Interview with Eddy D'Amato

Amid the nonstop energy of Amsterdam Dance Event, we sat down with Eddy D’Amato, a rising name in the electronic music world whose thoughtful approach to sound design and performance has been attracting increasing attention.

Known for his refined, atmospheric style and a creative process rooted in authenticity, Eddy brings a distinct perspective to a scene that’s constantly evolving. Between packed showcases and late-night sessions, we talked about his artistic journey, the ideas shaping his new label, and his strong ties to art.

Welcome, Eddie. How are you doing today?

"Yeah, I'm good. You know, I'm enjoying my ADE so far, so it's pretty cool."

You started your journey in Turin, Italy, then moved to London to study and immersed yourself in the underground scene — how did those early environments shape your sound?

"Back in the day, I was more of an EDM DJ, before moving to London. Then when I moved to London, I fully immersed in the underground scene and this shaped me a lot. And then when I come back to my hometown, I started producing techno."

Your bio mentioned that you began DJing at age 16. What was that first club-gig like, and what did you learn from it that still sticks with you?

"It was quite a big club, that now doesn't exist anymore. So it was a 3,000 people club in Italy and I learned to read the dance floor and play the music that the people wanted to hear. And this is a thing that I still do in my set. I have my playlist that I want to play with my songs that I want to play. But if I see how the people on the dance floor react, then I change my set."

Playing at ADE is significant for any artist — what does this moment mean to you as you arrive in Amsterdam?

"It means a lot, especially this year because I launched my own label at the beginning of this month. So it's quite important to be here, to promote my label, to meet new artists, to have many meetings with people in the industry that can help me improve my label, and my music career."

What are you looking for when it comes to your label? What are you looking to do with it?

"I want to make a label that is not just for the music lover, but it's also for the art lover. In fact, I have an art director that is a photographer and he works on all the artworks of the label. And he made a real picture, especially in a world nowadays that’s always made with AI. So we decided to make a picture with just a camera and light, you know. So it's something really real now, something that was made from human beings, people like me, for the music side and people like him, for the art side and photographer side. Then I'm looking for fresh new artists in the techno scene. And I want to give them the possibility to improve their careers."

AI is really changing the industry...

"Yeah, it's changed a lot, you know. Especially for the art work, but I think that in the future, it will also change the industry on the music side, you know. I think that music is art. And I think art should always be from a human being, not from a machine."

For your set here at ADE, have you prepared anything special (unreleased tracks, a shift in mood, live elements) or are you keeping it more spontaneous?

"Yeah, I have my unreleased track, and my catalogue with my label. And then we made my special ADE bag for my label ‘MODVL’ that we give to people that we’ve met - it’s a limited edition of just 10 copies. Yeah, something special that we want to give to the people that we met, and we have something for you as well."

With such a global, diverse crowd as at ADE, how do you approach reading the room — do you prepare a set structure ahead of time or react to what you sense on the night?

"I have my playlist with different genres not only techno, but also melodic techno, tracks that aren’t so big. I react to the room, seeing the people’s reactions to the track and try to have a set that is the most dynamic possible."

While you’re in town for ADE, have you discovered any new artists, labels or sounds that are inspiring you for your next studio work or live set?

"Yeah, I met a lot of artists that I already know, but I never met before because there wasn’t an opportunity to meet them yet. So it’s a pleasure to finally meet them here in Amsterdam. And we talked about new releases, on my label, so it's something really important for me to bring this artist that already has built credibility in the scene on my own label."

Looking ahead, where do you want your sound to go in the next 12-24 months? Are there new directions, collaborations or feelings you’re chasing?

"Now my focus is on the label, because it's something that I want for a long time. And now that I have it, I need to put all my energy into this project. If I see myself in 12 months, I hope to be here at ADE with my own label showcase. This is something very special for me. And also for the future, for myself, being on more big stages and especially this, for me, was a really cool year for the releases because I just charted seven times in a row in the top 100 on Beatport Techno. And also with the first two releases of my label, they are in the top 100 on the Beatport Techno chart. And I hope to bring my music to the big stage."