Barbuto “Twilight Imperium”

Being invited to join the ranks of the Octopus Recordings crew doesn’t come easy. Just ask Barbuto, the newest addition to the label’s roster. Originally from Australia, and now holding it down in Austin, Christian Barbuto has been cutting his teeth to cultivate the underground circuit in Texas through a slammin’ residency at Kingdom. His efforts have obviously not gone unnoticed, considering label head SIAN rolled out the welcome mat and brought him aboard his team of trusted techno disciples.

Forging insane grooves from his mobile studio, Barbuto has shown up with his debut EP in hand for the imprint. On the flip of his two-track effort, Arcana, he breaks out the dancefloor lube with “Twilight Imperium.” Dark and chugging, a staunch groove unravels around psychotic stabs, warping pads and brutish basslines. It’s top-grade, and yet there’s still so much promise left ahead of Barbuto’s rise to power.

Available April 6 via Octopus Recordings.

Where you impulsive on this track, or did you have a sketch in mind? Everything I do is impulsive, not just producing! Basically, when the creative juices are flowing, I get to work on some sounds and grooves and keep molding, clicking, pressing and sliding till the frequencies feel good and I’m having fun! Like you hear from so many producers, this tune just came together quickly and easy. Wish it was like that all the time!

Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process of this track that made you feel as though you were creating something pretty darn special?
Yes, when my techno-fiend girlfriend asks, “IS THIS ONE YOURS?!” If I hear that in the background, I know I’m heading in the right direction.

Do you think advances in computer technology and gear have affected your creativity?
For sure, and you are talking to a pretty computer-illiterate guy. Aside from my lil Phatty synth, everything is in the box, so I would be lost without the “in the box” work flow. The simplicity of zooming, cutting/pasting automation and all the fun plugins these days makes making great music possible, where all hardware setups from the past were unrealistic for me, both financially as well as knowing how to use it all.

Have you played this one out in any of your sets?
Yes, I just played it last night at about 4am to a slammed after-hours session in Austin (yes, Texans do love their techno), and it was awesome! Love to hear those frequencies creep out that only a big system puts out, as well as a few oohs and aahs from the crowd.

If this song were a color, what color would it be?
A soft shade of BLACK, of course!

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