Name: Gianclaudio Hashem Moniri aka Plaster
Nationality: Italian
Occupation: Producer, sound artist, sound designer, label owner at Textvra
Current release: The new Plaster album Obscura is out via Textvra.
Recommendations: For every book or article you read, the best experience you can do in your life is practice this things without judgment and let the vibes flow trough you.

If you enjoyed this Plaster interview and would like to know more about his music, visit his official website. He is also on Instagram, Soundcloud, and Facebook. For further reading, head over to our 15 Questions interview with Plaster for an even deeper look into his ideas on music.



Can you talk a bit about your interest in or fascination for sound? What were early experiences which sparked it?

Since I was a kid, I liked to experiment with speakers, tapes, home stereo and everything that could produce sounds and noises.

I remember that we had an old television by Telefunken at home. When it couldn’t receive the video signal, it would start to produce noises in a harmonic way ... I spent hours in front of that television.

Which artists, approaches, albums or performances using sound in an unusual or remarkable way captured your imagination in the beginning?

I can’t remember exactly when I started to appreciate experimental music. But having lived the early 2000s here in Rome, I’ve been exposed to fantastic festivals like Dissonanze and many other collateral events. I had the chance to see Biosphere and other experimental artists in incredible environments, which are impossible nowadays (at least in Rome).

What's more, I used to live in Berlin between 2009 and 2010, and there I attended several festivals and undergrounds events. Something I'll never forget from that period are the performances of Senking and Atom™ at Club Transmediale.

What's your take on how your upbringing and cultural surrounding have influenced your sonic preferences?

I have to say that I’ve been very lucky in terms of what my family would listen to. Both my father and mother have good tastes in music, nothing esoteric but for sure not commercial tastes.

The dark side of music that I love, it’s just about me.

Working predominantly with field recordings and sound can be an incisive step / transition. Aside from musical considerations, there can also be personal motivations for looking for alternatives. Was this the case for you, and if so, in which way?

I work rarely with fields recordings, so I can’t answer this properly. But regarding the research on sounds, I think that has been a natural choice for me. I mean, I can’t imagine myself making a pop song with basic sounds, or writing a piece of electronic music by using cheesy synths presets.

I love to build my own sounds and make them part of my language. I believe it’s part of self research.

How would you describe the shift of moving towards music which places the focus foremost on sound, both from your perspective as a listener and a creator?

I guess that today’s sound overproduction especially in pop music, is because there’s a lack of content. Everything has to be perfect and well matched between sounds and voice recording. But the contents, unfortunately, are poor.

I do honestly prefer rough music, dirty drums or a not perfectly tuned voice. I prefer a song or a piece of electronic music that transmit something to me.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to music and working with sound? Do you see yourself as part of a tradition or historic lineage when it comes to your way of working with sound?

I do honestly don’t follow any tradition, I just like to experiment with myself and sounds as well. My approach can be defined as classic avantgarde maybe? I don’t know really.

What are the sounds that you find yourself most drawn to?  Are there sounds you reject – if so, for what reasons?

The sounds I’m comfortable with are mostly mellow or metallic, not forcibly related to each other. I try to avoid cheesy distorsions because I love overdrives and distortions. So I meticulously use them in my productions.

As creative goals and technical abilities change, so does the need for different tools of expression, from instruments via software tools and recording equipment. Can you describe this path for you personally starting from your first studio/first instruments and equipment? What motivated some of the choices you made in terms of instruments/tools/equipment over the years?

I’ve always worked with limited equipment. I like to limit myself when using hardware synths or plugins because I don’t like to get lost in endless possibilities. I believe that when you have something to say, the equipment you have doesn’t matter. If you’re creative you’ll find a solution for your needs.

I see colleagues with all of their modular synths and pricy outboard gear and speakers. But their work is low on content. I think that their studios are just good for socials posts.

Where do you find the sounds you're working with? How do you collect and organise them?  

Every 2 years I start to compile sounds into a new library, which is divided by the synths that I have at the moment, hardware and software, the type of sounds (drones, rhythmical, effects, sequences, soundscapes, etc etc), also films voice samples, samples from records, some rare fields recording and of course drums loops or sequences that I record over the time.

From the point of view of your creative process, how do you work with sounds? Can you take me through your process on the basis of a project or album that's particularly dear to you?

I usually start from sequences / drones or synths jams. Then I start to add layers and melodies. I like to mix different sounds or different sessions from my library because there are always unexpected results. When I'm able to manage them properly, they can lead to the particularity that I’m always looking for.

I don’t like to repeat myself in any way. If you think about one of my previous works like Mainframe, you can perceive how different it is compared to the new album Obscura. Of course you can relate the sound, but not the style.



The possibilities of modern production tools have allowed artists to realise ever more refined or extreme sounds. Is there a sound you would personally like to create but haven't been able to yet?

Rather than a particular type of sound, I’m still researching how to space out the mixes to give them more depth.

What I have to admit about modern pop music, is that the mixes are incredible. They tend to contain few sounds only, but well organized with a 3D stereo image that in my opinion is only achievable when the entire chain of production is at a top level.

The idea of acoustic ecology has drawn a lot of attention to the question of how much we are affected by the sound surrounding us. What's your take on this and on acoustic ecology as a movement in general?  

Considering that I’m a bike commuter, I pay a lot of attention to my surroundings. As electric cars are starting to become a part of our lives, it is very strange to realize that they don’t produce the same sound we’re used to.

I’m thinking about the fact that maybe in 20-30 years we will live on a quieter planet. Unless, of course, we extinguish it before that.

What's your take on this and on acoustic ecology as a movement in general?  

I don’t have any particular thoughts about that. I just thinks it’s okay as a study.

We can listen to a pop song or open our window and simply take in the noises of the environment. Without going into the semantics of 'music vs field recordings', in which way are these experiences different and / or connected, do you feel?

When you have trained ears, everything turns into music or interesting sounds. At least for me it’s not possible not to analyze incoming noises from the external world.

I think that everything is connected. So inspiration is everywhere.

From the concept of Nada Brahma to "In the Beginning was the Word", many spiritual traditions have regarded sound as the basis of the world. Regardless of whether you're taking a scientific or spiritual angle, what is your own take on the idea of a harmony of the spheres and sound as the foundational element of existence?

I believe that sound is communication, which is an essential part of our life and animal life as well. Just think about how complex the language of dolphines is. Or consider the reassuring tone of a mother’s voice for her children.

Vibrations caused by sounds, can balance your body, your blood and your mind and the contrary of course. I deeply respect people who practice techniques like Nada Brahma or play the didgeridoo every day. I think you can reach a very deep state if executed correctly.