Subsonica

Emerging as the foremost act from Italy's underground during the latter half of the 1990s, Subsonica reached mainstream listeners while preserving every element of their artistic identity. Their distinctive fusion of dance, electronica, and pop/rock captured the essence of the vibrant Turin scene, where varied races, styles, and rhythms converged around the clubs and streets of the Murazzi district. Their ongoing focus on visual and technological dimensions, spanning videos to online platforms, positioned them as a model for numerous multimedia Y2K bands.

Guitarist and producer Massimiliano "C-Max" Casacci, having recently departed the reggae outfit Africa Unite, teamed with singer Samuel Romano and keyboardist Davide "Boosta" di Leo in 1996. Both Romano and di Leo had previously played in Gli Amici di Roland, renowned for its cartoon-theme covers. Together they formed Subsonica's foundation, later adding bassist Pierpaolo "Pierfunk" Peretti Griva and drummer Enrico "Ninja" Matta. The group issued its debut album, Subsonica, in 1997. Groove- and melody-driven, the record appealed equally to indie-rock and electronica audiences and achieved modest commercial success. Their partnership with former Matia Bazar vocalist Antonella Ruggiero on her 1997 album Registrazioni Moderne paved the way for Subsonica's second release, Microchip Emozionale, issued in 1999 and featuring contributions from Daniele Silvestri, Bluvertigo's Marco "Morgan" Castoldi, and superstar DJ Claudio Coccoluto.

With new bassist Luca "Bass Vicio" Vicini aboard, the band entered the 2000 Sanremo Music Festival, Italy's bastion of traditional melodic song. The decision surprised many devoted followers yet proved strategically astute: their entry "Tutti i Miei Sbagli," a quintessential Subsonica track, drew widespread public and media attention to become an instant hit, while the reissued Microchip Emozionale earned Best Italian Album honors at that year's MTV European Music Awards.

In 2001 Romano, Pierfunk, and DJ Pisti launched the more dance-focused Motel Connection, whose debut outing supplied the soundtrack to Marco Ponti's Santa Maradona. Subsonica resurfaced in 2002 with Amorematico and followed one year later with the double live album Controllo del Livello di Rombo, which encapsulated and concluded the band's initial chapter. During the same period Romano collaborated with Marlene Kuntz's Dan Solo on the multimedia project Pornodrome and its accompanying DVD; Boosta divided time between DJ duties and writing, releasing his solo debut Iconoclash in 2004; and Casacci produced for Italian acts including Dr. Livingstone, Mau Mau, Fratelli di Soledad, Mambassa, and Disco Drive.

Following a contentious departure from their prior label Mescal, Subsonica joined Virgin and, between 2005 and 2006, delivered Terrestre and the double-disc Terrestre Live e Varie Altre Disfunzioni, pairing a live recording with covers and acoustic reinterpretations of earlier material. Concurrently Casacci founded the Casasonica imprint, named after Subsonica's Turin studios.