The Cultural Connection: Brain De Palma

Brain De Palma, the moniker of avid crate digger Alexei Versino, brings forth a wealth of musical experience. Born in Ukraine, Brain De Palma’s family made the decision to relocate after the repercussions of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. As a child, Versino settled in Turin, Italy, often referred to as the ‘motor city,’ and it was there that he immersed himself in the local techno scene. Ever since, Versino has navigated various corners of Europe, embracing diverse musical landscapes. He has experienced everything from the vibrant squat raves of early-noughties Bristol to the relaxed allure of the Balearic Islands and the intriguing cultural contrasts of Egypt. Throughout his ever-evolving life, Versino’s profound love for both music and cinema has guided his spontaneous journey. These passions shine through in his debut EP for Gudu titled “Call Me By Your Nail”.

KALTBLUT caught up with Brain De Palma as part of our Cultural Connection Interview series.

KALTBLUT: Tell me about your latest release.

Brain De Palma: Road to Tatooine was just released on Gudu & Friends Compilation Vol.1.
Tatooine is a planet existing in both Dune and Star Wars. Working on this tune I imagined myself driving a spaceship to a warm planet. I am a big fan of the Star Wars saga and Tatooine has two suns. What’s warmer?

KALTBLUT: What kind of cultural and/ or musical influences were you inspired by when recording/ writing this release?

Brain De Palma: As you may have guessed my artist pseudonym Brain De Palma comes from my appreciation for the well known director Brian De Palma and my passion for Cinema. Road to Tatooine is indeed a trip to that cinematic reality where you can dictate your own rules, I imagine myself there dancing in a desert surrounded by the craziest dune characters like the ones drawn for Jodorowsky’s Dune in an interplanetary rave culture welcoming all the species.

KALTBLUT: How would you describe your sound?

Brain De Palma: My sound is in between mental (Brain) and tropical (Palma). I like to keep my music percussive but differently from my sets where I play a lot of loopy tribal techno in all my tunes I am telling a story through melodies, a sort of dance floor-friendly soundtrack.

KALTBLUT: How does culture/ your surroundings/ society intersect with your creative work?

Brain De Palma: I have now lived in Berlin for nine years, the city is a constant inspiration, and I feel grateful to live in this bubble of cultural intersections.

Stream Gudu & Friends Vol. 1 here and follow @brain_de_palma_ on Instagram to keep up with upcoming releases and club dates.
Photo by Alessia Senatore ig: @__senatrix__

You can revisit all Cultural Connection interviews at #TheCulturalConnection here.