Julie Marghilano // Tzinah Podcast // Interview // October 2013 //

Julie_Marghilano_Tzinah_RecordsSurprising, experimental and always breaking boundaries: there is no doubt that Julie’s music has brought new life to the electronic music scene. Since the age of 10 when she first started playing the violin, Julie has been continually experimenting with this classical instrument.During these musically golden years, Italy was a mecca for great underground house music and Julie became absorbed in the scene, and started to buy her own collection of records. Julie is also the mastermind behind ‘Sol Asylum’, a Berlin-based party that has hosted some of the most interesting and refined underground electronic artists such as Audio Werner, Ion Ludwig, Seuil, Miss Jools, Anthea, and Dana Ruh. This crazy affair was created to host artists and give them a platform to have complete freedom of expression.
Julie’s hard work and determination has not gone unnoticed. In fact, her productions Last Tango and Arazmataz gained support from DJs such as Villalobos, Loco Dice, Luciano and Tobi Neumann, and the appreciation of her work from colleagues and connoisseur’s continues to grow. One of her latest 6 track releases on Little Helper showcased her talents once again for being an inspiring performer and producer who remains true to her soul.

Art in all its forms creates and brings magic and joy to life on this planet. Art especially music is limitless.

Tzinah Records interview

Tzinah Records: So how did all begin for you?
Julie Marghilano: I have been playing the violin since I was 10 years old and I used to jam with djs before I started djing myself but unfortunately, this made me very frustrated because most djs dont understand what keys and tones mean. I produced my first violin track in collaboration with a very talented Italian dj named Ivan Iacobucci in 2002 and he convinced me to start spinning. I would bring him tons of music to show him the kind of things I liked so I guess it was a natural progression for me.

Tzinah Records: Where did your name came from?
Julie Marghilano: From my mother and father

Tzinah Records: What role does the artist have in society in your opinion?
Julie Marghilano: Art in all its forms creates and brings magic and joy to life on this planet. Art especially music is limitless. I played on an art car in burning man and I did a special sunrise set and I will always remember the best compliment I ever received was from a man who told me I had changed his life for the better that day. I will always remember the look in this guys eyes and this is one of the reasons I do what I do..Why do you do what you do? It has always been my number one passion

Tzinah Records: Why did you chose to play this music?
Julie Marghilano: I have always been attracted to the darker side of non commercial music. I guess its kind of like a vampire tale, very romantic but tragic at the same moment.

Tzinah Records: Describe a real-life situation that inspired you.
Julie Marghilano: thunderstorms

Tzinah Records: What is your point of view on labeling genres?
Julie Marghilano: I don’t really like labeling of any kind. I think it kind of puts limits on whatever your talking about but unfortunately, we as a society need to name everything to understand it. Music is so complex and genres get intermingled so often these days.

Tzinah Records: What is your opinion regarding this blend and you think we should find names for them or just let them be?
Julie Marghilano: I think the best things including humans come from mixing up genre’s and very often it is quite hard to describe what comes out but you are welcome give it a name. The name is not as important as the end result of the music.

Tzinah Records:  What do you think about the music scene in your country?
Julie Marghilano: I think that we are very blessed in Berlin. There is a concentration of music connoisseurs here so in most cases,we have more musical freedom to express ourselves.

Tzinah Records: What is your opinion about European underground music scene, new talents, old producers, what do you think about Romanian artists?
Julie Marghilano: I think Europe is about 10 years ahead of the states for underground music. Hence one of the reasons Im still here and don’t plan to go back anytime soon. I think it is really important to support new talent they are the future of this business but it is also important to respect and know older producers and their music because they made the basis of our genre. There are older producers that are so very talented like Cab Drivers. They played my last party and they blew the roof off the club. Pure analog fun! There is a saturation of brilliant producers coming out of Romania at the moment. Your country is on fire :-) The only part Im not really too enthused about is that most of them use a lot of samples and I think this is kind of cheating. I work very hard at sound design so I guess I feel it would be more interesting if everyone made more original sounds but this is just my personal opinion.

Tzinah Records:  If you could pick one place you would like to play where would it be and why?
Julie Marghilano: Panorama bar because it is the mecca for our music.

Tzinah Records:  If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry what would it be?
Julie Marghilano: I would make sure the dj’s getting booked were great producers and great djs, not one or the other. I think this should be the weeding process.

Tzinah Records:  Out of all tunes you have made, which one you think ‘never fails’?
Julie Marghilano: Silence

Tzinah Records:  How do you see yourself changed over the years, both personal and music-wise and what did you learn?
Julie Marghilano: My musical and personal growth has been massive especially after moving to berlin. There is such an intense concentration of talented artists. In the beginning I was very confused about what my sound was but now I am confident and secure about the music I play and make. I guess not having to compromise in any way opens up your creativity. I never have met so many like-minded friends here in berlin, this has helped me grow as a person and musically too.

Tzinah Records: What inspires you to keep going and how do you keep yourself motivated?
Julie Marghilano: Im a Leo I was born that way. LOL

Tzinah Records: What else do you do besides playing music?
Julie Marghilano: I like to do all kinds of water sports, water skiing, surfing, snowboarding, watching film, and last but not least cooking for my friends.

Tzinah Records: What makes you angry?
Julie Marghilano: The Political and corporate ruled system we are living in today. When there is nuclear radiation coming out of Fukushima killing our ocean and us and nobody is holding the corporate powers accountable. Unfortunately most people don’t get involved in things until it effects them directly and this really makes me angry and scared!

Tzinah Records: What is your favorite food?
Julie Marghilano: Japanese

Tzinah Records: What computer/gear do you use?
Julie Marghilano: Ableton, electribe, cwejman BLD, juno 106, prophet 5, electric violin and anything else I can get sound out of including rainstorms.

Tzinah Records: It sounds quite easy to make music today, with the amount of software programs/synths being readily available for everyone. What do you think about this evolution?
Julie Marghilano: I think its not the gear its the creativity of the person using it that is important. You can have a studio full of gear but if you don’t have imagination it will do you no good.

Tzinah Records: Dark electronic music has been never as “popular” throughout the scene as it has been in the past few years. Why do you think there is this newfound fascination for darker music?
Julie Marghilano: I don’t really know I guess its a sign of our times.

Tzinah Records: Do you have the fondness for playing vinyl or have you developed a preference for new media, such as CDs or a purely digital format?
Julie Marghilano: I started spinning with vinyl and I will always support it but unfortunately It is impossible for me to travel with it, so I also use digital format. I think its the quality of the music you play that counts not what format that is important.

Tzinah Records: What are you working on at the moment? Any present and future projects that you want to share with us?
Julie Marghilano: Some remixes are in the works for Emiliano Ferreya and Micheal Rosa, my EP with Tzinah in December and my vinyl only label Sol Asylum will be up and running for the first of 2014.

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