Where are you based?
East London, UK.
Where do you work? What do you do?
I recently just joined Open Ear Music as their new Marketing & Community Manager.
What are you listening to?
I’m currently obsessed with fellow Italians (and friends) New Candys. I saw them play the Roundhouse recently, opening for The Dandy Warhols. On my current heavy rotation, there are also Confidence Man, Iraina Mancini, London-based duo It Was All A Dream, and Brasilian-American dream pop artist Winter.
How do you discover new music?
I’m not going to lie; there have been times when I got lazy and heavily relied on Spotify’s algorithm. I think I’m past that now. Overall, I’d say I listen to independent London-based radio stations (Soho Radio, Boogaloo, Voices and more). I pay attention to what my close friends and favourite artists/bands share on social media (what they are listening to). Then by getting lost on YouTube, browsing through other users’ favourite videos. Also, I’m a shameless Shazammer and I’m proud. I think it’s such a genius tool and it keeps getting better and better. Finally, thanks to my new job at Open Ear Music I get to discover A LOT of new music – we have a dedicated Slack channel for that!
What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services? Why?
My partner and I have got a huge collection of albums and singles on any support you may think of. We are music-obsessed people and it clearly shows…! We are also subscribed to Spotify and have got a big collection of WAV and MP3 files from back in the day when illegal downloading was the norm (can I say this?)… I appreciate the difference in quality and sound from support to support, but I also love how versatile the recorded music world is now.
“I appreciate the difference in quality and sound from support to support, but I also love how versatile the recorded music world is now.”
Where do you do most of your music listening?
I tend to use music to focus while working. Commuting without my headphones simply doesn’t happen anymore – and when it accidentally does, it really ruins my day. On my days off and at night, I like to put on vinyl and enjoy it on our 15+-year-old sound system (which still works amazingly). I tend to listen to CDs while working out or getting ready to go out. I got music in every room of the house!
How do you find and listen to pre-release music?
I’d usually find out about a premiere via social media – likely to be from the artist page. I’d then usually listen to the radio or visit the blog. Whatever is needed to get me to that pre-released track!
What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?
Honestly, the only downside to listening to music digitally is the number of tracks you get exposed to on a regular basis – too much to choose from, and not enough hours in the day!
How do you keep track of everything you are listening to?
My Liked Song playlist on Spotify is probably my go-to place to remember everything I’ve come across and liked recently, together with a few YouTube playlists I’ve created based on genre. I have one for Northern Soul gems I regularly listen to as many of those tracks aren’t actually on any streaming service…
Do you tip other people off to new music? How?
I curate a new playlist each month/season (depending on how much good stuff I find) on my personal Spotify account, then share it on social media with my friends and followers. There is also a lot of music exchange activity going on behind the scenes, usually on WhatsApp…!
Anything you want to “promote”?
I’m proud to say I’m surrounded by loads of talented friends aka artists I truly admire. So it makes sense to give them a shout-out. Check out Pearz for a blend of the soundtrack, house, tropical vibes + groovy bass lines (who’s actually playing Village Underground this Thursday with Vanishing Twin on the first day of their 15th-anniversary celebrations!), and Monte, an electronic duo that puts on a mega live show.
