L_cio, Tessuto join forces with legendary vocalist Robert Owens for the ‘Rising’ EP with Luciano on the remix. Out now on MFF.
What happens when you bring together a gifted multi-instrumentalist/producer, a cultural activist/DJ (both from Brazil), a Chicago House legend and a Swiss-Chilean techno visionary? They create a stunning EP that remains true to MFF’s guiding principles and further solidifies the label’s commitment to celebrating the true brilliance of musical misfits.
L_cio (aka Laercio Schwantes) is a virtuoso flute player, studio maestro and live-electronic-musician with residencies in his native Sao Paulo and a string of prestigious festival appearances to his name including Dekmantel, DGTL, Mysteryland, and Rock in Ri. Navigating seamlessly between acoustic and digital production, L_cio’s output transcends musical boundaries, as demonstrated by his instrumental contribution to Portable’s 2014 crossover hit Surrender (‘Best New Track’ – Pitchfork).
Tessuto, is a former member of the diverse VoodooHop art collective, formed in Sao Paulo in 2009 with the aim of transforming the city’s abandoned buildings into creative spaces for music and art projects. In a city where 15,000 people live on the streets, Tessuto argues that reclaiming these areas is an important step in improving how people interact with their urban environment. Tessuto would subsequently create Carlos Capslock, the innovative squat parties dedicated to electronic music where L_cio, a fellow committed supporter of street-culture in Sao Paulo, is also a resident.
Lastly, Robert Owens is an artist who needs no introduction! Arguably house music’s most recognizable voice, one-third of the legendary ‘Fingers Inc’ alongside fellow Chicago icons, Larry Heard and Ron Wilson and now based in Berlin. A quote from i-D Magazine says it all, “If God could sing, he would sound like Robert Owens”.
The coming together of these three artists began during the Pandemic lockdowns of 2020, when the world most needed a dose of unity and creativity. It started as a virtual jam session and led to two new productions being fully written, firstly Rising – a track featuring a sublime blend of strings and synths from the multi-instrumentalist L_cio, and the ever-timeless vocals from Robert. Followed by Get Back Up Again, a collaboration which brought in Paolo Tessuto to create an epic house/gospel fusion and a true testament to the power of electronic music to uplift and inspire. Luciano, who fell in love with Rising and gives us a 9-minute remix that blends all the musical elements into an epic minimal journey.
The ‘Rising’ EP is out now via MFF with the Luciano remix dropping on the 5th of July. Buy the EP here.
