Ilario Alicante Interview

He may only be 24, but Ilario Alicante is as respectable as any other act playing at Cocoon in Ibiza. His rise as a DJ and producer from the age of 15 is incredible, beginning within his regional DJ community of Livorno, Italy and moving onto mixing for Cocoon Recordings, Cecille Records and SCI + TEC Digital Audio. He has achieved success with tracks such as ‘Vacaciones En Chile’ and his ‘Living Near Africa EP,’ seeing support from club legends Sven Vath, Ricardo Villalobos and Richie Hawtin. Now with his own record label, Alicante is going from strength to strength.

You are part of an exclusive group of acts to be playing at Cocoon in Ibiza for 2013. What can we expect from your set?
First of all I’m really proud to be part of our amazing group of artists at Cocoon Amnesia. You know, Ibiza is a special thing. When I play there I have incredible feelings and every time it’s different and unique. I was in Ibiza for the first time when I was 17. I’ve a strong connection with that island, so expect something special every time I play there.

Cocoon is one of Ibiza’s best loved underground parties, what are your views on dance music’s explosion into the mainstream and how has it effected the underground scene?
I think that my idea of music and of what I’m doing is quite subjective, but simple. I don’t care a lot about the dance music explosion into the mainstream. I mean, it’s good that more and more people are listening to the electronic scene than before, but I put the same effort and passion into making music as always, this doesn’t change anything for me. Our scene is a lifestyle, is passion and love for what we are doing. Whether we do it for 100,000 people or 10. Anyway we are coming, as Cocoon, from a strong and huge underground crowd, so if the scene is growing, it can be only better for us.

Are you working on any collaborations at the moment?
Well, production-wise, I actually prefer working alone, but maybe in the summer I will do some collaborations with some colleagues as well. I’m really happy that Cocoon gave me this huge opportunity. This summer we will do a Sunday party in Ibiza called FLASH, daytime. I will play every Sunday and I will invite lots of good artists that I like, so maybe some new collaborations with other artists could see the light of day in the future.

What are your plans for the European festival season?
I’m really happy to play at Love Family Park in Hanau this year. It will be my first time there and I think that it is actually one of the best festivals of our music scene. Then I will play at SMS Festival in Germany and Barrakud festival in Croatia. These are the ones confirmed until now, more to come. But as I’ve told you previously, I’m really focusing on my own party with Cocoon in Ibiza.

What is the biggest track you are playing right now?
Actually there are no “biggest tracks”. I think that each track is fundamental because they are all part of a story that I’m telling to the people. I cannot say that one is better than another. Every track is big in its own way.

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