The13th AÑO: 3
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NÚMERO 29
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
MARK THWAITE | A. LAISECA ESPECIAL ALAN VEGA | NOVANTA | PUSHIT REFLECTION | 93MILLIONMILESFROMTHESUN | SWANS
[ Interview with Manfredi Lamartina from Novanta by Diego Centurión ]
IT’S BEDROOM MUSIC
While you've already explained what your name means, may I ask again if you could please explain this to us once more. Sure! Novanta is the Italian word for “ninety”. I just wanted to pay homage to 90’s music like shoegaze, post rock, slowcore, and all
band Albedo), Giampiero Riggio (aka Haas), Giuseppe Musto (aka Il Ragazzo Del Novantanove), Ian Bonnar (aka In Every Dream A Nightmare Waits), Fabrizio De Felice (aka Białogard), Claudio Cataldi.
the electronic area. Moreover, the Nineties were crucial for the history of my country: too much shit happened in Italy. When I was a teenager, I used to dream of a better, human-friendly future. I still don't want to wake up.
What has changed in the way "Novanta" composes from then to the new album "Hello We're Not Enemies"? In my debut EP, “Novanta”, I recorded my first songs as a solo artist and I didn't care about everything else - like looking for a
For those who do not yet know Novanta, how would you describe your project and your sound?
label, playing live… With “Hello We're Not Enemies” I recorded these songs with a more band-oriented feeling and approach.
I like to say that I play ceiling-gazing music, a fictional musical genre that includes shoegaze, post rock and electronica. It’s bedroom music, a delicate and intimist soundtrack, something that tries to walk beside you, following your thoughts and feelings.
Have you changed the course of Novanta from your original ideas? Well, that’s a good question. Today, there’s a lot of awesome music out there, the Internet is a huge field full of great bands wai-
In 2011 you released the first recording "Novanta", and the
ting to be discovered. When you are not a popstar, you usually
cover is very significant for you. Is this album dedicated to that
ask yourself: why should anyone listen to my songs? Then you say
person seen there?
“screw it, I’m not interested in playing this game”.
Yes, the woman on the cover is my grandmother Fina. It’s an old
To answer your question: I’ve changed my awareness of being
black and white picture of her dancing cheek to cheek with an un-
an artist, and this new awareness has allowed me to focus on ma-
cle. She passed away on April 2012 at the age of 97. This image is
king myself a better composer. And being a better composer means
poetic and inspired, a postcard from another time. I remember her
respecting the people who listen to your songs. So, it's important
playing the piano for me when I was just a kid: we spent a very good
not to waste their time with bad music. All I can say is that I rea-
time together.
lly do my best. I hope my best is good enough.
In 2012, you released your new work "Bedroom metal" with a song dedicated to Billy Corgan ("Corgan"). What artists would you say influenced you?
You have participated in several compilations. Do you see this as a a way to break down borders? It’s funny to participate in compilations because these records
The Smashing Pumpkins are my biggest influence ever. The sound
are challenging, especially tribute albums. Recently, I took part
of their 90’s albums is multifaceted: epic, shiny and obscure at the
in “The Cure In Other Voices”, a tribute to the Cure by The Blog
same time. Those songs still have a lot to say, even after twenty years.
That Celebrates Itself. Me and Claudio Cataldi (on vocals) have
Try to listen to “Mayonaise” or “1979”: all the beauty is still there,
recorded a cover of one of my favourite songs ever, “Close To Me”.
intact. Corgan had a vision of how a great song must be. Novanta
We imagined this song as a dream-pop track: that's why this cover
music has been influenced by many other bands, too: Red House
sounds darker and more atmospheric than the original version.
Painters, Mogwai, Slowdive, M83, Nathan Fake, The Album Leaf,
We put all our love and respect to the genius of Robert Smith on it.
Lali Puna, just to name a few. What are your live performances like? Can you tell us In "Crescendo" (2013) and "Best-selling Dreams" (2014), you collaborated with various artists. How do you feel working with other musicians?
about your experiences? Novanta sounds definitely more shoegaze and aggressive live, with a lot of distortions and a huge reverb.
I love to work with other musicians, because they help me to go further. All these artists took my songs and put them in another di-
What are your plans for the rest of 2016?
mension. That’s why “Hello we're not enemies” is full of great colla-
I’m planning a short Italian tour this fall, then I’d like to work
borations too: Raniero Federico Neri (from the Italian indie rock
on new songs as soon as possible.
The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA