Interview w/ Luigi Tozzi

Italian DJ and producer Luigi Tozzi is known for his deep, atmospheric approach to techno. He's crafted several hypnotic, oceanic soundscapes through releases like his Deep Blue trilogy on Hypnus Records and EPs such as Almost Blue. In May, he will serve up another of his famous live sets, this time at Upclose (Awakenings) at Spaarnwoude-park in the Netherlands.

Live shows are very different to DJ sets in that they require much more advanced planning to construct such an immersive experience, as he explains. "Atmospheric and textural elements are key in my sound and often the starting point for my compositions. They help me set a visual environment for the story I want to tell with my music."

Part of the process is translating his own tracks into something that works in his live show. "I try to maintain core elements as much as possible while keeping the material more stripped down so it remains incisive enough for a dance floor context."

Preparing for a live set is a meticulous process that Tozzi describes as piecing together "an ever-growing puzzle of sounds" that he's been collecting since 2016. "I have sounds from all my productions, both released and unreleased, stemmed and repitched in keys that can always interact harmonically," he reveals. "Before a performance, I decide on the material I feel like presenting in that specific context and make a rough plan on where I want to start and end. This preparation allows me flexibility—I can change my plan on the fly and improvise."

For Upclose, Tozzi will focus on his more varied back and minimalistic techno material. "I’m looking forward to producing a few loops specifically for the gig," he adds. "It’s always exciting to bring something fresh to an event of this scale."

A key aspect of his performance is real-time manipulation. "I work with thousands of sounds that I arrange at the moment to form 'tracks.' My main tools for modulation are filters and return channels filled with long effects chains, which can dramatically impact the timbre and patterns of the original sounds."

Tozzi's setup remains consistent, whether in the studio or live. He uses a laptop, plenty of VST effects and instruments, and MIDI controllers to manipulate the sounds, while the Allen & Heath Xone K2 controllers are essential. "I’ve developed a mapping over the years that allows me to control many parameters, and they’re incredibly compact," he says.

Despite having learned synthesis on a hybrid setup involving hardware, Tozzi has embraced digital tools in recent years. "I realized how limited I was with hardware and how much more I could develop my creative identity by working digitally." Different venues and environments also shape his approach and so he says that "interacting with the space is almost as important as interacting with the crowd," adding that "some tracks fit perfectly in a basement club, while others work best in an open-air festival setting."

To get in the zone before a performance, Tozzi makes sure to arrive early to get a feel of the crowd. "Understanding the sound system is crucial," he adds. "The setup influences what I decide to play, especially in terms of the lower end of the spectrum—kicks and basslines." Looking ahead to his set at Upclose, Tozzi is eager to experiment. "I love testing unreleased sounds, and even more so when I can do it at such an important festival. It’s always a great opportunity to push my sound further."