XXIM Records Signs Albanese

XXIM Records is proud to announce the signing of Italian artist, producer, pianist and composer Federico Albanese, the latest addition to the label’s striking, international roster of exceptionally talented and creative musicians. Blessed with a rare musical versatility and a keen sense for alternative, eclectic forms of expression, Albanesehas always sought to explore music in all its facets; as well as being influenced by alt pop, psychedelia, and more left-field forms of composition, his genre-fusing piano soundscapes typically also incorporate elements of guitar, bass, violin, and electronica.
The announcement is accompanied by the release of Albanese's debut single for the label, the uplifting piano ballad “The Diary”. This new track is the first to be taken from his forthcoming 7-track EP, Days Of Passage, due for release in September. Check it out here on YouTube.
Written and recorded in Berlin, the EP processes thoughts and emotions in view of a major turning point in life. “It’s essentially a journey into the imagination, almost like a dream”, Albanese explains. “The music describes all the hopes, thoughts, challenges, and fears that can overcome us when we start questioning what our future might hold.”
Restlessly creative, Albanese'sever-evolving quest for new sounds and experimentation has been more extensive than most. After an early childhood playing piano, he became interested in jazz, picking up the clarinet, before a teenage fascination with punk rock bands led to him learning bass guitar. Later still, he devoured the new-age music of the late 90s, immersing himself in the works of artists such as Brian Eno and William Basinski.
Swirling all that together, and having moved to Berlin from his native Italy, Albanesebegan writing and recording his own material. His debut album, 2014’s The Houseboat and the Moon, and its follow-up, The Blue Hour were concept albums focused on specific themes and adored by critics and fans alike. He followed them up with 2018’s similarly revered By The Deep Sea and last year’s Before And Now Seem Infinite, all supported by extensive touring throughout Europe.
Of signing to XXIM, Albanesesays: “This was meant to be for a very long time. The work done by XXIM over the past few years did not go unnoticed. The label's diversity and genre-defying character, and its creator's proactive vision, is the right home for my future works. I'm more than happy to join this beautiful family of great artists and creatives, and kick off a new chapter of my career with them.”
Alexander Buhr, SVP of International A&R at Sony Masterworks, says: “We are very happy to welcome Federico to XXIM Records and our growing family of artists. I’ve known Federico for a long time and have always admired his ability to create and constantly expand a musical universe that is entirely his own. He is an artist of great integrity and authenticity, and I can’t wait for us to take the next steps of his artistic journey with him.”
Per Hauber, President of Sony Classical, adds: “We are very much looking forward to working with Federico Albanese! The fact that we can now welcome him to the label is also a strong sign that XXIM Records has already established itself as a home for internationally successful artists in just a few years.”
About XXIM Records:Pronounced ‘Twenty-One M’ and headquartered in Berlin, experimentation and collaboration lie at the heart of XXIM’s ethos, with the ultimate goal of providing a strong platform for the creative development of a new generation of artists whose work explores and integrates, among other realms, neo-classical, post-rock, electronic, and ambient sounds. Famed Manchester alt trio GoGo Penguin, Canadian pianist and composer Alexandra Stréliski, Franco-American composer, conductor, producer, and arranger Uèle Lamour, Icelandic pianist, composer and vocalist Eydís Evensen, Icelandic alternative duo Hugar, and Italian pianist and composer Olivia Belli are just a few of the talents that currently call XXIM home.
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