A core member of the Hell Yeah! Records family, My Friend Dario is an artist whose music is difficult to pin down. Over the past 6 years or so, his productions and remixes have been pretty varied. Eclectic, more than somewhat. From ambient to jazz, with the odd more obviously dance-floor-directed moment. He has a new E.P. out, Food For Woofers Vol. 1, which definitely falls into the latter. In fact, the whole E.P. is far harder, darker, and in a couple of cases, faster, than I’ve heard MFD do before. Scuppering anybody who might want to stick him in a “chillout” box. 

Two tracks are tribally-tinged house. Their considerable kicks combined with frantic hand percussion. Sambatismo shakes to the sound of a big Batucada surdo drum, and explodes into a piano and trumpet-led jazz carnival. Swept off its feet by swooning Salsoul strings. Nature On A Different Planet plays around with “paradise house” tropes until someone switches the lights off. Splashing the suddenly seedy proceedings with squalls of siren-like guitar. Easy Sunday is a mid-tempo mover, that echoes both dubbed out `80s electro-disco, and `90s industrial-edged EBM. Topped off by a totally mad synth solo. The moody, and slightly menacing Carmico colours its chugging with both flickering rhythm guitar and ringing rock, doom metal, chords. Everything, fittingly for the E.P.’s title, features booming bass. 

To try to get a musical handle on where MFD is coming from, The Insider asked  him to reel off a few tracks, 10 key sources of inspiration. He hit us, predictably, with a marvelously mixed list. Here, I’ve arranged them alphabetically. 

Super selection and wonderful words by My Friend Dario. 

10 Rapid, featuring Mister Who /  Run

When I DJ, this song never ever leaves my bag.

Laurie Anderson / O Superman 

Avant garde but still classic pop, both in the same moment.

Lucio Dalla / Starter

For me this is the epitome of the real Italian Balearic sound.

(Can some please license this treasure, and press it on vinyl – Rob)

Brian Eno / Thursday Afternoon

This was the soundtrack to many psychedelic journeys. Drops of sound from the cosmic future.

Manuel Göttsching / E2-E4 

This record is everything I like in electronic music. When the guitar starts it’s just great.

Leftfield / Sword

This record was a present from my old friend Wiesel, when I visited Berlin for the  first time. This track is perfect for intro in my DJ sets.

Portishead / Roads

“How can it feel this wrong?” Every time I listen to this amazing song I get lost in my mind. Absolutely, the soundtrack of my life.

Gabor Szabo / Half the Day Is the Night

The guitar is my first love. I adore this sound, as the strings are just so dreamy and sick!

Two Lone Swordsmen / Glide By Shooting 

This is a very original groove. Amazing melodic, hypnotic.

UZEDA / Nico and His Cats

I’m a big fan of Uzeda, a band from Catania. They made history with their perfect rhythmic joints and crooked obsessive guitars which they use to devastating effect.

My Friend Dario’s Food For Woofers Vol. 1 is out now on Hell Yeah! Records.