If you love artists who go against the grain, especially in the world of techno and electronic music, you’ll be keen to learn the inner workings of David Castellani. This Italian-born, Chicago-raised producer arises as a creator of creativity and relentless exploration and is creating a niche that strips back the genre, honouring the raw, analog-driven energy of techno's roots.

From his early days as a jazz-fusion percussionist to his deep dive into modular synthesis, his journey is a witness to the undeniable power of music. Now based in Los Angeles, David is not only releasing his own tracks but also managing his record label, Noetic, which is quickly becoming a hub for innovative techno. One of his latest releases, 'Hysterica Dichotic,' showcases modular synths, contemporary dance, and cinematic elements, reflecting his deep commitment to both music experimentation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

In a conversation with us at Coveal, David opens up about his years surrounded by the sounds of classic rock, his electrifying initiation into the world of analogue hardware, and the creative freedom he finds in running his label. We also look into the story behind his recent collaboration with dancer AnnMarie Arcuri and what people can take from his recent projects, including the release of 'Immutable'.

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Can you share a bit about your upbringing and how your early experiences shaped your musical interest? Were there any particular sounds or genres that left a lasting impression on you?

I’m grateful that my parents are big music fans, and for as long as I can remember, I recall driving in the car with them, listening to the classic rock station. I remember this even before we moved from Italy to the U.S., Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Bob Marley - those were the sounds of my upbringing. My father also used to play the guitar and there were a few songs which he played over and over for me growing up. To this day, these songs will remain locked in my heart.

A recent release of yours, 'Hysterica Dichotic,' showcases a fascinating blend of techno, contemporary dance, and film. Can you tell us about your journey into the world of modular synthesis and what drew you to explore this unique form of musical expression?

Modular synthesis is the best thing ever in my musical life. I’ll go to my grave saying that. But considering the trajectory of my musical progression, it’s only been the last six years that modules have become my main focus.

For many years, I was strictly “in the box.” I remember my first analogue hardware synth was the Analogue Keys by Elektron. I also clearly remember before having the Keys, wondering how truly realistic the hype was around analogue synths versus their digital counterpart plugins. I thought it couldn't be that big of a difference, but I was wrong.

The instant awareness of how much bigger the sound was, is shocking. I immediately fell in love with that synth. The hands-on expression, the richness of sound, and course, the Elektron sequencer. I credit this day as my initiation to hardware, and the jumping-off point for the ultimate follow through to that which is modular synths.

Fast forward three years, and I took my first plunge into the euro rack via the Make Noise Shared System. The initial learning curve seems steep, but honestly, things started moving rather fast. When people start off, it’s common to get a patch going and then try to not touch it, for fear of messing it up. That wasn’t for me, I was so excited and spent the better part of a year just patching all day. I would get something going, and after about an hour, un-patch everything. And I would repeat this process 5-6 times a day. This may have been one of my favourite times in my life, I was so wide-eyed and free, and exploring like a child in a playground.

At first, there was a good amount of thinking and figuring out what avenues I could take, always arriving at some wondrous, unexpected place. And then about a year in, I turned a corner. A simple thought popped into my head which was, either a module creates voltage, or it needs voltage. And everything practically works on the same type of voltage signal. This was when I turned a corner – I realised that everything is in play and it's just a vast open ecosystem that can do the lifting and creativity driving. You just need to ride it like a wild animal.

You're passionate about pushing creative boundaries. Could you share some of your musical influences and inspirations that have played a pivotal role in shaping your artistic vision? Are there any artists or experiences that have left a lasting mark on your approach to music production?

My first percussion teacher, Juma Santos, was my first inspiration and a guru who not only inflated my abilities but even more importantly, my imagination. He showed me not only how to enrich my musical know-how and output, but also my life through music. This was and still is, incredibly valuable to me. I can still feel his words ringing around the room.

This also taught me the important lesson of music education. And throughout the years I have always been wanting to be more involved in the learning process, as well as, the teaching process of music. It's something that inspires me. I've always understood that my first and foremost pleasure with music is learning. I can expand my knowledge and increase my ability to explore the different options and possibilities.

This has also shed light on the unfortunate vacuum that there is in the learning space for electronic musicians. Even though some great schools are popping up throughout the world and online, in comparison to traditional music education, electronic musicians are at a loss. Not only that but in traditional musical settings such as in bands, you are generally in the community of multiple collaborators such as bandmates.

When you're an electronic musician or producer, you tend to be alone. This can hinder your ability to understand quickly what your creative options are, and how to achieve better-sounding results to help you through your inspirational process, your creativity, and external output.

Running your label, Noetic is no small feat. What motivated you to establish Noetic, and how do you envision the label contributing to the techno and electronic music landscape? Can you tell us about some of the highlights and challenges you've encountered in curating the label so far?

Having an imprint is something that I think most electronic musicians look forward to. Having the freedom to decide what music you wish to put out, both original and not, is a powerful tool. It’s an opportunity to share art which you revere.

It's also a magical tool for you to build a creative landscape using your heart and innovation. It's been an honour to work with some of my favourite producers and host some of the most important artists that I've loved for so many years.

The other day I was sitting there looking at one of the vinyl presses from my Label, Noetic. It was Hyperstop which included an amazing remix by Ken Ishii. As I sat there looking at this piece of artwork it made me realise how a lifetime full of music was all bottled up in this one little piece of art that I had holding in my hand. It was an interesting feeling to see all the days and nights in front of my instruments with friends collaborating on music, all boxed up right there.

Then I glanced over to the rest of my record collection and realised all the similarities which must have been enveloped in all these other amazing artists whose records I loved. It was a special moment to understand that this tangible piece of art which includes not only part of the artist's soul but also a powerful tool to inspire and enrich people's lives through listening, is something that is wrapped up in every record you ever buy.

'Hysterica Dichotic' marks your first collaboration with contemporary dancer AnnMarie Arcuri. Can you elaborate on the creative process behind this unique partnership? How did the interaction between the modular rig and AnnMarie's dance come together to create a seamless fusion of music and movement?

‘Hysteria Dichotic’ was still to this day probably the most special thing I've done. Collaborating with such an amazing artist like AnnMarie Arcuri was wildly rewarding and sometimes even hard to express to people. Having the opportunity to create something with another artist whose expressive form is physically different from my own, but still contains these deep-rooted ties, is a special way to experience and express music as an artist. The original idea had come together from a different video shoot which I'm not openly able to speak about just yet. But that shoot there was a collaboration with the gifted dancer as well and this drove me to want to further explore this type of experience throughout what became ‘Hysteria Dichotic.’

Through some friends in the dance world, I was able to meet AnnMarie and ask her to participate in this collaboration with me. She is very talented and was a treat to work with. We aligned quickly with very little need for in-depth examinations or discussions, and her performance was beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

Looking ahead, what can fans and listeners anticipate from your future projects? Are there any exciting developments or collaborations on the horizon that you can give us a sneak peek into? We'd love to hear about the sonic frontiers you plan to explore in your upcoming musical endeavours.

I'm very excited for ‘Immutable’ which includes an impressive remix by the talented Truncate. It just was released on August 9 and resonates with the undeniable and unstoppable thirst for music in my life. Music is like a blaring light that for the majority of my life has inspired me to want to participate and envelop myself in its web. This will mark the 11th release on my record label and I'm very excited to get it out into the world.