As they celebrate 10 years of activity in the underground scene, Entoniu & Agape return to feeder sound with a vibrant own productions mix. An in-depth interview with the duo is also included in the article. Let’s dive in.
The Italian duo Entoniu & Agape have been deep in the game since around 2016, when they released “Fire EP” on Yaww Recordings, followed by numerous releases, edits and remixes in collaboration with labels like DataTech, Phunk Traxx, Baile Musik, Frucht, Minordub, Kootz Music, Deep Tech, Inwave, Binaural Arts, Tip Tap Records, eMBi Lab, Zeitlos, Enough! Music, Conceptual, Welter, Rewire Musik, Cue and DubGestion, among others.
In 2020, they launched 21th Street Records, inviting fellow artists and friends to join the movement and deliver a vision of their own, translated into groovy rhythms and textures enjoyed by thousands of people around the world.
Today, we dive into a special recording designed to reflect upon the last decade of their studio work, while getting more insight on what it’s like to spend 10 years pursuing personal dreams and passions when it comes to modern electronic music. In order to get a glimpse of this journey, find out more from the first interview back in 2019, followed by another one published in 2021, as well as an editorial alongside Danilo Schneider in 2022. Other links are “hidden” in plain sight.
“Our love for music is the same love for our project, Entoniu & Agape. In our lives, it’s a solution to solve problems and inspire our mood for production. 10 years of E&A is a symbol of our friendship. Stay tuned for the next 10 years.” – E&A
feeder sound 448 mixed by Entoniu & Agape delivers an immersive point of view on the duo’s activity in the underground scene, laying out some of the most cherished productions, edits and remixes published so far by the two artists. Expect a punchy sound, elegantly balanced by carefully picked tracks and smooth transitions.
feeder.ro: Hello Entoniu & Agape. It’s great to have you back as you celebrate 10 years of activity in the electronic music scene. A decade is a significant milestone. Looking back, what was the initial spark that made you realise this partnership would grow into something long-lasting and capable of resonating with a global audience?
Entoniu & Agape: The pleasure is ours, as always. We realised we could work well as a duo when we understood our roles. Entoniu brings along a strong musical culture, a deep attention to the dancefloor, a forward-thinking vision and high productivity in music creation. Agape is highly technical, with the ability to finalise very complex projects (from audio to imaging to release) and has a great dedication to the DJ booth. These elements brought together made us immediately understand what we could achieve as a team.
f: Strong musical collaborations are often rooted in friendship and shared experiences. How has your personal bond influenced your workflow in the studio or behind the decks? When creative differences arise, how do you usually navigate them?
E&A: It may sound like a simple answer, but it’s not.
Respect for each other always comes first. We’ve been friends for ages (more like family than relatives) and when facing difficulties, we take time to think things through. We never rush to conclusions and always handle everything calmly and thoughtfully.
f: The electronic music landscape has changed significantly over the past decade, from how listeners discover music to the rapid cycle of industry trends. How did you adapt to those shifts while staying true to your own musical direction?
E&A: Learning how to use social media and other tools is important, but not essential for us. We don’t make music to gain approval or to generate revenue. Almost everything positive we’ve achieved so far has come through offline connections.
We always stay true to genuine human relationships, not driven by followers or likes. The internet helps us connect with people, but we’re not interested in making music for the algorithm or following current trends.
f: Your productions sit somewhere between minimal, house and deep tech, often defined by hypnotic rhythms and weaving atmospheres. Looking back at your early releases, how do you feel your sound has evolved over the years?
E&A: We’ve never set limits in terms of genres. If we liked something, we pursued it. At the same time, we’ve discarded many ideas that didn’t convince us. Our sound has definitely become more refined, but it still stays rooted in our club culture.
f: At some point along the journey, you launched 21th Street Records, which steadily grew into a platform dedicated to your own releases and a home for fellow artists across the scene. What inspired you to start the label and how would you describe the musical identity it represents today?
E&A: Our label, 21th Street Records, was born during the pandemic. For a long time, we wanted to become independent from labels, as they often (and understandably) impose choices like artwork, mastering and other decisions, which sometimes turned out to be their Achilles’ heel. Not to mention the extremely long release times. The label was mainly created for this reason, and also because we had other artists who wanted to exchange their productions with us.
There’s an underground spirit running through the label that truly defines it.
f: Over the years, you have collaborated with various artists such as 2Acid, Marcelo Rosselot, Simone Tagliabue, Alexi Delano, Alex Baciu, Danilo Schneider, CL-ljud, IZIL, Robert Apetrei, Radu Mirica and Conclave. How important have these projects been in keeping your creative process fresh after a decade of working together?
E&A: They are all great artists we deeply respect. Thanks to them, we’ve grown a lot both musically and personally. Their vision of music has taught us so much.
f: Reflecting on the past, is there a particular track, release or shared moment behind the decks that feels especially symbolic of your journey as a duo, and why?
E&A: Even though all our releases are close to our hearts, we particularly remember “Station”, a very long track that, once behind the decks, got us so hyped that we played it from start to almost the very last 8 bars. We have technically“better” tracks, but when we play that one, something magical happens.
f: Underground electronic music often thrives in close-knit communities and intimate dancefloor settings. Throughout time, which locations have left the most lasting impression on you?
E&A: In our opinion, the underground is made by people. Today, too much importance is given to social media and to what can be “shown”. We believe clubbing is not something to prove, it’s something to experience. Underground situations are becoming rarer, and we actually think that’s a good thing.
Better have a small event with 50 people truly dancing and enjoying themselves than a massive party with 5000 people where 90% are there just to show they were there.
f: Building a lasting career in this industry requires patience and resilience. After all this time, what are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned along the way?
E&A: Never take anything for granted. Sometimes what may seem like a bad production can become the soundtrack of someone’s life. Forcing yourself to create when you don’t feel like it doesn’t create opportunities, it kills creativity. There are moments when you’d rather give everything up for family, work or other priorities, but those are exactly the moments when, even if you only have one hour, you give it your heart, and that hour can be worth more than entire days spent in the studio searching for the right samples or the right idea. We could talk about this for hours, but we’ll stop here.
f: If the first decade of Entoniu & Agape was defined by shaping your identity and refining your sound, what do you imagine the next 10 years might bring for you?
E&A: We’ll give you an exclusive for this interview.
In the future, alongside the “Entoniu & Agape” project, we will also launch our individual projects, “Entoniu” and “Agape”.
This is not a breakup, but an expansion into new directions. Alongside the tracks that define us as a duo, these solo projects will allow us to express our musical identity even more deeply, in a more intimate way. In ten years, we won’t have just one “child”, but three.
Entoniu: As an addition, my first solo project after many years comes from a clear awareness.
Love remains the only constant towards our project.
Everything else, like falsehood, manipulation and opportunism, has been left behind. There is no longer space for those who hide or avoid an evident truth. Some choose the shadows, believing darkness can erase the truth. This project does not seek approval, it’s a diamond meant to remain.
Entoniu & Agape on soundcloud | facebook | instagram | 21th Street Records
feeder sound on soundcloud | YouTube | feeder.ro
About feeder sound
feeder sound is a showcase of local and international talent alike, comprised of DJ sets and fresh tunes meticulously curated in a sound collection that promotes mutual recognition and cultural exchange between musicians worldwide. Visit the project’s pages, feeder sound, EP reviews and exclusive premiere to find out more about the current and future activities.
