Born under the name of Michele Pinna, and son of Francesco and Anna Maria Vecchi, Time Traveler is the head of Pls.UK alongside peers 27Åhm and FLmm. Today, Time Traveler unleashes a specially-curated and exclusive Guest Mix, which we present to you alongside a chat we recently had with him.
Earlier this month, Time Traveler released his seven-trackĀ T-RAVE-LER EP on vinyl and digital, via Pls.UK. Pls.UK is a London-based techno label with output ranging from analogue timbres to digital design.
Listen to 6AM Guest Mix: Time Traveler below and read on for the interview.
Ciao Michele, very nice speaking to you today and thank you for the mix! Can you tell us a little about where you put your last release together and what your mood was during that process?
Hello Marco, really glad to give my little contribution to the channel. It was last summer, and
I did not write the T-RAVE-LER release in a proper musicās studio as probably a lot of people think, the tracks have been drafted at home in a kitchen. Laptop and headphones were my tools during the few evenings that I was really inspired. I have a full-time job as Project Manager and Architect, so these days I have not much time to produce, it can happen that I spend months not writing music. The bright side is when I am sitting to produce I have a lot of energy and inspiration comes like a river, in floods. As usual, I try to give all my music a meaning and the tracks pair one and other cuz they come from the same concept or idea.
So, after the first tracks draft, I kept on polishing the sound program on the synths line and carving the edit. When the tracks were almost finished, for few of them I spent a couple of weeks checking all details until being completely satisfied. For some others I have been that lucky to be happy about the result after a few hours. Since I moved in London I do not have a proper studio, so after my writing and mixing in a very rough and simple home studio I send all my stems for proper mixing and mastering to my Sound Engineer (DLEWIS at LRS factory), in my view one of the best in Europe.
What do you hope it communicates to listeners?
This EP is entirely dedicated to the loving memory of my best friend passed away. It is full of mixed feelings, anger, energy and I hope it communicates what I had going on that time I been writing it. Also as the subtitle says āHard to believe people who claim they are Time Travelerā stands for a clear message to all of those during these years tried to pickpocket from what I do and the way I do.
Is this EP a representation of what you play in front of a crowd, or at least what you would play if parties were still happening as they were before Coronavirus?
Totally is, I am very detached from the sound I proposed with my first Time Traveler Album, it was more industrial and dark, but was also written long time ago and my feelings at the time were different. T-RAVE-LER is absolutely what I would propose on a āgigā. I tried to reveal the UK jungle, acid and raw background I carry with me, mixing that to my usual sound.
While on the subject of Coronavirus, how has it affected you and your career? How different are your days now compared to before?
If we are talking about gigging, absolutely didnāt. I was not gigging before I am not doing now (laughs). On my private life, yes, a lot changed, as for everyone. I am missing the busy London nights.
Can you tell us a little about where you were born and how was life growing up there?
I was born and bred in Cagliari, Sardinia. Compared to a big Metropolis it is less than a borough, in the late ’90s and early 2000 we had there a bit of a club scene then all clubs slowly closed. Luckily I had the chance to travel a lot so my personal music background is not really related to my city, but I owe a lot to Cagliari, because as a proper tough southern city it forged me to be able to face anyplace.
How did you discover techno?
I was actually in London in ’99 whilst a summer college experience, I was 14 and one night I literally escaped for a rave party in Hackney. It was the first time I listened playing the Stay UP Forever Guys, Chris, St