introducing: harptical

Sarah Jack interviews Italian producer Harptical, who has recently re-located to Aberdeen to undertake his Masters degree

We are in central Milan in December 2015. In a small, smoke-filled, underground theatre, Harptical surveys his enraptured audience from beneath the rim his trademark snapback cap. His hypnotic music fills the dark room as the crowd of black-clad Milanese nod rhythmically, mirroring the movements of the artist as he seamlessly runs one ritualistic sound spectrum into the next.

The Italian producer - who goes by the name Harptical - began producing while studying in Milan, and since his first release “Flytande” in 2014 has gone on to play alongside Mount Kimbie, Koreless, Airhead and Italy’s trap favourite, Clap Clap. His sound is trance-based  electronica, described by Noisey Italia as having “a rhythmic structure merging dreamlike voices with a strong bass line”.

Harptical originates from Arroyo, a “label-less” record label born in Tuscany, which acts as a platform for a wide variety of electronic artists. The label describes itself as “a boundless, ever-changing space, in which ideas can travel and unfold uninhibitedly”, with the project’s main aim being “to develop multicultural, multimedia platform working across music, poetry, digital art and design”.

Harptical’s new EP, Gata, meaning “road” in Swedish, was released at the end of September this year. In a recent interview with Polkadot Magazine, the artist explains that the Swedish language was chosen specifically for the track titles as it holds “a sense of coldness and impenetrability”, a likely reflection of his new surroundings in the north of Scotland, where he is currently completing a masters degree at Aberdeen University. Northern European languages, with their “icy” intonations have always been a source of inspiration for the artist, with which is now contextualised in his music with his move to a colder climate. The album’s five tracks, accompanied by rhythmic beats and dreamlike vocals, each encompass different mystical far-off lands, taking the listener on a metaphysical journey delving into more hypnotic realms of electronica.

Now living in Aberdeen, Hearing Aid talks to the artist about his latest projects and his transition to Scotland, comparing its music scene to his roots in the fashion capital, Milan.

You made up the name "Harptical" yourself. Did you choose the name as a reflection of your music?

I chose this name before I started to produce music. I wanted to create very cold sounds that recall Arctic ice, and my composition process followed naturally. Despite the fact that my music is still 'cold' in certain aspects, it doesn’t really remind me of 'ice'. It’s much more "coloured". Neverthless, the name is still there.

Your music covers a pretty niche genre in the UK. How have you found the Scottish electronic music scene by comparison?

I lived in Milan for 8 years before moving to Aberdeen and I really loved the clubbing scene back in Italy, where you can find quality electronic, techno and house music coming from all over the world. Aberdeen is like another planet to me. It’s full of student-Erasmus clubs with cheesy music. Quality electronic music is relegated to just one club, with a very limited selection of new and interesting guests. I don’t want to give a bad impression of Aberdeen though, it’s a very quiet town with tonnes of kind and laid-back people, and I definitely love the nature surrounding the town. It’s just that its music “scene” is really disappointing for me. You know, you want to go out and listen to what you like, rather than something you don’t, pretty simple.

You produced Gata here in Scotland. Has your experience here influenced the way you produce sound?

Part of Gata was already done in Italy, but many other details have been added here in Scotland. I haven’t taken a literal musical influence from here – no bagpipes in Gata! But I have to admit that, unlike Milan, I’ve had more spare time here to focus on my music, and the relaxed atmosphere in my first flat in Aberdeen with huge windows facing a cosy street in the West-End area really helped in writing tracks for Gata.

 Have you performed any live sets in Scotland?

I still haven’t played here in Scotland, but hope to do so in the spring of the next year when we’ve got some live sets planned in Europe.

 What else do you have lined up for Harptical in the next year?

I’m already writing new material with a much more dance vibe, with a lot of analogue tracks, to be released in late 2017. I also plan to visit Glasgow more often, listening to music that inspires you really helps you out in the composition process.