Hello Fausto ! We had trouble finding comments from you on your work, even though you’ve been active since 2016 with your Fausto Mercier moniker. What type of scene (underground or not) do you navigate (when it’s corona-free) ?
Locally I’m involved in two scenes or crews: one is the university in my hometown for electronic music and media arts. In its studios I always hear something impressive. Currently I give lectures here in creative music writing and it is just pleasing to see that the next generation is ready af.
The other one I would like to mention is Budapest-based label called EXILES. It’s a DIY local force always delivering quality. Missing those hugs from the showcases.
Also I am lucky to have countless Internet friends around the globe who are always open for collaboration, sharing bandcamp gems and giving their honest feedback about my work.
It feels from our point of view, rather than pinning your work onto a musical genre, to link it to soundscape(s) and sound design. Would you agree and how would you describe your aesthetic ?
I like to set up several scenes within a track. I think this kind of density stuck with me from breakcore I guess. I really dig it when roars meet sharp tones and they start to quarrel.
On the composing side: lately I find joy in creating systems within DAW that come to life on their own. I press record and then I just follow it closely what is happening for 15 minutes. Then I handle this material as it would be a block of stone and I would the sculptor.
This way chance meets intention. Ofc being intentional is always preceded by a series of experiments.
We asked you to soundtrack the act of going to the grocery store – a quite trivial activity and yet something we all spend time doing throughout the week. How did that theme influence in your recording session and how did you relate to it ?
Luckily I’m comfortable with the noises of shopping. The bleeping sounds of the cash registers sometimes meet in a kind of drunken polyrhythm and it always makes me smile. A vortex of inaudible speech.
I worked from secretly recorded audio that I later extended and morphed. During the set, I had the help of a glove controller made by a friend of mine, with which I was able to control the growls very sensitively.
What is your grocery routine in Hungary ? Any favorite address/shop you’d like to share ? 🙂
I have my little routines. I always start at the market where I have my favourite sellers for onions, sweet potatoes and fruits. I get the rest from SPAR next of the market. Forgetting is also part of my routine.