Sound Magnet Records presents our Origins Mixes & Interviews series, which have mixes & stories from artists across divides with music and themes based on inspiration from their city of birth or their current cities or places they reside in, spanning artists and mixes from all over the world.
For mix no. #008 we have a mix by Palermo, Italy based electronic artist Riccardo Priolo.
Listen to Riccardo’s “Origins” mix on Soundcloud:
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Sound Magnet Records. Origins 008 // Riccardo Priolo by Sound Magnet Records Sound Magnet Records |
Listen to Riccardo’s “Origins” mix on YouTube:
Riccardo Priolo is a techno artist who brings live sets based on improvisation, using a hybrid setup that combines analog and software instruments. His passion for music started at a young age and led him to explore various instruments such as guitar and drums, but he found his true calling in producing and performing live techno acts. Each performance is a unique journey into the world of electronic sounds, where the energy of the moment drives his creativity.
Hi Riccardo! It’s a privilege to have you on our Origins series. Let’s get started with the questions!
Where do you consider “home,” and how does that place live in & shape your sound?
“The city where I was born, Palermo, is definitely the place I feel most at home.”
“I grew up between the northern outskirts and the city center, a place where you either live it, or it lives you in its own way. It’s a beautiful city, but also one full of contradictions that don’t always allow you to dream freely, and instead force you to stay constantly on alert, always watching your back.”
“That constant sense of alertness has inevitably shaped the way I approach music, and it comes through in what I create: often fast-paced rhythms, with a blend of tension and hope that’s always present in the sounds I put down.”
Which artists/music scenes/mentors/records shaped your ear early on?
“To be honest, I’m not sure I can answer this definitively. I remember being a kid listening to Italian music on the radio, and then moving into my early teenage years when, also thanks to the internet and MTV, I started getting into international music and exploring more and more genres.”
“If I’m being completely honest, I don’t even see myself as someone with a vast or highly structured musical knowledge. I think of myself more as a good listener than a knowledgeable one, and I see my ear as something that’s constantly evolving. It’s as if everything you’ve listened to, are listening to, and will listen to, eventually flows in the same direction, and inevitably ends up shaping the way you make music.”
What’s a turning-point city, or place (or gig or year) that shifted your musical direction?
“I’ve always been involved with, and loved music in almost all its forms, from listening to it to being curious about new instruments. Despite ups and downs, I’ve always played something, starting with guitar and drums, both of which I haven’t completely abandoned, just put on standby for now, and later moving on to keyboards, synths, and drum machines.”
“Overall, I think the real turning point came when I got into music production and electronic music, after trying Ableton Live for the first time.”
Talking about gear & producing process, what are your go-to instruments, hardware and/or VSTs & how has your process evolved from your first releases to now?
“As I mentioned, I’ve always had a strong curiosity for musical instruments in general. My first experiences were with guitar and then drums, both of which, in a way, are still part of my journey today.”
“After a short period of complete inactivity, I discovered Ableton, music production, and electronic music, and I fell in love with it straight away. I had finally found the flexibility I had always been looking for but had never found before.”
“After a few years of fully immersing myself in the Ableton ecosystem and its stock plugins and instruments, which I love, I started to feel the need to expand my workflow by integrating real hardware, including synths and drum machines.”
“At the moment, my setup mainly consists of hardware gear (various Elektron machines and small modular system) and Ableton Live.”
What’s inspiring you right now in music & outside music?
“I make music for the simple pleasure of making it, and of continuing to do so. Maybe music itself is what inspires me, along with the love of the people I care about and who care about me.”
What’s next for you in 2026 & the coming years?
“To be honest, I don’t know what the future holds, and I don’t even want to know. I just hope it includes a lot of music, the people I love, and my cats.”
ICYMI, here’s Riccardo’s Origins mix (again):
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Sound Magnet Records. Origins 008 // Riccardo Priolo by Sound Magnet Records Sound Magnet Records |
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Follow Riccardo Priolo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riccardo.priolo/
YT: https://youtube.com/@riccardo_priolo
SC: https://on.soundcloud.com/mSHl1dSGtdnlAJO4YM
Gumroad: https://riccardopriolo.gumroad.com/
Tracklist:
Unnamed originals by Riccardo Priolo (made for Sound Magnet Records)
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