We chat with the marvellously talented Dr. Sud fresh from his latest release ‘Point of View #4’.
Dr Sud is the main alias of Gregorio Marigliano, an Italian music maker who was raised in Berlin. Marigliano’s music revolves around the principles of Jazz-meets-Dance music, drawing up the rich tradition that has come before in bringing a high level of musicality and ingenuity within his tunes. Moving fluidly between rhythms and feels, as Dr Sud he captures the imagination with thought provoking and captivating sequences, striking a fine balance between depth and danceability. Harmonies and groove play a key part within his music, such as was highlighted on his 2023 EP ‘Heading South’, coming courtesy of the Q1E2 imprint. This record really highlighted his profound abilities and deep set affection for instrumentation but also mood and tone, and it left many waiting for his next release with baited breath.
Dr Sud may be a producer to keep a keen eye on, with this latest EP certainly doing that sentiment a great level of justice. This EP provides not only two beautiful original cuts from the man himself, but some imaginative remixes that honour the originals and provide us with a record that will linger long in the memory. For home use, down by the rivera, or in the club, this one has the lot….. We recently sat down with Dr. Sud here’s what went down….
KOTT: Hey Gregorio (Dr. Sud), congratulations on releasing ‘Point of View #4’,How does it feel?
G: Thank you! It feels really good. This release has been pending for a while and I can’t wait to hold the record in my hand. The wait was well worth it and the tracks have already stood the test of time.
KOTT: Can you enlighten us on the meaning behind your artist name?
G: It’s a nod to my mentor Nelson of the East that also has a cardinal sign in his Artist name, which I thought is pretty cool. I’m from Italy so Sud = South felt pretty good, since I’ve been living in Germany since I’m 11 and from here Italy feels pretty far out south.
The Dr. Part is because against all odds (aka family members) I haven’t been following an academic course after school, but I’ve been doing music ever since, so I just self proclaimed myself a Doc I guess, haha.
KOTT: Talk us through the release, are there any standout tracks you’re particularly excited about?
G: Breakfast Sun is definitely my favourite, it has been going through a lot of changes and quite some work went into it, without making it sound too forced, which is pretty cool. I really like how it turned out and I think it’s one of my best works to date. The remixes are also all amazing and it’s hard to pick one, they each have their purpose and special atmosphere.
KOTT: The EP is out on Cognitiva Records, how did you guys meet?
G: Through Nelson actually, we finished the first sketch of Breakfast Sun and his first thought was of Sofatalk and his label, and he messaged him directly. He was enthusiastic of the track right away and thus started the process of EP building and finalising.
KOTT: The release features a super selection of remixes from Turbojazz & Broke One, Gary Superfly and Reekee, how did those collaborations come about?
G: Sofatalk is well established in the scene, and had all these contacts and he picked who will to remix the tracks. I’m very happy with the remixers work and I think it’s a very fascinating thing to observe, how with the same material something completely new can be created. It’s essentially a re-interpretation of the music and gives a glimpse in the mind of the other producer.
KOTT: Can you describe the connection between your music and your recloation to Berlin, and how ithas influenced your music today?
G: The pulsating electronic music scene has always been present while growing up, and exploring it since a young age has been really interesting. I think even as teenagers the spectrum of taste is way broader, which reflects the city’s diversity in a way. There has never been an imposed “cool” genre, just what you liked was important. I think this is why you could say that my music taste is quite eclectic.
KOTT: What has been the highlight of your career so far? Can you talk about a specific moment or accomplishment that stands out as particularly meaningful to you?
G: Holding my music on vinyl for the first time still remains the most special moment as of now, because it’s been a goal of mine since very early and reaching it was just incredible. One of my first memory of music is playing a blue vinyl with my brother when we were very little,I was maybe 4 or 5, the exitement and magic of putting on a record and hearing music is very close to me and my being.
KOTT: Which other artists have had a big influence on your sound? (Please supply links and some words on each)
G: I don’t have any artist that influences me a lot in recent years, but while growing up in Berlin I was listening to a lot of Bonobo, Ratatat and early Gramatik. Their music is what made me curious about electronic music, it generated so many questions about how it is done and why things sound the way that they do.
Gramatik was fascinating, I wondered if he played all the things himself or how it worked. Turned out that he used a lot of samples, but the contrast between strong beats and soul music stood out to me.
Bonobo’s complex harmonies and the mix of electronic and acoustic use of instruments always fascinated me a lot. His work is so deeply emotional.
Ratatat was very interesting to me because of their simple complexity, and because of how if you have a good harmonic tapestry and melody, even stacking and unstacking loops upon each other can be very emotionally impactful. I should give them a listen with new ears actually, haven’t heard them in years.
KOTT: Can you share some insight into your creative process when producing music? Do you have any particular rituals or methods that help you stay inspired?
G: There is no particular ritual, I just try to stay hydrated and the more orderly my work space is the better. I get inspired by sound and rhythm in general, so as soon as I start whatever material I’m working with is already enough to inspire me. Of course the more music I do the more I have to make it interesting for myself, but that’s a challenge I’m willing to face. I think showing up consistently in the studio and getting comfortable with the process of breaking silence is fundamental to eventually get inspired.
KOTT: What’s one artist we should be listening to right now?
G: I’ve been discovering Frits Wentink’s work recently. The sound design is very intricate and the ideas are very original, listening to it makes me want to try and experiment with more extreme dynamics between instruments in a track, and daring a bit more with my sound design. He has also a mad number of aliases which makes the digging even more interesting.
KOTT: What’s next for you?
G: Currently I’m working on my first concept album, which will probably end up being released on a different alias. It’s very exiting for me because I will get to show a bit of a different sound than usual, showcasing the diversity I was talking about earlier, featuring ambient as well as slower experimental beats and broken vocal business. After everything is written I’ll transform it into a live set and will be looking forward to play it live. Also I have a couple of VA’s with some cool single tracks lined up, exited for those as well!
You can catch Dr.Sud’s latest EP ‘Point of View #4’ here.
