Italian producer and audio engineer R.Korner is closing out 2025 with a powerful statement: a two-track EP on Indira Paganotto’s ARTCORE label that bridges his psytrance roots with cutting-edge techno. In this exclusive feature, R.Korner takes us behind the scenes of his creative process from crafting “Fury” and “Nordica” to revealing how he prepares for his DJ sets after 13 years behind the decks in our DJ TIPS series.
From his studio in Northern Italy, Korner has built a unique path in electronic music, starting as a teenage DJ before most of his peers even stepped into a club, then evolving through formal audio engineering studies into both an artist and studio owner. He opens up about his unconventional journey from psytrance to techno, his pragmatic views on AI as a creative tool, the challenges facing Northern Italy’s techno scene, and why patience and authenticity matter more than hype in today’s social media-driven landscape.
1. Your new release on ARTCORE closes out their 2025 with two powerful tracks: ‘Fury’ and ‘Nordica.’ What was the creative vision behind this EP, and how did these tracks come together?
“Fury” was the first track to take shape. I needed a powerful tool to use as an intro in my DJ sets. As it evolved, I realized it fit perfectly within the ARTCORE sound, so I kept pushing the psy-techno direction while introducing elements that aren’t so common in the genre, like orchestral strings blended with psytrance textures. Indira Paganotto played this track as the intro of her DJ sets for several months.
“Nordica” followed naturally: it shares a similar energy, with Nordic chants and bell sounds, maintaining a dark, hypnotic, and high-energy mood.
2. How did you land on ARTCORE in the first place? What’s the story behind that connection with Indira Paganotto’s label?
Since ARTCORE was founded, it has always been a reference point for me. I come from many years of psytrance production (under a project called The Trap) and later moved into techno. In Indira’s sound and the ARTCORE vision, I found something I deeply identify with. I met Indira at Amnesia Ibiza in 2023, and from there a collaboration began, which gradually turned into a strong professional collaboration and friendship.
3. At what point did you realize you wanted to move from the dancefloor to the decks? What pushed you to start DJing?
It actually happened in the opposite way: I started DJing before I even went clubbing. I fell in love with mixing, when I was 15 I bought my first console and a few years later, playing at afternoon clubs for teenagers in my hometown, Padua. DJing led me to the dancefloor, not the opposite, as usually happens. I’ve been playing records consistently for 13 years now.
4. You studied Audio Engineering and now run your own studio, was that always part of the plan, or did it evolve as you got deeper into production?
It wasn’t planned from the beginning but it was the natural evolution of my path. I started as a DJ, then moved into self-taught music production, and later moved to Milan to deepen my knowledge. That’s where I realized how vast the world behind music production really is. I began working both on stage and behind the scenes, producing my own music and helping others do the same. That’s how my recording studio was born.
5. Balancing your own music with running a recording and mastering studio, how do you keep your creative energy fresh when you’re constantly working on other people’s projects too? Or do you get inspired by other people’s projects?
The two things never really overlap. I’m very technical in my professional work, so I can clearly switch between the engineering mindset for clients and the artistic mindset when working on my own music. That said, I eventually stopped doing ghost productions (yes, they exist far more than people think) because they were draining my creative energy and leaving no space for new ideas in my own projects.
6. AI is increasingly present in music production. As someone who studied engineering and works professionally in audio, where do you draw the line on what’s useful versus what feels wrong?
I often use AI, and I’m not guilty to say it. It’s an incredibly powerful tool and it’s already all around us. I might ask it for a chord progression or a melody idea during a creative block, why not? The key difference is using AI to enhance your work, not to do the work for you. AI has no soul; it can only reproduce what already exists. Creating something truly new still requires the human mind.
7. What’s a track or artist from your Psytrance days that influences your sound?
There are many. Even though I’ve been outside the psytrance circuit for years, I still listen to artists like Ajja, Liquid Soul, Tristan, and Captain Hook, as well labels such as Parvati Records, Looney Moon, and Sangoma Records. All of this has deeply shaped my musical identity over the years. You can still hear echoes of those influences in my productions today.
8. How would you describe the current state of Techno in Northern Italy?
Honestly, I see a lot of hype and not enough movement. People go out when big international names are playing, but smaller clubs often remain half-empty. Social media has shifted attention from music to the DJ as a rockstar, and this is especially visible in Italy compared to the rest of Europe. That said, it’s not all negative: we have many strong venues, and the younger guys, are starting to build real scenes by collaborating through collectives and shared visions. I hope this approach keeps growing: bringing people together rather than dividing them.
9. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring producers and DJs trying to carve out their own sound and break through in today’s scene?
Don’t rush. Rushing kills creativity, and I see many aspiring producers quit simply because results don’t come fast enough. You need time to develop your sound and build meaningful relationships.
Most importantly, keep moving, nothing falls from the sky, you have to go out and create opportunities. Today it also makes little sense to “confine to one genre,” because genres evolve every two or three years. What matters is following or anticipating the flow while keeping your own sound identity intact.
10. As we head into 2026, what’s on the horizon for you? Any releases, collaborations, or creative directions you’re excited to explore?
There are some exciting things coming in 2026… but for now, no spoilers!