Gaetano Parisio (aka Gaetek) has spent the past year having his back catalogue re-touched by some of the genre’s greats. Danny Turner extracts production tips from a key figure behind the rise of Neapolitan techno

© Alessia Laudoni

Initially a purveyor of European electronic pop, Italian DJ and producer Gaetano Parisio began making records in the late ’90s, debuting with the techno EP 7775-Line. Adopting a funkier approach infused with Latin flavours, a flurry of classic Gaetek tunes became staples of the Neapolitan techno scene, diverging from the genre’s lengthy association with Detroit and Berlin. Parisio created the respected independent label Conform in 1997, playing host to artists such as Adam Beyer, Ben Sims and The Advent. Over the past year, the trio have joined forces with other techno mainstays including Deetron, Radio Slave and Mark Broom to re-edit numerous tracks from Gaetek’s back catalogue. The series continues early this year with Re-Touched Series Vol. IV.

What changed between listening to electronic pop and becoming a dance music producer?

“I was listening to electronic bands like Depeche Mode, New Order and Ultravox and then I got into clubbing in the ’90s and immediately felt a connection with techno. I was amazed at the sounds that were coming from the vinyl and was curious to understand how the music was created. From that point I bought Atari ST Notator and a Roland TR-909 and started to make productions. I didn’t have any knowledge at the time – it was like learning to play football on the street, but step by step I built my own studio.”

Jeff Mills is one of your biggest inspirations… 

“Whatever he does, from techno to cinema soundtracks or the newer experimental and jazzier stuff, the bottom line is that he always delivers with extreme quality. He isn’t making music just to please people but always brings a spirit of research and creates music that’s much more advanced. He’s one of the few artists who has raised the bar and stayed true to that, so he’s a big inspiration.”

Would you like to think of yourself as equally influential in your home country?