: Being mostly surrounded by music or matters relating to that field every day can be exhausting. How do you give yourself a break?
Dodi Palese: I break from music … with music. The truth is, when you have such a big passion, you never have enough. Among the music I listen to for work, for pleasure, to produce, to research and to experiment, there is never a real break. Needless to say, music accompanies every moment of my life: from travel to the most important memories, to every single relationship of friendship or love.
Torture the Artist: What’s your favourite Dodi Palese track, and why?
Dodi Palese: It’s hard to choose, all are creations to which I am very close for some reason. But I would say ‘Ceres‘, because it contains a multitude of styles and inspirations, it is the one that represents me a lot. The suggestions and musical varieties joined together were so many that I got involved with a musician, Giuseppe Magagnino, to realise them. ‘Ceres‘ is kind of my artistic manifesto, that is, overcoming genres, styles, convinced that music is, above all, art without limits and boundaries.
Torture the Artist: Name an artist that had an impact on both your personal and musical development.
Dodi Palese: I would say absolutely Pablo Picasso: he is a revolutionary artist who has changed the way we understand artistic genres. In his various stages of production, he has been able to challenge and change the course of things. I would have liked to have a chat with him on a narrow street in Barcelona’s Gothic quarter.
Torture the Artist: What’s a profession you would also be good at that’s not being a producer, DJ or label owner.
Dodi Palese: Surely it would be a furniture maker, at the least, I could set my damn rack up!
Torture the Artist: Describe yourself in three Italian dishes.
Dodi Palese: Mozzarella di bufala, Mortadella, and Panzerotti. I’m so hungry!
Torture the Artist 