Talking Deeperfect, Club Edition, and the Holidays with Stefano Noferini

Winter break is about preparing those New Year resolutions, getting those gym memberships ready, and finding out just how much you're prepared to pay to go into a club and watch a timer count down to 00:00. We are also finding time to examine the past few months, seeking out the lessons we've learned in order to achieve a better and brighter 2015. For Stefano Noferini, it might be hard imagine what that higher level of achievement is, yet already he has some hot releases lined-up for January (including signings to Terminal M, BPM Stereo Production and Spinnin Records). As he just came back to Toronto to rock our city before the Holidays, we caught up with him to reflect on his past successes as a triple threat (International Radio-Show Don, Legendary DJ, and Label Boss).

THUMP: With such an influential and established label, what is your approach to finding new artists? 
Stefano: My approach has always been personal. As a DJ I always need new tracks to play in my set and my radio show Club Edition. For the show I need about 10 good new tracks every week, so I really need new music every day. Sometimes when producers see that I play their music, they propose me new tracks or it's me who listens to their Soundcloud searching for new tunes and in that sometimes a new artist collaboration is born. I love to work with young DJs and I need to.

What were your initial influences to start Deeperfect? 
My label has always been mostly underground. It began like that and it will always be like that. With underground, what I mean is we will always stay close to the scene, to what is played at the moment in the tech - tech house clubs of the world.

My 'niche' has never been a small place to propose my 'obscure' music to my people, it has actually been the opposite. I always wanted to release only music that can really be used by DJs all around the world, that's the reason why (I think) Carl (Cox), Richie (Hawtin) or Marco (Carola) so often support our tracks. That's the main thing that I passed to Gabriele (Noferini), who takes care of the label with me. If you release 'cool' music that's not listened or danced to you are doing something useless, at least this is my opinion.

The electronic music scene has become increasingly saturated over the past decade. With new labels and numerous releases seemingly coming out on a weekly basis, how, in your eyes, have record labels progressed since the mid-2000s? 
I don't think there was such a big change. Music market was already saturated in the '90s, when labels released about 200 house vinyls a week. The techno scene seemed to me pretty saturated too. Today the digital world helps with distribution and it's easier to find a lot of good music, although, I see mostly in a positive way. Us, professional DJs and label owners, should always remember that the digital market gives more chances to new talents, to good music that's still to be discovered. Ok, today the market is smaller. But music is not only market. Is an art too and we don't have to forget that.

Do you think social media technologies have helped or hindered record labels? What about Club Edition, how do you think social media has facilitated the rise of global radio shows? 
In a year of Club Edition we had more than 1 million plays and plays are a web thing, so the answer is yes: social media technologies have helped record labels. Club Edition promotes the music and events of my label Deeperfect, too. Digital promotion is not that expensive and it can give fantastic results, if the quality is there. Without social media, and only with FM airwaves, so many radio shows would not have so much success. Every one of us tries to do his best and has his own audience. Together we move a world scene that's really alive. During last year our Souncloud channel, for instance, simply exploded. Sometimes I hear somebody complaining about technology, who wants to go back to vinyls and disconnect. Well guys, please do it. I prefer to live in the present and try to use the best of it for my music.

With the latest mix, what are your reflections on your production of such an influential radio show? 
I've always invested a lot of energy and time in my Club Edition Radio Show, since the very beginning. We distributed the first releases on our own, without any help, but good results came almost immediately. For a DJ it is so important that his music is heard. I mean, not only his production, but also his DJ set, the way he DJ's on radio shows are quite close to DJ sets. Club Edition it's a fantastic way to promote my music.

As we concluded our chat with Stefano, he told us about his special Holiday Club Edition with the Intec Digital label boss. We at THUMP have been seeking the best mixes possible to fuel our underground Holiday parties. With a last minute gift from Noferini I think we have found exactly what we've been looking for:

"I must say a huge thank-you to all the fans who have supported me over the past year! As a small present for your support in the Club Edition #117 Episode we have an amazing guest mix from my friend, Carl Cox!"

Geoff is on Twitter: @gpharricks