Feel-good Italo disco with Mind Enterprises

0:12Andrea Tirone:Hello and welcome to the Monaco Weekly. I'm Fernando Augusto Pacheco and on this week's episode I had the pleasure to speak with Mind Enterprises, an Italian music duo taking the world by storm. Made up of two former post-punk musicians, Andrea Tironi and Roberto Conigliaro, Mind Enterprises dabbles in feel-good Italo disco, a genre fitting for a global audience looking for a dash of Mediterranean escapism. Here is my conversation with Dan.

0:57Mind Enterprises:We've actually been working together since 2011. We met in Palermo, actually a festival called Ipsic Rock. We played with different bands and we just found out basically that we're both just about to move to London. Or I think we already just moved to London. So, you know, we swapped number and then in London, like, of course, we kept in touch. also because like our english was like terrible and we had no friends so actually needed each other but of course like we started you know hanging out working like i mean he'll tell you more but like andrea started the project as a solo and i joined like as a live musician to help to bring like you know the project like of course like on stage question again for both of you your

1:45Andrea Tirone:music of course is deeply inspired by Italo disco which I love and I try to understand why do I love

1:52Mind Enterprises:Italo disco so much I mean as a very human side like as you said like emotion like uh of course like it comes from disco music like which is play and sang and the good thing like of course like it's a crossover because then you have the synth and the drum machine but I think like as you said like just more like the emotional feel like the human side like people like a lot into techno nowadays like i think like it's at least kind of like define a little bit like the counterparts like where at least on the electronic music sphere again it's a bit of like feel good human touch i

2:30Roberto Conigliaro:would say how is i see it is um because it's a bit silly as well it's sort of like don't take yourself too seriously some i mean it has like some sort of a depth but the instinct is like you know let's just have fun let's just not don't think about it too much and i think it's very linked with a proper party in my opinion and dance music you know just there not to be the best looking the coolest person is more about like having fun and don't take yourself too serious so i guess this kind of music sort of helps you know how to create the vibe for a good party and

3:05Andrea Tirone:And that's how you both started as well. You know, online people saw, you know, your beautiful imagery there. It's very chilled. And then suddenly you're doing an international tour to the U.S. as well. How was the reception in the U.S., in fact? Because I wouldn't associate Italo disco in the U.S. Yeah, exactly.

3:20Mind Enterprises:It couldn't be better, to be honest. It was pretty much a sold-out tour. And they ended at Coachella with the two weekends at Coachella. As you said, people kind of looked at us a little bit like, what is this? because as you said, Italy was definitely more like a European thing, like in Germany, Belgium, like Netherlands. The fact that the Coachella decided to get us on one, actually as a liner, like over stage, like and kind of trust whatever, like in this Italy disco thing. Like, yeah, it's quite surprising. At the end of the day, we, you know, filled up the room. So it was amazing.

4:01Andrea Tirone:And I don't know if you agree with me. look at the big pop stars today as well they are also influenced by italo disco don't you feel like the beat even when you look at the the pop stars maybe they don't do it directly as you guys because you you guys know every all the names but don't you think they indirectly actually was more

4:18Roberto Conigliaro:influential than people think yeah maybe i mean italo disco never really died i mean it was like peaking in my opinion it 83 then went like to a darker phase but like it never really disappeared And so I think like any electronic producer knows a bit about it and like you can always go back to it and just find some inspiration. So I guess in this particular moment, some people that are like us rediscovering it, probably like, you know, more mainstream level. Yeah, it's a bit more hidden beneath production, but, you know, it's something that is going to be there.

4:52Mind Enterprises:it's kind of like the first attempt again uh making disco music like electronic like instruments as we were saying so they were quite pioneering back then and then you know stuff like that

5:05Andrea Tirone:doesn't disappear like so easily let's talk about negroni love the album which is out today or tomorrow actually that's amazing first of all is it true that i read one of your interviews that actually negroni is not necessarily your favorites but it is cool do you like negronis

5:21Roberto Conigliaro:Negroni?

5:22Mind Enterprises:Yeah, yeah, yeah.

5:22Roberto Conigliaro:Negroni is, of course.

5:24Mind Enterprises:Well, to be fair, we kind of switch between drinking Negroni and just comparing soda, because Negroni obviously is quite a tough drink.

5:34Andrea Tirone:You save Compari Love for the next album.

5:36Mind Enterprises:Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's a bit strong. So, you know, when we play live, actually, usually it's comparing soda a bit lighter. But definitely my favorite drink, though. Yeah.

5:46Roberto Conigliaro:Yeah, it's a bit more a treat, you know, when you just go out for real. But then, you know, Campari in Soda is more casual and more like, you know, you can drink it every day. So, you know.

5:57Andrea Tirone:I love Tutu Sport. I mean, who would like to talk about this? And it's based on a newspaper from Turing, a sports newspaper, right?

6:05Roberto Conigliaro:The name, yeah. Also, like, I have to say, I use a lot of sort of like football references and sports references, but I don't know anything about it. I just like it as a cultural thing. anthropological perspective, I say. But I never played football. I don't know anything about it. And so from my knowledge, this newspaper was like, I didn't even know it was from Turin, but I discovered it was. And it's very much linked with a specific football team, but, you know, as well.

6:34Andrea Tirone:I had to tell you. Are you a football fan?

6:37Mind Enterprises:No, not anymore. I used to, like, but it's been, like, over a decade, like, I don't stop. I'm into tennis, though. so at least I got a sport I actually like. But yeah, football, San Risa, just don't play anymore.

7:10Andrea Tirone:And I wrote it down here, my favorite song. I would like to know actually more or less where this come from. Rosanero, I love it. I absolutely love the song. Thank you.

7:20Roberto Conigliaro:Yeah, there's another football reference. Rosanero. Yeah, he's trying to look like the most agreeable football team in Italy. Like, because Palermo is not, you know.

7:32Mind Enterprises:The huge team.

7:34Roberto Conigliaro:They're not doing so well now.

7:35Mind Enterprises:It's all that controversy, you know. If you see Rosanero, everyone kind of likes that. It's like you wait to see. You're going to have half Italy hating you. And same with Inter Milan and Milan. So Palermo is just modified. Nobody hates Palermo. Come on. Apart from the people from Catania. But it's not that many. You know, there's this beef line between Catania and Palermo. The main series. Yeah, yeah.

7:59Andrea Tirone:And guys, I saw the list. You are performing so many gigs this year. You'll be in Brazil, which I'm very excited about. In October, I'm from Brazil. There will be a big market for you guys there. Do you like playing live? So tell us a bit more because we're here in London. It's a big venue. You have a packed schedule.

8:16Roberto Conigliaro:Yeah, even too much. I think we're taking a bit too much stuff. Yeah, that's why I say that's why I mean, then you get tired because, you know, of course, because we love it so much. So, you know, when the offer came to the table, it's hard to say no. And we say yes every time. That's something that we love to.

8:34Mind Enterprises:I mean, especially the ones South America, Australia, America, of course super exciting to bring their music you have some

8:41Andrea Tirone:Caipirinha love maybe

8:42Mind Enterprises:yeah I love Caipirinha yeah yeah absolutely my main you know just one for sure it's very exciting yeah

9:11Andrea Tirone:That was Mind Enterprises. Their album, Negroni Love, is out now. You can also read an interview with Dan on Monaco's July-August issue that is out now as well. The show was edited by Steph Chungo. Thank you for listening.