EXCLUSIVE: Quintessentially Francesca Lombardo (Women in Music Series)

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Gracing our “Women in Music,” where we highlight women across borders and generations, and the ways they’re leading the charge in shaping and moving electronic dance music forward. We proudly present Francesca Lombardo.

Francesca Lombardo’s evolution from classical musician into electronic music powerhouse. How the Italian-born & classically trained, is making her imprint.

Francesca Lombardo has cultivated a sound of her own, one that represents her multi-disciplinary musical background and transcends the dance floor via an emotional narrative of dreamy soundscapes, stirring melodies and hypnotic rhythms.

Italian-born and classically trained, Francesca carved her path in electronic music. Criss-crossing the globe as a DJ and live performer, she’s played monumental shows including IMS Dalt Villa, Burning Man, Tomorrowland, Get Lost and Circoloco. In tandem, Francesca has built up a formidable back-catalog of music on esteemed labels: Crosstown Rebels, Mobilee, Leftroom, One Records and her own Echoe and Echolette imprints amongst others.

Francesca Lombardo – WOTN Women in Music Series

As part of our “Women in Music Series”

Ahead of her performance at Elements Festival this Memorial Weekend, the
Echoe and Echolette boss shares 5 hypnotic tracks that are quintessentially the embodiment of her rich and diverse musical background.

In the years of my DJ career, there have been few tracks that I mixed that haunted the audience. I always love to tease people in my DJ sets with non-dance floor music mixed with techno or house live that end up being edits of the original tracks. Those choices make the DJ set one to remember as people don’t expect them on a dance floor. I eventually end up making edits out of some of those live mixed tracks and carry them with me everywhere I go. I picked 5 of my favs ones that made those special moments. ~ Francesca Lombardo

Jane – It’s a fine day (Acapella version)

The original version by Jane from 1983 out on Cherry Red Records has always been my favourite. Her voice is so calming and I used to listen to it when I was a child. You can actually hear the noise of the car and outside birds when she recorded this. It was originally written by an English poet Edward Barton. The track was later used by Opus III and re-recorded and became a major international hit in 1992. I played the Acappella on Robot Heart in 2015 during the sunrise at the same time the sun was actually coming out and it became quite a special moment that people always remember.

Moan – Trentemoller mashed with Ron Costa – Gez Uri

Another female voice that I really love, is Ane Trolle on Moan track that came out in 2006, from Trentemoller debut album “The Last Resort”. I always owned two vinyls of it because I was scared if one got ruined I wouldn’t be able to get a new one. It came out on Pokerflat in 2007 with a remix of his. The other track I mixed with it was Gez Uri, they kept on playing together for minutes and it was a killer. I also played this at Burning Man in 2014 and since then a lot of people have asked about the track. I later created an edit for my self to play out and sent it to Ron Costa who loved it. He then took the idea to do the same with this track. Together with Eats Everything they released Gez Uri mixed with Dancing by Tiga. It was a great success.

Professional Distortion – Miss Kittin mashed with Pontape’ – Renato Cohen

“Professional Distortion” by Miss Kittin was one of my first non-acid techno vinyls owned. It came out in 2004. At the time I was playing a lot of Acid Techno in illegal raves and in one rave in east London I decided to start my set with it to then enter quickly with Renato Cohen “Pontape” on Intec and play them together till Miss Kittin was finished. It was a bombshell…I have never created an edit out of it cause both tracks I only had on vinyl but it’s something that worked really well and kept on playing for a year in my sets.

Chris Isaak – Wicked Game

Another one of my favourites that I decided to include in my DJ sets around 2016. Wicked Game by Chris Isaak from his album Heart Shaped World which came out in 1989 have always filled my listening playlists at home and I could not resist to incorporate it in my sets. The first time I mixed it in was in Beirut at “the Garten.” Besides creating a loving atmosphere on the dance floor, everyone starts to sing it and quickly became a good catch for people to remember. I used to mix it with anything that had a straight up beat.

Richard X – I wanna dance with numbers

In the days of London Kubicle parties and city rooftops parties, Brick Lane and beyond, I enjoyed playing this edit. I came across this in 2010 and still think its one of the best mish mash ever made. I have never managed to find the vinyl and I am still in search for it. The track was made by Richard X one of the best bootleg producer as well as music producers in town. He produced people like New Order, Will Young, Nina, and others. His bootlegs are my favourites. This particular one mixes Whitney Houston – I wanna dance with somebody together with Kraftwerk – Numbers. They work perfectly and it’s quite a masterpiece of a bootleg.

Now entering a new phase of her career, Francesca unveils her debut album, a collection of songs representing the essence of what she’s all about. An LP that is forward-thinking, powerful and made from the heart. Live musicians feature, merging the world of electronic music with Francesca’s classical upbringing, set to uplift and engage people from all walks of life. The outcome is a combination of grand compositions, paired with subtle, nuanced numbers.

Listen to Francesca Lombardo – Life of Leaf LP

There’s no doubt that Francesca’s passion and drive for innovation in music serves as the fuel to keep her inspired and relevant, destined to soundtrack our lives for years to come.

Francesca Lombardo – US Dates:

5/24/19 – Elements Lakewood Festival, Lakewood, PA
5/27/19 – The Blu Party Detroit, Michigan
6/22/19 – Mayan Warrior @ BROOKLYN MIRAGE, New York

Keep Up with Francesca Lombardo:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | SoundCloud

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