English Version
Versione ItalianaMESCALINAEDEN - BIOGRAPHY
Luca Robba, aka Mescalinaeden, is an Italian multi-instrumentalist based in London.
Mescalinaeden is a graduated BA (Hons) in sound art and design at the University of the Arts of London, specializing in phonography, electro-acoustic composition and field recordings.
AT present, Mescalinaeden is engaged in two contemporary music projects: in London with David Toop's Uknown Devices Orchestra and in Italy he plays drums and electronics for the band Petrolio (www.myspace.com/petroliomusic).
He started to play drums at the age of 10 and after 12 years of playing with many rock bands in Italy, he decided to move to London. From 1998 to 2000 Luca Robba studied drumming and music theory at the prestigious Drumtech Studios in Acton (London) with tutors such as Francis Seriau (David Gilmour, Sting) and Lee Irons (R.E.M.). Mescalinaeden joined the post rock band called Ripe, collaborating with The Strokes’ producer Gordon Raphael.
In 2000 he bought a four track tape machine and he started a long period of experimentation with noises and sounds. In 2002 Luca Robba moved in the house of the Greek acoustician Anastasis Efentakis and he bought his first computer. Since then he began to compose electro-acoustic music made by noises, various instruments and ambient sounds.
As a matter of fact, his first single “Oktober” has been recorded on a 4 track tape machine and the computer has been used only for the mastering process.
"BEST GREEK RECORD OF THE MONTH (OR IN A WHILE, ACTUALLY) MUST BE THE SPLIT BY MESCALINAEDEN AND EVENTLESS PLOT (GRACE TONE 7"). MESCALINAEDEN HAVE A COOL, GURGLING PSYCHEDELIC SWOOP WITH CAN-LIKE OVERTONES. EVENTLESS PLOT OFFER A MORE CONTEMPORARY SOUND-SHIFTING COLD DUNES OF WOOZE INTERSPERSED WITH THE HACKING COUGH OF ELECTRONICS. NICE SOUNDING STUFF, ESPECIALLY MESCALINAEDEN TRACK". (THE WIRE MAGAZINE)
His first release was the track called “Gnosso” that came out the 25th of August 2005 on the Mercury Scale compilation, under the well-known Boltfish record label.
"Mescalinaeden is a solo project of drummer Luca Robba, and he’s got this locked down pretty well, combining digital wash with shoegaze ambience and found sounds that evoke a dense and natural spiral of whirling tones and inside-out percussion." (Dusted magazine)
In 2005 June, Mescalinaeden completed a sound installation piece for the Patti Smith’s Meltdown Festival in London.
In 2005 he collaborated for 2 years with a few members of the American crossover band Limp Biztik.
Mescalinaeden’s first single, called “Oktober” has been released by Gracetone Recordings in January 2006 and always in the same January Mescalinaeden goes on a tour all around Greece with a good success.
Since then Mescalinaeden played many selected gigs around U.K. collaborating with many electro-acoustic artists, such as the famous improviser David Toop. In December 2006 Mescalinaeden did a sound installation at London College of Communication, using some cymbals, a wind machine, a 4 tracks tape recorder and a few analogue sound effects.
At the end of December 2006, Mescalinaeden did a Deep Listening performance in a huge cave in Northern Italy with the Hungarian opera singer Krisztina Nemeth and the Italian improviser Shisso.