Mind Enterprises Interview - Retro Electronica
Meet Mind Enterprises, an Italo-Disco producer and retro aficionado. Mind Enterprises’ spectacular style blends various retro electro styles with a forward thinking structure and progression. We caught up with Andrea Tirone the legend behind the Mind Enterprises project to chat about his career so far, new single ‘Ballare’ and cocktails!
Futuremag Music: Hey Mind Enterprises, how's life treating you?
Mind Enterprises: Hey! Life is good thank you. Feels like summer here in Gran Canaria, I can't really complain!
Futuremag Music: Can you talk us through your relationship with music over the years? How did you move into music production? What's been a career highlight so far?
Mind Enterprises: Since I remember music has always been my favourite thing. I was playing classical guitar as I kid then I joined a post-punk band in my teens, I've been obsessed with guitars for a long time - I still love guitars actually. I move into music production because I wanted to get full control on the process that starts with a melody in your head and ends with a mixed record, I'm a control freak even if I've learned to let it go a bit over times. Moving to London and taking my first steps into the music industry was a big deal. There were lots of things to learn and some of them took a while, I got quite confused in the beginning. Releasing my first 7" was a turning point and was very important to get some sort of validation after years of commitment. Signing with Because happened just after that and it felt unreal, it meant I could go full time into writing and producing music and here I am still.
Futuremag Music: Can you talk us through your current discography? What went into building your retro and funk-centric sound and aesthetic?
Mind Enterprises: Mind Enterprises sound is mainly shaped around Afro-Beat, Italo-Disco, a bit of techno a bit of 90's dance a bit of 70's disco. The first songs sounded more intimate and romantic, but now they are more outgoing and fun. I think I went through some sort of evolution in the sound where the intention didn't really change. I always wanted to make dancey music; in the beginning it didn't really happened and I didn't force it, and now I guess I'm aligning a bit more with that goal.
Futuremag Music: Your new single 'Ballare' is a serious jam. Can you talk us through the writing and production process. What's your favourite aspect of the single? What would you like fans to do when listening?
Mind Enterprises: I'm trying to make disco music with some sort of balance between the classic sounds and a contemporary production. Ballare started with the bass line. I played it from my Elka OMB synthesiser, all the track revolves around that line. The riff is made with few layers of sounds from different synths and the drum is a mix between samples from real drums and drum machines. The purpose of the song it's quite obvious if you look at the title 'Ballare' that means for 'dance' in Italian.
Futuremag Music: A funny one to wrap it up, if 'Mind Enterprises' was a cocktail what would be in it to best describe yourself and your music?
Mind Enterprises: It would be a spritz no doubts. The magic formula is 1/3 red campari, 1/3 prosecco, 1/3 soda, slices of orange. It always starts like an innocent pre-dinner drink and will get you completely wreaked without you even noticing!