Launching his debut record label – Contempo Music – earlier this summer, Italian stalwart Luigi Madonna has stepped into techno’s 140+ bpm territory with a series of mesmeric works to illustrate his newfound direction. The label boss’ first two volumes gave us a profound insight into his studio’s upgrade of modular and analog synthesisers, and as he completes the imprint’s inaugural triptych, we’re graced with another hard-hitting EP to inspire the senses. “Contempo Vol. III” is available now to stream across all platforms.
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Produced with insuperable class and musicality, Madonna’s Contempo catalogue serves as a tribute to the founding elements of Napoli’s impactful techno sound. Cutting his teeth in the city’s venues during its golden era of club culture, Luigi’s penchant for the genre’s pre-millennial sound has come full circle, re-entering his output with a contemporary twist.
“CNTMP 3.01” opens the EP with a forceful percussive dominance, invading the space with its razor-sharp hi-hats, drum beats and gritty bass sequence. Filtering its way into the production, a distorted, hollow vocal chop rings out with sinister effect, compelling the listener with its subtle bending of sound. As we reach the break, the vocal comes into full effect, creating a rigid dichotomy between its idle phrasing and the production’s driving tempo.
The EP’s second cut, “CNTMP 3.02” takes a stylistic turn from its predecessor, opting for an acid-leaning top line and glitchy synth injections. A high-pitched soundscape permeates the space, announcing the arrival of an old-school rave synth to lead us into the break. Deftly playful and unequivocally original, the hyper-charged record shines a light on Madonna’s infinite creativity and sheer joy for the world of music production.
Rounding out Contempo’s debut trilogy, Luigi presents “CNTMP 3.03”; an authentic underground gem that spotlights his deep-rooted versatility as an artist. Opening with a measured hi-hat and snare drum, the final cut suddenly reveals itself as an intoxicating old-school jungle number that forges an immersive Drum n Bass-tinged lead synth. As the track progresses Luigi nods to his love for breakbeat with expertly crafted drum hits and percussive layering. In true Jungle style, we’re introduced to a strong vocal line to complete the production, giving fans a rare view of Luigi’s alternate sound palate.