Interview with Black Pomade

A chat with Black Pomade

Black Pomade is a DJ and producer originally from Milan (Italy), now calling New York home after leaving his mark in Lisbon’s growing scene. He’s the mastermind behind the Ruínas collective and the Whoopee party series.

Heavily inspired by the NY Disco scene and the Chicago House pioneers, he’s made a name for himself with a melting pot of analogue synths, groovy basslines, and syncopated beats. His sets are a proper journey through House, Disco, and Acid records, always leaving the dance floor buzzing with energy and big grins all around.

From 2021 to 2023, he held a residency at MusicBox Lisbon, bridging the gap between the Italian and Portuguese scenes. Regularly gracing the decks in Lisbon and Milan, he’s also taken his sound across Europe and Asia, playing in cities like Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Vienna, and Sofia, and sharing the stage with legends like Emmanuelle, Kamma&Masalo, Hunee, Don Carlos, Josey Rebelle, and the iconic Nicky Siano. He’s contributed to top podcast series like SlothBoogie, Discoteca, and Histoires de Piscines, and appeared on radio shows from Melbourne to Pittsburgh, Skopje, São Paulo, and Ibiza.

Black Pomade released music on Last Forever Records, Rollover Milano Anything Goes, Stereo Ferment, Modmotif, Dig This Way Records, Youngbloods, and on vinyl for Martino Edits and Windmill Re-Edits. In 2023, his remix for Sontag Shogun was featured on the Apple TV show “Platonic”; meanwhile, he launched the vinyl-only edit series Manzo Edits and for 2024, he has upcoming releases scheduled on Whopee Rec and Wilson Records.

feeder.ro: Hi Black Pomade, Thanks for joining us! How’re you today?

Black Pomade: Not bad at all! I’m sipping a coffee and treating myself to something sweet at Paris Baguette. Despite the name, it’s actually a Korean chain and reminds me of my time over there.

feeder.ro: You’ve recently moved to New York. How’re you finding it, and what were your inspirations for the move?

Black Pomade: It’s intense, no doubt. New York is packed with energy and opportunities, but no one’s waiting around for you: you’ve got to be out there hustling every single day. I moved mainly for personal reasons, but it also felt like the right time to shake things up and push myself further. Lisbon was great, but after a while, it gets a bit too comfortable.

f: Have you played any notable gigs or parties there yet?

BP: It’s been a bit slower than I’d hoped, but things are definitely starting to pick up. I just played a gig for U Feel in the West Village this past Friday, and I’ll be headlining a party at TBA Brooklyn at the end of the month. I’m really looking forward to showcasing my sound properly. I’ve got a lot to say through music.

f: You lived in Lisbon for a few years before relocating, what are your best memories from your time there?

BP: Lisbon honestly feels more like home than anywhere else. I’ve got too many memories to count, but one I really hold close is my first gig there. It was a bit of a rogue one: we packed speakers and drinks into a rental car and set up a little rave at an abandoned viewpoint across the river. No flyers, no promotion, just word of mouth. That turned into a regular thing until the cops eventually shut us down… by that point, we figured we’d earned our bit of street cred and it was time to move on.

f: You also spent a few months touring far eastern Asia.  What are the main differences you’ve noticed in the scenes between Europe, Asia and New York?

BP: Europe has the biggest infrastructure, audience, and market, but it can also be pretty self-referential and a bit up its own arse at times. Asia was refreshing in contrast: the level of quality was super high, but people were much more grounded and open. There’s this vibe like relax, we’re not performing brain surgery here. New York is its own ecosystem entirely. Each neighbourhood has its own crowd, sound, and dynamic. It’s competitive, for sure, but also constantly shifting, which means there’s space for everyone if you’re willing to work for it.

f: If you had to pick a record to define each of your geographical locations, what would they be and why? (Milan, Lisbon, East Asia, New York)

BP: I picked a few tracks that are tied to special moments I experienced in each place — not necessarily representative of the scene as a whole, but deeply personal to me:

Lisbon: Black Van – Yearning

BP: This was playing the very first time I walked into Lounge in Lisbon, one of the spots that truly made me fall in love with the local scene. The place was scruffy, the gear held together with scotch tape, the sound system… questionable at best. But the vibe? Unmatched. The crowd was pure gold, dancing to elegant grooves like this Black Van gem.

Milan: Area 51 – Let It Move You (Trance Mix)

BP: This one brings me back to a night at Clér’s rooftop in Milan. It started raining just minutes into my set, and I thought, “Well, that’s it. People are gonna vanish.” But nope. Two hours later, I’m dropping this track to a wild, rain-soaked crowd absolutely losing it. Might not have been the safest thing in the world, but it was beautiful to look at.

Tokyo: Pete Blaker – Donna Not Donna

BP: This was the closing track at Mitsuki on what I’d call one of the best nights I’ve ever had. We let the whole thing play out, no rush. The energy in the room shifted into something really tender and intimate. The crowd felt it too: a slow, epic ride that ended on a beautifully emotional note.

New York: DeepXpression – Tribal Heat

BP: One of the first records I picked up after moving here, I snagged it for five bucks at Academy Records. While I was listening to it at the station, Four Tet was at the booth next to me flipping through his stack. Just one of those “only in New York” moments that made me feel like I was exactly where I needed to be.

f: You’re currently running a couple of record labels, ‘Manzo Edits’ & ‘Ruinas’. Can you tell us about the ethos behind each project?

BP: They represent the two sides of my personality that are always battling it out. Manzo is the cheeky, playful, not taking itself too seriously side. Ruínas is the darker, moodier one, more introspective, more conceptual. But in the end, both are about the same thing: crafting sounds that move sweaty bodies on the dancefloor.

f: With ‘Manzo Edits’ being a vinyl label, what were your reasons behind releasing in that format, and why do you think vinyl culture needs to be maintained? 

BP: Let’s start with that second bit: I don’t think vinyl culture needs to be “maintained”; it’s alive and well on its own, thanks to the passion of those who care. I play and collect vinyl because it demands and shows a certain level of dedication, especially now that DJing has become incredibly easy. Plus, I just like how it looks and feels. Aesthetics matter to me, especially during a set.
Manzo Edits started because I wanted to engage with the scene from a different angle. I was curious about the whole vinyl production and distribution game, and when a few solid edits landed in my hands, it felt like the right time to dive in.

f: We’ve checked a few of your mixes, and we’ve noticed you’re quite diverse with your musical style. How do you maintain such a high level of track selection and knowledge across many genres?

BP: That’s my superpower, and my curse. I listen to a ton of music, and I usually know within seconds whether something’s going to click with me or not. I also get bored easily, which is why you’ll hear me jumping from disco to tech house to trance in the same set but never sounding schizophrenic, always weaving a narrative. My sets are really shaped by the context: I wouldn’t play the same thing at 8am in a warehouse as I would at sunset on a beach. I really value bookers who trust my instincts and give me unconventional slots. For a while, I got boxed into this idea that I only played Italo, which felt really limiting. We need to normalise DJs exploring a range of genres… at least the good ones 🙂

f: Are you planning to explore any new sounds moving forward?

BP: Definitely. Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards a heavier, faster, dubbier sound: early 2000s tech house, electro, progressive stuff. My next EP will be a mix of all that, and I think it might surprise a few people. But that’s me, I’m constantly evolving, always digging, always refining.

f: Which of your current productions are you most proud of and why?

BP: Probably my latest one: Hot Swamp, out on Fabio Monesi’s Wilson Records. It’s gritty, breaky, and a bit of a wild one. It captures the direction I’m heading in while still holding onto that groovy backbone I love. I’ve had some really nice feedback from producers I respect, which is always a good feeling. It’s not the easiest track to fit into a set, so it’s interesting to see how different DJs interpret and use it.

f: When you think back to your earliest projects, what’s something you would do differently now?

BP: Can I say everything? Jokes aside, I’ve learned that subtraction is often more powerful than addition. My early stuff was full of ideas, sometimes too many. Now I try to focus on one strong idea and really let it shine, rather than cramming everything into the same track.

f: What’s one of the biggest sacrifices you’ve made to stay committed to your music?

BP: Sleep. Definitely sleep. The long hours, the irregular schedule… it takes a toll. I try to compensate by staying fit and healthy, but I know at some point I’ll have to slow down. It’s also not always easy on relationships. My wife’s been incredibly supportive through all of it, but yeah, it’s not all glamour. If you’ve ever dated a DJ, you know what I mean!

f: Finally, what does the rest of 2025 hold for you?

BP: As I mentioned, I’ve got a new EP coming out soon, and I’ll be heading back to Europe and Asia for a little tour to support it, which also gives me a chance to reconnect with scenes that are really showing love right now. At the same time, I’m focusing on building my presence in NYC and across the States, so hopefully, more gigs are coming up here soon. I’m also continuing to develop Succo, the latest collective/agency I co-founded in Lisbon. It’s growing fast and bringing me a lot of joy, even if I can’t always be there in person to experience it.

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