This weeks interview guest has been redefining and envisaging his own take on this scene for some 15 years and it has taken an unorthodox methodology in both the visual and sonic worlds to make a difference. It is these risks and digressions that excogitate work as opposed to linear approaches. It’s been this source of afflatus, and a lifetime of musical exposure, from minimal psychedelic house to classical piano and percussions, which has seen him assume the role as founder of Mean Records and Serialism.

Most artists would probably be content with their achievements if they were to claim the aforementioned paragraph as their own, though it’s only a prelude to varying expansive projects – entertaining a correlation between cultural distinctions in said affair will most certainly resonate in our own pursuits. His touring life seems far from finite so grabbing him from his schedule has been a success in itself.

The year ahead for Cesare Marchese (aka Cesare vs Disorder) will surely surpass expectations.

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Kn:  You established the ‘Mean’ label in 2006 as an outlet for intelligent, boundary pushing house and techno.  Its sister label, ‘Serialism’ was brought to life a year later.  What initially fuelled you to start each label respectively?  And looking back now, would you say both labels are comfortably traveling along their paths as initially intended?

Cvd:  The idea behind Mean records started in 2005; I was playing at local East London club alongside my partner Alejandro Ross (aka Rudolf).  Our sound was pretty different from the main hype at the time especially in the UK capital where Electro House, Progressive and Breakbeat were much more common.  We were experimenting, going more for mind psychedelic journeys inspired by labels like Perlon, Contexterrior, Vakant, Spectral, Dumb Unit, Cadenza, Musik Krause, that at that time weren’t so popular yet..

After years of studying and working on music, I decided it was the right moment to release some of my work (followed by Rudolf’s and then by other talented close friends like Ollie Silva aka Canary Fontaine), but I wasn’t yet confident enough to send my music to the labels I was in love with, and Mean was born.  I didn’t have a precise direction in mind, it was just all very natural, going alongside with my productions that were developing slowly with no pressure behind.

Serialism followed a couple of years later (when I met Stefano Pellegrini who is now actually living in Sydney) with a totally different goal… to seduce the dancefloor with slightly more classic sounds of Techno, House and Deep House, with a more dj-friendly structure, but leaving the door opened to experimentation and uniqueness…

I would say that now the labels are travelling on a next level since then, thanks to my accumulated experience and the help of friends and colleagues along the path.

Kn:  Serialism combines the use of visual arts with each release in the form of a video clip.  Tell us about the ideology and importance of having a visual reference to the product?  As you project yourself into the future, what further aspirations do you hold?

Cvd:  I’m a visual artist myself.  I’ve also studied Fine Arts, Design and Moving image (working also with video games and 3d design at a certain point in my life), apart from music, of course.  I was always intrigued by the strong connection between sound and image.  And it is no coincidence that my sister Federica and my girlfriend Fernanda are also very talented artists.  The fact that they become very good friends and started to work together on the image of my labels was instead a kind of luck for me, not having the time to follow full time the branding of the projects.

After months of preparation and brainstorming we started to create together videos for each release, False Manners was born and together with Mean and Serialism (and other artists friends) we created a series of pieces that helped to build up the whole image of the projects.

At the moment I’m travelling a lot worldwide and the new idea is to incorporate footage and experiences of my journeys into the main plan of the labels, keeping the concept of Art behind the projects that sure makes it more interesting and unique, and not only for a “Electronic music following” but also for a wider public that wouldn’t necessary buy the music itself.

Kn:  …as mentioned you place an emphasise on drawing a direct correlation between the art work and the music.  What’s your thoughts on further expeditions into other media that reflect your work cohesively?

Cvd:  We’ll try to optimise the whole package.  Our next step, for instance, after my Asia/Australian tour is to produce a kind of Music video/documentaries where we’ll unite the magic and uniqueness of oriental cultures with the futuristic sound scheduled for the next releases, making the connection between 2 totally different worlds coming together in a special way to coexist in a new dimension that is the multimedia, not thought in a classic way but in a more “exotic” way.  Let’s say like the way Brazilians treat and make Sushi.

Kn:  Combining a high creative production output with the ever demanding schedule of running two of your own labels, and constant touring, must pose its challenges and constantly test your limits.  How do you manage to meet the demands across so many platforms and if there’s any room for improvement you’ve picked on along the way, what’s the best example?

Cvd:  It is actually quite demanding to combine a high creative production with the incessant travelling during the weekends, long tours, the nightlife in clubs around the world and the office work that is behind running a label, and I’m actually dealing with two labels, that have a totally different sound, therefore need a different kind of attention, but yes, it is a challenge for me and the team.  It keeps my mind fresh all the time and I always find room for improvement; when we brainstorm with the girls for the videos, when I work in studio with collegues that have big experience, when, together with my present partner Federico (aka Onirik) we try to follow special marketing ways to come out as catchy (but no cheesy) as possible, experimenting with new ways to brand our projects. There’s always room for learnin’.

Kn:  What projects are you currently working on and what do you have coming up for your current aliases, Cesare Vs Disorder, Cesare Marchese and Queen Atom?  Any release dates planned for your long awaited Cesare Vs Disorder full length album and how are you laying foundations for it?

Cvd:  At the moment I will be touring until end of march.  Now Asia (coming back from Japan, now I’m writing from Vietnam) next step is Australia, Noumea, New Zealand, then a quick come back to Berlin for my bday special party @ weekend club after some holidays in Thailand.  Then out again for USA tour during the WMC month.

In the last few months I was working hard on few musical projects knowing I was gonna tour hard in start of 2012.  I’ve produced a few EP’s here and there as solo (my 4th ep on Stock5 that will be out in March/April), one with Jeremy P.Caulfield (out these days on Dumb Unit as Dynasty ep part2), one for Vakant and some very strong collaboration material with Inxec, with Konrad Black, with Sierra Sam (our new alias “Strangers in Heaven” that you’ll see a lot around in 2012), a couple of EP’s with Mikael Stavostrand, a EP with Walker Barnard. some tunes in compilations and a couple of remixes.  And a project I started a long time ago with Cesar Merveille that will be released by Jin Choi’s Private Gold next month with remixes by Bruno Pronsato and Jin himself.

I’ve also finally finished my debut album.  I’ve been working on it for the past 2 years and if everything goes by plans it will be out by autumn this year.  I already have a lot of proposition and ideas for it, but won’t go in details until I have a final schedule, and don’t expect the usual Cesare vs Disorder sound.

Kn:  You last toured Australia in 2009.  What has changed since then in your sound and approach to DJ’ing?  What can we expect from you this time round?

Cvd:  Some would say that my sound is more complete now, maybe more friendly as my public grows daily you can imagine that 3 years are a long time.  I’ve learned a lot by playing all over the world during this time, mixing genres up in a smoother way and creating journeys that are less uni-directional and more sophisticated from different sides. I will follow the flow naturally, choosing from my box what I think will make the people and myself have a blast.

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Links:  Cesare vs Disorder Facebook  / Discogs  /  Serialism Records  /  On Facebook

Booking:  Harry Klein Booking

Tour Dates:

Sat 25th Feb :: Mean Show/ Cesare Vs Disorder Bday Bash, Weekend Club, Berlin, Germany
Fri 2nd Mar :: Electric Pickle, Miami, US
Sat 3rd Mar :: Kontrol, San Fransisco, US
Fri 9th Mar :: 813, Dallas, US
Fri 30th Mar :: Mean Show, Basing House, London, UK
Wed 25th Apr :: Meet: Surealism, Watergate, Berlin, Germany