We get a lot of email at Tape Op. It is typically from public relations firms, record labels, and gear manufacturers. I do my best to keep up with all of the interview pitches and requests for reviews. Earlier this year, I received an email from an artist directly. His name was Alessandro "Asso" Stefana, and he was sending along his new release, Alessandro "Asso" Stefana, for consideration. Being a fan of Mike Patton [Tape Op #53] and his label Ipecac Recordings, Alessandro's name was a familiar one I had seen on the label's website but had not yet checked out. With this gentle reminder of an email, detailing the album's origins, people involved, and Alessandro's history with his band Guano Padano, Patton's Mondo Cane project, and collaborations with Bill Frisell, Calexico [#13], PJ Harvey, and more, I hit play and didn't move from the couch until I had listened top to bottom. I caught up with Alessandro to chat about his latest release, collaborations, and his love for creating the sound of a Western landscape.
Your new album paints such beautiful landscapes and images. What were the thoughts behind its creation?
This record has a long and intricate history, taking several years to reach its final form. It was a process that required a lot of dedication – not necessarily in terms of recording or directly working on it, but more in terms of having a consciousness of the entire work. The album features a blend of different musical approaches, starting with folk and roots influences and evolving into ambient soundscapes. It also includes three songs with a retro-contemporary twist, merging old traditions with modern sensibilities. I feel this record is out of sync with the fast-paced rhythm of today’s world; it is a work that takes its time and invites you to discover it slowly.
How did you come to collaborate with PJ Harvey?
In 2012, I was performing at the State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, with Mondo Cane, Mike Patton's project dedicated to Italian songs from the golden age of the '50s and '60s. That evening, among the audience, were PJ Harvey and John Parish [Tape Op #45]. Three years later, in 2015, I received a call from John, who told me that Polly was looking for me to be part of the recording sessions for her new album, The Hope Six Demolition Project. I traveled to London for these futuristic sessions, where the process was unlike anything I had experienced – recordings took place at Somerset House in a room surrounded by glass walls, allowing the public to observe us as we worked. It was a wonderful experience to see these songs take shape step by step, from initial sketches to bold experiments with sounds, with Flood and John Parish as producers. After the recording sessions, I joined Polly's band for the subsequent two-year world tour. I have remained in contact with Polly over the years, sharing the new music I was working on and exchanging thoughts about it. Her feedback has always been invaluable; providing precious advice and open-minded perspectives. Through these ongoing conversations, the album gradually took its final shape. Her guidance throughout the process was pivotal, and she is credited as the album's executive producer.
You have done some other interesting collaborations as well with Calexico, Bill Frisell, and Mike Patton, whose Ipecac label releases your music. How did these relationships start?
All of my musical relationships are deeply rooted and have evolved over time, becoming far more meaningful than mere collaborations – they’ve truly become integral parts of my life. My connection with Mike Patton began in 2010 when he was assembling a band for Mondo Cane. I was invited to join the rehearsals for the upcoming gigs and later participated in the album’s recordings. From that point onward, our bond grew stronger. Mike's label went on to release the albums of my band, Guano Padano – Mike even co-wrote and sang on our song “Prairie Fire.” The label also released my most recent solo record. It truly feels like a second family. I first met Calexico during the recording sessions for Da Solo, an album by Italian songwriter Vinicio Capossela that I produced in 2008. Our collaboration took me to various recording sessions across the U.S., mostly at the wonderful Brooklyn Recording, run by Andy Taub in New York, and also at WaveLab Recording Studio in Tucson, Arizona. From that moment on, we became close friends. Joey Burns even wrote the liner notes for Guano Padano's first album [Guano Padano], which featured Alessandro Alessandroni, the renowned whistler from Ennio Morricone's iconic Western scores. Joey also appeared as a guest on our Americana album. Recently, I did some recordings with John Convertino for a soundtrack I was working on. This past summer, they invited me to open for them in Milan and perform some songs together. They are truly amazing friends. Another cherished collaboration is with Bill Frisell, who reached out to us years ago after hearing one of our records played through the speakers at a club in the U.S. before one of his own shows. More recently, he contributed as a guest on our version of “Prairie Avenue Cowboy” by Paul Motian, which was an incredibly rewarding experience.
What was behind the idea to have the voice of Roscoe Holcomb on tunes like "Born and Raised in Covington," "I am a Man of Constant Sorrow," and "Moonshiner"? The way you reharmonized "...Man of Constant Sorrow" is great.
I discovered Roscoe Holcomb through the gold mine that is the Anthology of American Folk Music by Harry Smith. Some of his tracks on that collection completely captivated me, and I was inspired to delve deeper into his music and artistry. I explored several of his records released by Smithsonian Folkways and came across some of his songs that feature just his pure voice, with no harmony or instrumentation. This led me to imagine a new world built around his voice and stories. Roscoe was a miner; a hard-working man who spent his life digging into the earth. With this in mind, I wanted to create music that would bring him to the other side, to the sky and the stars. Recently, I received a quote from Smithsonian Folkways in which John Cohen – the man who cared for Roscoe Holcomb until his passing and a member of the New Lost City Ramblers – said, "These recordings are wonderful and weird, and I’m glad Alessandro Stefana respects the special sound that Roscoe Holcomb has." Hearing those words was the most beautiful affirmation of my work.
Where was this new album recorded?
All of the album's recordings took place in Italy, with some done in my first studio, Perpetuum Mobile. I then handled additional recordings and mixing in my new studio, Wunder Kammer. One song was also recorded in Calitri, southern Italy, where I was working on another album at the time.
Who else played or worked on this album?
The only guest on the album is Mikey Kenney, a fiddle player and dear friend of mine from Liverpool. He contributed to a couple of songs: “The Wandering Minstrel” and “Farewell to Dust.”
What is your studio setup like?
I’ve been using Pro Tools for over 20 years, and over time, I’ve become so comfortable with it that I can record and perform simultaneously without much thought. This is especially useful when I’m producing and engineering for artists, like I did for Micah P. Hinson on I Lie to You. I work with Pro Tools Ultimate, and the heart of my setup is the Shadow Hills Equinox, paired with Shadow Hills Quad Gama preamps, Neve 1073s, the fantastic Phoenix Audio DRS-8, Metric Halo ULN-8, and a Retro Instruments tube compressor. For vintage effects, I rely on the original EMT 140 plate reverb and an AKG spring reverb, along with a collection of amps like the classic ‘60 Fender Bassman blonde and the JMI VOX AC30. My collection of tape echoes ranges from the Echoplex to the Italian Binson, but I also love the plug-in versions of these effects, such as the Rare Signals Transatlantic Plate Reverb, and the collection of plug-ins from Soundtoys, Plugin Alliance, and XLN Audio. I believe that in these times, we need to coexist with modern technology while merging it with the vintage vibes that bring real life to sound. I’m also a big fan of ribbon microphones, particularly the AEA and Coles brands. Audio-Technica gear is another favorite of mine, especially when mixing with their headphones, which I find incredibly accurate. The entire studio is wired with Klotz cables, which I love for their pristine sound quality.
Another favorite artist of mine from Italy is Opez. You both really capture the sound of the Western desert landscape and that of lonely expanses. What drew you to create these cinematic landscapes that are so evocative of a place that is not home?
Creating these landscapes is something that comes completely naturally to me. It’s about bringing a sense of place into the music – even if it’s a place I’ve never physically visited, yet somehow feel deeply connected to. I see my music as a living soundtrack, a reflection of the human experience that captures everything filtered through a fogged glass: both its beauty and solitude, its light and darkness. This album carries that influence profoundly. As we discussed earlier, my work with Guano Padano is often oriented towards a sound distinctly linked to the desert/Western. This innate influence of mine naturally finds its place in my solo work as well, blending the evocative essence of wide, open landscapes with my personal narratives. 
