One of the biggest musical shocks i have experienced these past few years was listening for the first time to the Italians Do It Better sampler compilation “After Dark”. Among stellar tracks by Chromatics and Glass Candy, were a couple of songs by this guy i had never heard of before. Professor Genius.

And, boy, did they sound amazing. Vintage italo disco, upgraded and updated for the new millenium, deep, analog chords, almost like Detroit’s and Milan’s finest working together. A few months later Professor Genius’s debut album was released, containing 9 tracks of synth bliss, with echoes of  Manuel Göttsching and Ennio Morricone‘s Dario Argento soundtracks resonating throughout.

But what cemented my love affair with the Professor was his 2008 EP, “À Jean Giraud”. Three short music “sketches” (plus a very balearic remix) dedicated to Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, probably the most diverse comic artist of the past few decades. I didn’t stand a chance.

Without much further ado, here’s Jorge, the man behind the Professor Genius moniker, in his own words.

* I’ve been making the Professor Genius tracks for about 5 years. Other projects I’m involved in are The Bim Marx (Re-edits with Duane Harriott), Duermo (less disco, abstract electronics) and Bridge And Tunnel Kids (tracky, raw music with an early house/classic Detroit techno feel). When I record I don’t really set out to do anything for a particular project. I just start writing and, depending on how it feels, it’ll become a new Professor Genius or Duermo or B&T piece.

* The À Jean Giraud music is inspired, musically, by what people like Francois De Roubaix, Ash Ra Tempel, Eno, Vangelis and many others were doing in the 1970s. These very expansive pieces of music using mainly synthesizers and effects. But it also came from looking at the 1970s work of people like the French cartoonists Moebius (real name: Jean Giraud) and Phillipe Druillet and hearing that kind of music in my head as I looked. I wanted to make these mini-soundtracks and themes to the pictures I was seeing. Sounds made by synthesizers can be very visual – they’re the most visual sounds for me. They’re my main inspiration.

* I use mainly software synths at this point, along with an analog Korg Mono/Poly and some outboard gear. It doesn’t matter to me if I’m using analog or digital instruments to make my music. They’re just tools. Just as long as they sound good!

I’d like to do a vocal record some day but I’m really picky about vocalists. A vocal Professor Genius record would have to have that sort of raw quality some of my favorite Italo and Disco records have. I’m not into “pro” vocals on dance records. I like them kind of “pitchy” and with an accent!

For more, head on to Itunes.

Also, bear in mind that a Professor Genius remix on Rome-based hipsters Cosmic Metal Mother will be surfacing on the Panacustica label sometime this spring. I can’t wait.