anatomy 02 - claudio PRC

it's been a long time coming, but i can finally present to you the second installment in this blog's anatomy mix series. following up after nAX_acid's excellent set of deep techno, the introverted ambient sounds of anatomy 02 come courtesy of another italian dj/producer: claudio PRC.

i first stumbled across claudio's work via a prologue digital EP compilation last year, and have been intrigued by his music ever since. he continues to produce for prologue records, releasing an excellent digital EP as well as remixing a cio d'or track on the label earlier this year. most recently, he's made an appearance on a digital sampler on stroboscopic artefacts.

when i tracked him down, claudio was happy to put a mix together for smilecoldanatomy; i discovered that he's my age (23), so it was particularly interesting to talk music with him. i could tell claudio puts a lot of honesty, emotion, and effort into his music, and he believes in the strength of minimalism to make the most out of just one or two sounds. before we get to the mix, check out this interview:

Which musicians have made the biggest impression on you? What musicians excite you right now?
Absolutely artists such as Robert Hood, Plastikman, Maurizio and Sleeparchive and their strong philosophy and concepts that have marked all their works. Now I'm attracted to all the works which labels such as Prologue, Stroboscopic Artefacts, Zooloft, Aconito, Sandwell District, and KRD, and of course I'm impressed to all of their artists. But mainly I like the ideas and contents that these labels have, and the movement that they are creating. I can feel a real meaning to the music that they offer, and that's important for me.

If you had to choose your three favorite records, what would they be and why?
I definitely choose Robert Hood's "Minus", Plastikman's "Panikattack" and György Ligeti's "Poème Symphonique For 100 Metronomes". These records have really changed my way of seeing and interpreting music, gave to me a strong sense of how to conceive music and especially how to treat the sound objects and the different methods of composition. Discovery of these records has definitely changed my life.

What do you think of the debate between vinyl and digital DJ'ing?
I find this discussion very foolish. I do not like all these discussions related to vinyl and digital DJ'ing. I believe that everyone is free to express themselves as best wishes. Technology today can provide any type of highly advanced electronic equipment, it is up to us to choose what to use and how to use them. As for me, I am very attached to authentic things. I feel and I need to give a weight and a worth to everything I do, then I like to give real weight to the music. I buy vinyl, I like to see and read the markings drawn on their covers, their smell when they become old and I like to hear the rustle of the record when it is spinning. For these reasons, and a thousand more I play with vinyls. It is not a problem for me when maybe I have to travel for a gig, it just makes me feel good.

Do you have a philosophy of music?
Of course! I like all the things that have primarily a concept and a philosophy forming it. For me something done without a philosophy is like a lay-figure, maybe it can be beautiful outside, but it's empty inside. My philosophy of course starts from expressing what I am, what I have inside and what I want to be, everything related to my state of mind, my feelings and experiences that I accumulated during my life. This is first. After this, my music philosophy is based on trying to combine different things, maybe belong completely to opposite worlds and times, to get a final and unique result. I always want to have a final product using few things trying to get an extreme simplification of the structure and sounds of the track and work on the sound's spatiality and on depths. I believe that if we have a final result consisting of a single sound or a very simple structure, and therefore we be able to reach an high sensitivity concentrated all to one sound/structure, it is a big experience, it is something really big, is the top of my music philosophy. So this is what I think about my music and also the music I like to play and listen, and all my works are based on this.

What is Claudio PRC up to next?
Sound research, do a lot of music and succeed in my goals, accumulate lot of experience from everything, love, friends and nature. New forthcoming releases on my home label Prologue and Elettronica Romana, push on The Gods Planet Project with my friend Ness and keep to do music with my favourite old and new artists/friends.

Any thoughts on this mix?
I've been thinking a lot about the composition of this mix. I tried to enclose that in my musical philosophy. I took some stuff (from new and old vinyls and cds) that in these last years I listen to so much and really influenced me. I did the mix starting from a purely electro-acoustic base, reflecting on the concept of noise as a sound and the freedom to choose all possible combination concerning the act of composition, also focus on the sound spatiality of the single tracks. I combined to this some Techno tracks that I consider as best releases right now, trying to make not the usual and traditional set and let be the listening of this an unique experience.


... and so, the mix. i think claudio's description is a good preview; i will say to be careful near the end because it does get a bit... noisy. no tracklist for this one, so just turn the lights down low, and see where this takes you...





be sure to check out claudio PRC's myspace for more information, news, and track samples. thanks to claudio for going off the beaten path to create this interesting hour of music; it was a pleasure to get to know him and i'm delighted to help share his sounds with the world. i hope you all enjoy the mix!