Following what has already been an incredibly prolific run of releases these last few years, Italian artist and producer Mouth Water isn't slowing down anytime soon as he delivers his breezy new single 'Rise'.
Bringing back more of that rich and shimmering electro-pop aesthetic he is known for, 'Rise' makes for a stellar return to form for him. With its warm and dreamy textures, lofty atmosphere, and sweeping vocals layered throughout, he continues to shine as one of the more exciting names doing the rounds right now.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The clarinet when I was about 10 years old. I had previously taken piano lessons, but the clarinet teacher was on a different level and actually made it fun to learn and play.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I loved all the old Motown and soul music my mom used to play. Also the ‘90s dance music my brother and cousin liked and ‘90s rock my sister was into. I would take their tapes and CDs from their rooms to listen to them and sometimes even tape the radio.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first one I went out and bought myself on CD was Traveling Without Moving by Jamiroquai and I’m proud of it because it’s still a great album.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There number of songs I wish I could have written myself is endless but I’m not sure I would have been able to! There are however some songs that I have heard upon release that have striking similarities with some of my unfinished work, such as Memories by French 79 and Don’t Stop Now by Dua Lipa which has the same exact bass line, drum sound, chord changes and key as something I wrote years ago.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
No rituals but as far as habits go, in recent years I’ve started running whatever chord progression I’m using through my analog synths and then spending time tweaking their parameters in order to create some unexpected sound or riff.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
French 79, Franc Moody, Lindsteøm, Idles, EREZ, SAULT as well as all the older music I still listen to.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
French 79! I’ve seen him live a few times and love his approach with all his analogue synths and think I would be an appropriate opener.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Being able to spend time alone or with collaborators in the studio writing, producing and recording which are the things I love most doing; and forgetting about the rest of the world in those moments.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Probably working hard on some piece of music and then finding out that most people close to you are not even interested in hearing it at all.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
By this mix engineer Michal Brauer who told me: It’s not the amount of time, but the quality. I think you can apply that to most things in life.
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Mouth Water's new single 'Rise' is out now. Check it out in the player below.