Making Gains with Sisko Electrofanatik

Sisko Electrofanatik is an Italian techno artist from Rome who has become a genre mainstay following releases on labels ranging from Carl Cox’s iconic record label Intec to Alan Fitzpatrick’s We Are The Brave.

2022 has been a big year for Sisko who has had numerous top-selling tracks on leading stores such as Beatport. He has closed out the year with an EP on Monika Kruse’s Terminal M. He also runs Gain Records, which has become a respected platform that has helped launch the career of aspiring producers along with featuring some of techno’s biggest names.

We caught up with Sisko to find out about his latest release and how things are going with his other projects…

Sign up to the 6AM Insider bi-weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest industry news, in-depth features & releases

Hi Sisko, it’s great to be talking with you. Where are you currently living, and what are your thoughts on the local music scene?

Hi guys, thanks for having me! I live in Rome where we have a few good techno parties that book both local DJs and international artists. There are also a lot of commercial clubs and band gigs. I think the underground and techno scene here is struggling to find its identity and after covid, some famous cities best clubs were forced to close. Rome needs more professional events with big name headliners and I’m collaborating with some local organisations such as Undermoon and Traumers who run good events.

Could you start by describing your sound in your own words, and how you first discovered electronic music? 

My sound is always evolving, but I play techno with lots of energy and powerful synth hooks. I like tracks that have memorable sounds and strong percussion.

I was first attracted to dance music as a child and I listened to a lot of dance in the ‘90s. Over time I discovered the various facets of house and other electronic music genres. In the early days I was inspired by Giorgio Moroder, Robert Miles, Benny Benassi, Daft Punk and was open minded to many different styles. I also listened to other genres such as new metal, hip hop and pop. So, my early influences also included the likes of Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park to Coolio, 2Pac and Michael Jackson.

All those artists have left their mark on my own sound and how I approach music production. Eventually, I got the chance to visit the studios of well-known local artists and learnt from their evolving productions. I would also study the DJ sets of visionaries such as Richie Hawtin and UMEK. I still pay close attention to lots of other artists and take particular influence from the modern style of people like Enrico Sangiuliano and Jay Lumen.

Eventually, I got the chance to start working in several of Rome’s nightclubs and this is where I got my nick name “Electrofanatik”, as people would joke about how obsessed I was with electronic sounds.

Do you consider yourself more of a DJ or a producer, and do you think today’s industry allows people to be successful without doing both?

I wouldn’t have become a producer if I hadn’t been a DJ first, but at the very beginning I was just a clubber who discovered music via the dance floor. Over the years, I’ve played many different styles in my DJ sets, and that’s left its mark on my productions, as I’ve seen the crowd reactions to different musical elements.

I think the modern industry requires people to produce if they are going to be serious about a DJ career, but getting DJ experience helps make better quality music, so one goes hand in hand with the other.

Your next release is on Monika Kruse’s record label Terminal M, and it would be great to learn more about those tracks?

I specifically sent underground demos to Monika because I knew she was looking for a raw sound, but still with a peak time energy. I worked on the tracks for this release as a special project and focused on the relationship between the bassline and percussion rather than have big melody synths. This gave the tracks a more hypnotic sound while still being true to my usual style. There is also a fantastic remix from Tiger Stripes who is a perfect match for Terminal M’s philosophy and he rounded off the release nicely.

Stream Terminal M Records | Listen to Sisko Electrofanatik – Ametista playlist online for free on SoundCloud

Is this your first time working with Terminal M, and what are some of the other record labels you have worked with?

Yes this is my debut release on Terminal M, but I released on many other labels such as Carl Cox’s legendary Intec, Markatonio’s AnlyticTrail, Alan Fitzpatrick’s We Are The Brave, Sam Paganini’s JAM, Suara, OFF Recordings, Phobiq, CODEX, IAMT, Say What?, Fe Chrome, Yoshitoshi, Bush, Autektone and more. I’ve also release lots of music on my label, Gain Records.

How are things going with your own record label Gain Records, as it seems to be doing well in the Beatport charts?

Yes! I’m so happy that in this year my labels ranked inside the top 50 best Techno Labels on Beatport and we climbed the techno charts with many tracks and artists! In 2022 we featured music from big names like Ramon Tapia, T78, Dok & Martin, Simina Grigoriu, Hollen, Pablo Say, Spartaque and many more. It’s been a year full of great achievements, so I want to thank all the producers that have worked with us, and all the DJs that have played our releases, as the label has been supported in the sets of people like Carl cox and Joseph Capriati.

We are working hard on the sister label ‘Gain Plus’ which has released some different techno styles ranging from melodic techno to hard techno and it has also been getting some great success!

Also, we recently started a vinyl record series and that’s also been really popular.

What’s coming next in your release schedule?

I’m still focusing on my full artist album on Gain Records which I’m planning to release in spring/summer 2023 and I also have a new single on OFF Recordings that’s scheduled for March 2023. So, already I have some exciting projects to keep me busy and there are lots of other things I’m excited to announce when the labels say I’m allowed to.

Thanks for running through the questions, anything you want to add before we finish? 

Thanks for the interview, it’s been a pleasure. Please everyone stay tuned to my social media channels, as in the next months I will be announced some big live streams and new gigs!

Out now, you can buy Sisko Electrofanatik’s new Terminal M release HERE.

Connect with Sisko Electrofanatik: SoundCloud | Facebook | Instagram | Beatport