CRISTIAN COMES

In this interview, we delve into the world of CRISTIAN COMES, who share his inspirations and unique perspectives.

Cristian Comes

1. Introduce Yourself to the Casawi Community: What drives you? What's your artistic vision, and what sets you apart from the crowd?

I'm Cristian Comes, a DJ and music composer from Puglia, born in 1990, with a passion for artificial intelligence and philosophy. I'm also the co-founder of two collectives, NO.ID and Gestalt, where I shape the artistic and musical direction. I've been making music for nearly 20 years under different aliases, but in 2024, I decided to release it under my real name.

I like to create what I call "alien" music, built on powerful basslines, fractured rhythms, and enigmatic atmospheres. While I incorporate AI into visual art, experimenting with distorted and surreal imagery, my music remains purely human-driven.

I've been living in Milan for years, which has allowed me to play here often but also to dive into musical research.

My DJ sets blend rare past gems with cutting-edge, often unreleased tracks, spanning Electro, Breaks, Bass, Acid, and hypnotic Hardgroove.

In 2023, I co-founded Gestalt with two friends, Matteo Busan and Luca Filippi aka "Mex."

In less than a year, it has grown into a dynamic artistic collective that currently consists of seven people (Jack, Letizia, Francesco, Alessandro, plus the three of us founders) and a roster of four DJs: myself, Matteo Busan, Monurga, and Guayaba.

Now we are committed to drawing a thriving community and taking our vision to stages in Milan, but also in Europe: Munich, Paris, Oslo and beyond. With Gestalt, we bring our concept of clubbing, visual art, and installations to unexpected spaces. My role is to curate the musical direction, oversee programming, and drive artistic choices with both creativity and strategy.

Alongside Matteo Busan, I also launched HAAS, a live duo where we blend synthesizers with wind instruments, crafting a soundscape that oscillates between baroque influences and raw electronic energy.

2. City Inspirations: How has your city influenced your artistic path? Share how its streets, culture, and energy have molded your work.

Since my teenage years, I’ve traveled frequently, living in different cities across Italy and abroad. This nomadic journey has been crucial not only for my creativity but also for shaping my mindset. Every place, every culture I encountered left a mark on me, an experience, an attitude, an influence that I absorbed and made my own. I spent a year in Lausanne, Switzerland, where I had to reinvent myself. The music I listened to and played at the time - Rap, Trance, and Progressive House - was completely different from what the local scene embraced. That contrast pushed me to evolve, and it inevitably shaped both my productions and DJ sets. When I returned to Milan, I found myself with a fresh musical identity. Immersing myself in the city's scene, I kept refining my style. I moved between Urban/Hip Hop events and parties centered on House, Techno, and Psychedelic sounds. From the former, I soaked up everything break music and Hip Hop culture had to offer, becoming completely fascinated by it. From the latter, I nurtured my passion for sonic "journeys" drawn to syncopated basslines and hypnotic melodies, elements that still define my sound today. This fusion of influences has shaped who I am - and what I play - now.

3. Creative Process: What fuels your creativity? Whether it's a ritual, a muse, or a moment of clarity, we're keen to learn.

I think my creative flow is quite randomic. It depends on various factors, but if I had to sum it up, I’d say it all comes down to balance. For me, balance is a mix of time, motivation, and ideas. If I have time but lack motivation or inspiration, I simply do nothing, I know the balance will return. Sometimes it comes from listening to new music, wandering around the city, or one of those late-night bursts of creativity that always seem to hit right as I’m about to sleep. Carrying portable synthesizers and beat machines, like Roland’s compact T-8 or S-1, helps a lot. They’re essential for capturing ideas or sketching arrangements while I’m on the move. Another major source of inspiration is the past. In fact, I have a track coming out in May on an independent Parisian label that was inspired by Paul Woolford’s Erotic Discourse. Secret’s out.

4. City Lifestyle and Art: How the places you lived influenced your career and work?

Living in Milan has allowed me to experience different neighborhoods, from working-class districts to the city center. I first lived in a small apartment in a housing complex between Ortica and Argonne, an area filled with murals and street art, part of a once-neglected suburb that has undergone major redevelopment in recent years.

Later, I moved to Porta Venezia, where I spent the golden years of Via Melzo, often hanging out at Love, an iconic spot run by Abeba Kahsay, known as 'the mother of Porta Venezia.' That neighborhood shaped me deeply, immersing me in a whole new world of clubbing and nightlife, where I played in tiny venues packed with hundreds of people (pre-COVID).

After that, I lived in Lambrate, and today, I’m based in Porta Vittoria, where I’ve found a certain balance. This area was once home to Macao, a landmark in Milan’s underground scene. Even now, walking past its sealed-off entrance feels surreal, a reminder of a chapter that left a lasting mark on the city.

Milan is alive, paradoxical, raw, chaotic, yet dreamlike. All these contrasts constantly shape my life and way of thinking.

5. Latest or Upcoming Projects: Give us a glimpse into your current endeavors and what lies ahead on your creative journey.

Right now, I’m working on two albums. The first will be released in May 2025 on an independent Parisian label. I won’t give too much away, but it features two tracks that truly reflect my style, moving between Electro and Bass music.

I blended samples from the past with sounds generated by modern synthesizers, layering both straight and broken drum patterns to create a tight, rhythmic structure.

In the coming months, I have several gigs lined up across Europe, from Istanbul to Oslo.

At the same time, with my duo project HAAS, we’re composing a soundtrack for a new contemporary dance production, directed by Andrea Crescenzi - dancer at Teatro alla Scala and choreographer - which will debut in Portugal. With Gestalt, we recently launched a new format called “Sliced”, a space where DJs and performers can express themselves in unexpected and distinctive venues. The first edition took place at Döner Club, a Kebab Shop on Viale Abruzzi in Milan.

Cristian Comes

Cristian Comes

Cristian Comes

Cristian Comes

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Instagram: @cristian_comes | @gestalt_gestalt_gestalt