Simonpietro Malandra, aka Malandra Jr. began his career as a musician from childhood, playing the piano.
After a few years he started studying the clarinet, graduating with honors, winning several awards, and playing in various orchestras and chamber ensembles. Malandra also studied at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, and right after started producing electronic music offering unique, sophisticated releases on labels such as Diynamic, R&S Records, Stil vor Talent, Atlant, and of course Tenax recordings.
His wealth of classical music experience makes him able to shape electronic music with an incredible result of melody, harmony, rhythm, with shades of bucolic, tradition and innovation. His bass lines in contrast, are very deep and pressing; as he loves minor keys, and as a result of his production excellence, has earned him the title of teacher at the Tenax Academy for DJs and producers.
Balance Selections 229: Malandra Jr.
Tracklisting:
1. Malandra Jr. – ID
2. Malandra Jr. – ID
3. Malandra Jr. – ID
4. Pongo – Miur
5. Rafel Cerato touchtalk – Fit on You
6. Alejandro Molinari, Leo Sagrado – Perfect Stranger (Far & High remix)
7. Malandra Jr. – ID
8. Malandra Jr. – ID
9. Malandra Jr. – ID
10. Mulya – Rivalda (Glowal remix)
11. Deneobourg – Madness
12. Malandra Jr. – In my Arms, Close to my Heart
Balance Selections Q+A
Name: SIMONPIETRO MALANDRA
Location: CHIETI – ITALIA
Facebook
Soundcloud
Instagram
Alias/Producer name: MALANDRA JR., BLACKSTONE
Labels affiliated with:DIYNAMIC, R&S RECORDS, RENAISSANCE, STIL VOR TALENT
My last 4 releases:
Malandra Jr. – Sveva
Malandra Jr. – Clowns
Mark DePulse & Rafael Cerato – Make a Show feat. Hadar (Malandra Jr. remix)
Mia Mendi – Comfort in the Void (Malandra Jr. Dark Side of the Floor remix)
What music did you listen to as a child?
As a child I listened to everything, my mother had a radio station on all the time called Radio Five, and the song that most marked my childhood was certainly Moments of Love by the Art of Noise. On the other hand, I have my father, who was a jazz player, and saxophonist, so because of this, I also cultivate a passion for jazz.
When was the first time that you realised that you liked electronic music?
I come from a small Italian town, and there was a basic culture for Italo disco, and initially I snubbed this aspect a bit, but over time I learned that the club is the school of life. But, what really inspired is when I first listened to Dubfire‘s Terror Planet remix of Radio Slave‘s Grindhouse, not only did I fall in love with it, I realised I had to create something like this.
When was the first time you saw a DJ in a club?
Yes, I remember, it was in a social centre, I was in Rome attending the second degree level at Santa Cecilia. Friends invited me, I showed up with a suitcase full of machines… I remember that my sound was much softer than what the audience expected, (lovers of hard techno, gabber, psy. etc…), but they did not kick me off the stage for a while.
Which producers/artists/acts inspire you?
Absolutely Dubfire, Aphex Twin, and Apparat. I love everything from these artists, and above all, this music changed my mindset. Unfortunately, the culture in Italy is still very attached to a certain type of house that dictates the law of the land in electronic music.
What was the last album that you downloaded/bought?
Glenn Gould: Bach – Well-tempered Clavier. A true deep love. Classic. I basically only listen to classical music, my tears come out when I listen to perfect counterpoints.
What is your current production and DJ set up like?
I started playing live with ableton, keyboard, midi controller and an EWI Akay wind controller. Then, after I had a daughter, I sold everything. I hope one day to be able to buy back my hardware, to do a live performance you need to have a very up-to-date setup. Today I mix the classic way, with two CDJs and a mixer.
For my production I only use computers, I love to play with many samples that I cut out, I resound, I previously had some synthesizers also, which I hope one day to be able to buy them again.
What releases do you have on the horizon?
I have a remix coming out on Watergate records, a 2 track EP for Renaissance, and another EP coming soon, but I’d rather not say the label, for good luck… (I’m Italian).
Where can we hear you perform?
I will play in Turkey, Egypt, Belgium, Greece, and I hope in Italy soon.
Tell us more about the podcast you made for Balance?
It was exciting to have been contacted for such an important podcast… I thank all the great artists like Rafael Cerato, Far & High, Glowal, and Josh Gigante. I thank them for giving me some of their pearls. It took me about 3 days to assemble it, also adding my different ideas, difficult to mix because of my mind that always wants to stuff everything with music.
If I could recommend only one of my tracks for you to listen to it would be:
Sveva on Diynamic
The last movie I watched that I really liked:
Amici mie atto Terzo, one of the best Italian films
