Name: Francesco Leali
Occupation: Composer, sound artist
Nationality: Italian
Current release: Francesco Leali's Let Us Descend LP is out via his own Until Riots.

If you enjoyed this Francesco Leali interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit him on Instagram, and bandcamp.



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in sound?

Definitely, but it might not necessarily be an experience related to sound. It could be a book, a moment or even just a word said in a specific context. For some unknown reason I tend to find more inspiration in non music related sources that I then translate to sound.

Having said that, I did grow up in a household where music was ever-present so that probably played it’s part.

Do you experience strong emotional responses towards certain sounds? If so, what kind of sounds are these and do you have an explanation about the reasons for these responses?

Not necessarily a specific sound. But I’m a sucker for string sections. If I had to pick a single sound source it would have to be the cello. It has it’s own way of conveying emotions and speaks to me more than any other instrument. Its versatility, I came to find in recent years, is very engaging.

Fun fact, I can’t play the cello, but I enjoy writing for those who can.

[Read our feature on the cello]

Are there places, spaces, or everyday devices which intrigue you by the way they sound? Which are these?

I have a thing for big, resonant spaces but they can be quite tricky when it comes to treatment. The beauty of such a space and its huge sound wash is experiencing it in person.

Replicating that same feeling in a recording is always a bit of a gamble. But it’s always worth a try because if properly executed it really does make a huge difference.

For some, music equals sound, to others they are two distinct things. What is the relation between music and sound for you? Are there rules to working with sound, similar to working with harmony, for example?

I try to stick to the least amount of rules as I possibly can when writing. I’m not a supporter of standardised approaches although some situations require that discipline. Sound is a broad term, music to me is simply re-organising moving air to your liking.

In regards to harmony, that’s an area where I feel my studies do most of the job and where I stick to rules more than usual. I feel like I have a more “scholastic” approach to that discipline and would like to develop that area into something that’s more personal.

What were your very first active steps in terms of working with sound and how would you rate the gains made through experience?

Unfortunately restlessness plays a big role if analysing possible gains made through time. But it’s not a first step, it’s quite possibly the last. Oddly my first steps usually base themselves on imagery and literature, in most cases my record covers were picked before even writing a single note for it.

I find joy in this seemingly reversed creative process – it might have something to do with my disregard for rules when it comes to writing.

For your own creativity, what were some of the most important things you learned from teachers/tutorials, other sound artists, or personal experience?

Tough one, simply cause there is so much I learnt from my peers, collaborators and friends over the years. I guess the one thing that stuck with me the most is learning to enjoy the process more than hoping to get where you are aiming to get.

I consider myself incredibly lucky to be making a living from doing what I love the most but sometimes ambition and frustration take over for whichever reason and it can make you forget why you even started doing this in the first place. There are thousands and thousands of people that would do anything to be lucky enough to do the same and although it could be irrelevant to you it’s a commodity you shouldn’t overlook.

Luck and “knowing the right people” are determining factors whether we like it or not - but they are no substitute for effort, practice and not being an asshole.

How and for what reasons has your music set-up evolved over the years and what are currently some of the most important pieces of gear and software for you?

It definitely changed with time and I expect it to continue doing so, or at least I hope so. Earlier on in my career I was way more invested in hardware, I was buying and re-selling gear, swapping it and just fooling around with as many machines I could get my hands on.

With my interests, knowledge, and the industries’ technological advancements evolving through time I realised I didn’t need all that, it was amusing but not entirely necessary. It became more about finding the right tools for what I was looking for each time.

I tend to go back and forth from electronic to acoustic a lot, so once I record all the material I believe I need, I take it back to the studio and just mess around with it. My DAW templates become one big instrument in a weird way, because of how they’re set up and how I operate them.

Nowadays I have and use little to no hardware but collaborate more with musicians, this approach seems to be working for me at the moment. But I’m always very eager to develop and modify it according to what it is I’m aiming for sonically.

Already as a little kid, I was drawn to all aspects of electronic/electric music but I've never quite been able to put a finger on why this is. What's your own relationship to electronic sounds, rhythms, productions like – what, if any, are fundamental differences with “acoustic“ music and tools?

I started off as a conservatory student at an early age and towards my teenage years I was a bit frustrated with reading and playing other people’s music, sticking exclusively to acoustic instruments.

That’s when I got my first producing software and started fooling around with it. I remember it being extremely refreshing at first, but with that came frustration for not being as able and comfortable with it as I was when playing instruments or reading music. With time and patience I noticed some improvements and started making electronic music for fun, I just wanted to steer away from the more classical side of things and it worked well for me until it didn’t.

I knew I needed to shake things up and it was only then that it occurred to me that I could blend both my passions for acoustic and electronic music and create the balance I needed to maintain my interest and efforts when writing. I felt like I started appreciating the electroacoustic realm more and more, I just dove into it and never looked back.

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility with electronic music to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that and the relevance of limitations in your set-up and process?

I partially agree with her statement. As mentioned I’m not a huge fan of rules and limitations related to art in the broad term, let alone sound. But I’ve worked on records (Undergoddess and Sorceress) for example, where I decided to stick to one instrument for the whole record.



In these two specific cases the limitations that surfaced when using just one output source helped me understand and get to know the instrument in question better, explore ways of generating a different sound through its output and find ways to develop recordings through the use of electronics (reamping, distortion and whatnot).

I believe this approach helped me not only understand and appreciate the instruments or tools I was working with more but it also helped me use them in ways I didn’t believe possible, generating new ideas that can lead to unexpected results and therefore newfound approaches. You sometimes find yourself having pushed and mangled a sound so much it sounds nothing like its original source, that’s fascinating to me. This is the only case where I believe giving myself limitations works.

I otherwise fully agree with SOPHIE’s statement and her genius, she is dearly missed.

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of one of your sounds, pieces, or live performances that's particularly dear to you, please?

Before writing Let Us Descend I spent almost a year researching the topics I wanted to tackle and know more about. I particularly enjoy the weeks or months that precede the writing process.

The research that goes into what I am about to embark on is always pretty empowering in a weird way. It’s like building up the courage and confidence to write the record you have in your head. You’re unsure whether it’ll work out or if it will even see the light of day (I’ve scrapped many records in the past). But it doesn’t stop me from trying. I get this willpower I hardly experience for anything else.

In regards to live performances I can’t really say, I haven’t played in front of a crowd in a long time. I’ll have to shake that off since we’re working on a A/V live set we’re planning to take on the road in 2025. I’ve never really considered myself much of a performer but I am entertaining the idea of getting back on the road with this album as well as some unreleased material.

In relation to sound, one often reads words like “material”, “sculpting”, and “design”. How does your own way of working with sound look like? Do you find using presets lazy?

My method changes depending if I’m working on a personal project/record or a commissioned production/score.

Yes it’s very much based on sculpting and design but also a lot of trial and error, I’ll take my time and, yeah why not, I’ll try a few presets or samples here and there. I’m no puritan, if it works it works. Sometimes I’ll use them as a sort of placeholder, other times they’ll be replicated with another element and later deleted, whilst others they might be layered to other sources where you barely hear them but it does it’s job. Tiny details nobody will notice or care about but you and that’s completely fine.

When I’m not able to write I try to use my time productively, exploring new tools, learning new techniques, making my own presets and samples and adding to a sort of library I have where I keep these “tests” as potential add-ons or “inspiration loops”. Most of the time they just rot in my HD for ages but I still see it as helpful training.

It’s without a doubt better than sulking over your writer’s block without acting on it.

To some, the advent of AI and 'intelligent' composing tools offers potential for machines to contribute to the creative process. What are your hopes, fears, expectations and possible concrete plans in this regard?

Overpolished music bores me to death. I love hearing the occasional imperfection or blatant mistake, I see nothing wrong with that. I appreciate when a piece feels human and vulnerable, something I believe AI isn’t really capable of (yet). I think this surfaces in my music and I hope it will continue to in the foreseeable future.

I don’t see anything wrong with a little help from technology - but not in regards to the creative process. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll use any tool I can get my hands on to get where I want to but I cherish the human aspect of creating from scratch too much to rely solely on AI.

There definitely are some areas or genres where the advent of AI will (and probably already is) taking over. But I don’t think if affects what I’m doing at the moment so I’m not really bothered with it for now. Very curious to see how long it will take me to regret this statement.

How important is sound for our overall well-being and in how far do you feel the "acoustic health" of a society or environment is reflective of its overall health? What importance does silence hold in this regard from your point of view?

It’s up to you to balance it out. Silence is key for me at some point of every day. It helps me stay centred, rethink things with more clarity – I feel this statement is especially relevant if you work with sound and are therefore exposed to it more than the average person.

But you can also use sound for therapeutic purposes. Think of ASMR, white, pink, brown noise or guided meditation for example.

Markets are completely saturated and the amount of information we see and hear can be overwhelming at times. I find that taking a silent break from it all at some point of your day or week can only be beneficial.

Tinnitus and developing hyperacusis are very real risks for anyone working with sound. Do you take precautions in this regard and if you're suffering from these or similar issues – how do you cope with them?

I’m terrible at this, never took any precautions for my hearing and with age I will have to start thinking about it.

Besides an all too rare visit to the otolaryngologist I don’t do much else.

Seth S. Horowitz called hearing the “universal sense” and emphasised that it was more precise and faster than any of our other senses. How would our world be different if we paid less attention to looks and listened more instead?

Great question! I believe there is a very fine line that separates hearing from listening. Listening (to me) is paying close attention whilst hearing is more of a passive action. I feel like some people mistake the two.

Sometimes something might be packaged so well aesthetically that it distracts you from its true value, its substance, and it’s a shame that some “things” that are worthy get overlooked. I think the industry is very much guilty of this.

We should all listen more, but only to what truly matters and resonates with us and not because it’s been shoved down your throat by media or peer pressure.