Cataldo Cappiello-Taiga
Perhaps expanding himself beyond the horizons was the only way for Cataldo Cappiello. This artist is the epitome of experimentation, enjoying music for the frisson it provides. As a talented composer and musician, he has delved into styles that might not even add up. Inspiration can strike from anywhere. This is his latest single, Taiga. Tell us about the composition Taiga. What does it aim to evoke in the listener and more importantly, what did it evoke in the artist?Hello, and thank you for having me today!For me, “Taiga” is about escaping and feeling free. It’s exactly halfway between an epic tale and the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi: it can be a euphoric experience, or a zen one, and it all depends on the listener. I don’t think music’s job is to communicate - rather, its mission is all about letting the listeners discover themselves, as meaning always comes from within. Each of your compositions is a thematic deep dive, to incite a certain vibe. Are you inspired by films for your music? I am heavily inspired by anime soundtracks, and that is especially true if we mention Studio Ghibli and the genius Joe Hisaishi. Additionally, I’ve been a gamer for my entire life, and several composers have left a mark on me - that includes Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, Toby Fox and OmoCat. With every song I work on, my aim is to let the listener spontaneously visualise a story in their own mind. Listen to his singles like Riverside Fairy Tale and Jade Coast first. What does it tell you? The immense power of visualisation he has comes together within a fraction of an epiphany. The same follows for Taiga, where the serenading notes will be your beacon of light. Feel your pulse lower to a sedentary state of active realisation. The minimal textures are important in showing how powerful and emotional the melody is. You will surely find yourself humming the tune, repetition only makes you love it more. Spending time and effort in detailing this stereo sound can be felt. He chooses a moment to cascade a flood of sensory delight, and that will be Cataldo Cappiello in his mission statement. To make music that makes you feel. You mention inspirations from metal to independent instrumentalists. Are there any film music composers who you particularly find interesting? Joe Hisaishi aside, two of my main influences are definitely Hans Zimmer and Vangelis. I aspire to be able to compose scores that can leave a fraction of the mark these two geniuses did undeniably leave in the fabric of today’s culture. Memories of Vangelis are especially dear to me, as my father was his great fan and listened to his scores daily. He gave me his collection of CDs, and “Antarctica” still holds a warm place in my heart (and in my collection!), on par with “Spiral”. For the flood of sound that cascades in Taiga, what made you decide that was the perfect moment? Was it intuition, or the story needed that moment? My most affectionate followers know I’m a fan of Alcest, Sigur Rós, and post-rock and metal in general. Although “Taiga” uses mostly classical instruments like piano and strings, the approach of the song is very, very typically post-rock, with slow, atmospheric build-ups that culminate in emotional explosions, featuring a high number of layered sounds.My friend Ivan from Don’t Stop Studio, who knows all of my stems inside-out, likes to say that I tend to create strong climaxes by stacking instruments that are rich of frequencies in the mid-low range of the spectrum.Something that truly helped me to achieve those euphoric, explosive emotional peaks is Jacob Collier’s “Audience Choir” plugin - those recordings are just so pristine and beautiful, they really made a difference. What is your favourite part of collaborating with artists. As you're so comfortable interacting with so many, what has been a unique moment in composing music together? Most of the collaborative works I’ve had the honour to work on have been extremely precious experiences to me. They gave me the opportunity to look within myself through a new perspective, often dictated by the intersection of the other artist’s skillset and mine.I’ve learned to be clear and straight to the point when writing lyrics and melodies - nobody likes deciphering cryptic messages! Rather, the artist’s duty is to be a communicator, and I’m determined to be just that, in the most intense and sincere way possible. A highlight I’d like to mention was that one time I worked on “Le Lampade Al Sodio” with Anna Soares - it started out as an ambient experiment, but it ended up being a cathartic experience that surprisingly ended up healing a childhood trauma I had been carrying within myself for a bit too long. Anna’s voice has channeled something ethereal and unknown that awakened and healed a part of me. What are your plans for the coming year in music? Can we expect an EP or LP in the works? What about live performances? I think the quality of my output is mature enough for me to start working as a freelance composer for video games, films and TV. So you can expect more cinematic and orchestral compositions in the future.I also want to broaden my horizons in terms of collaborations – I want to focus less on mere numbers, and more on actual meaningful interactions with brilliant musicians and beautiful people. In regard to a future EP/LP, that’s a possibility. I’m thinking of remastering my most recent orchestral/cinematic tracks in a new, shiny package… But, at the moment, that’s just an idea, and I might go down a different route, depending on what life brings. That said, thank you so much for having me, I truly appreciate the space you’ve dedicated to me today. And thank you, everybody, for listening! Cheers! If you have watched the movie The Tree of Life (2011), you would know how the visuals need something this powerful. I would suggest replacing some scenes with this music for the kind of evocative gravity it holds. You can check out more of Cataldo Cappiello on his Spotify and follow him on his socials. Listen to Taiga above and make sure you follow him for delightful music like this!
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