Future Stars: da:re

da:re is a collaborative project born from the meeting point between Bordeaux ITA and Vibra owner Relledocs, two Italian producers and DJs brought together by a shared approach to underground music. Rather than blending styles for contrast, the project focuses on building a common language, where different visions are refined into a single, coherent direction..

Rooted in years spent within the Italian club scene, da:re reflects a deep understanding of the dancefloor and the emotional connections that define it. Both Bordeaux ITA and Relledocs bring their own backgrounds into the project, shaped by hands-on experience, sound system culture, and a commitment to preserving an authentic underground spirit. Together, they channel influences such as rominimal, hypnotic rhythms, and textured sound design into music that is immersive without excess, designed to travel, resonate, and evolve beyond trends. We caught up with Bordeaux ITA and Relledocs to learn more…

For anyone discovering you for the first time, how would you describe the da:re project in your own words?

da:re is a collaboration between two producers and djs who met through music. The project was born from the need to merge two visions into a common language, capable of opening new perspectives within the underground scene. The music is the result of a reflective and shared process, where every element is thoughtfully designed, crafted, and placed with intention. Simplicity is not a starting point, but a destination: a synthesis of research, balance, and personal sensitivity. The same approach also guides our visual choices, keeping them consistent, essential, and functional to the message.

For Bordeaux ITA – Let’s clear this up early on: are you actually from France, or is the Bordeaux name more of a concept or alias?

No, I’m not French. I chose “Bordeaux” as my stage name simply because it’s my favorite color. I’ve always been fascinated by what it represents: the strength, confidence, and energy of red, tempered by a sense of warmth and elegance. By elegance, I mean the way I approach what I do, letting things happen naturally but with the certainty of having no limits, just like when I'm in the studio.

How would you both describe the current electronic music scene in Italy, both creatively and culturally?

Good question. From a creative standpoint, several scenes are pursuing both aesthetic and musical research, with increasing attention to the quality of listening and sound experience, often relying on well-curated, sometimes even self-built, soundsystems. At the same time, it’s inevitable to encounter trends and fashions that influence musical selection, a phenomenon amplified by social media. Culturally, there are clubs and artists that continue to preserve an authentically underground vision — the return of vinyl is a clear example — while other scenes choose to follow current trends. Different visions, different approaches.

How has growing up around the Italian scene shaped your taste, sound, and approach as a producer?

By moving through clubs in Italy, we shaped our passion for music and the search for our sound. Experiencing the emotions and freedom of clubbing firsthand allowed us to understand which connections are truly essential to reach people. Over time, this path led us to play and produce for those very scenes, recreating in the studio the feelings we experienced on the dancefloor.

Relledocs, you run the awesome Vibra label. Can you tell us a bit about how you met Bordeaux ITA first and why he felt like a good fit for the label?

Thank you for the kind words. I met Bordeaux through a mutual friend, who suggested I listen to his productions and consider a potential collaboration with Vibra. From the start, I connected with Bordeaux on a personal level, which led to an EP and his participation in Vibra’s VA release. I really enjoyed the Mental Care EP because of Bordeaux’s distinctive way of blending Chicago House and Acid Progressive sounds. The combination felt unique and fresh, and it came at the perfect moment for the label, fitting seamlessly with its vision and musical direction. Not long after, a friendship developed, which later evolved into this collaboration. 

You’re both working together now on the da:re project, and this is something new for you both, right? How’s this been so far? And how would you describe your creative dynamic?

Actually, it’s not completely new territory for either of us: we’ve previously collaborated with other people. da:re, however, represents something different. The studio work over the past weeks has led us to complete two EPs, set to be released soon, along with other projects we’ll reveal shortly. Creativity is the engine of our working process and, in a way, what completes us.

How do you usually split roles when producing together, and where do you naturally complement each other?

On the first two EPs, Bordeaux focused more on the drums, while I handled pads and synths. This made the creative process and idea development faster. Still, both of us contributed to arranging the other elements in the tracks.

Bordeaux ITA – you’re very hands-on technically and master your own music. How did you learn production and engineering, and was it a gradual or obsessive process?

Thank you very much for the compliment. I’ve been involved in music production for several years. In 2021, I completed an academic program and since then have focused on house and minimal music. The process was gradual, though I wouldn’t hesitate to call my dedication somewhat obsessive!

What does a typical production session look like for you guys, from the first idea to a finished track?

So far, we’ve always started from a basic idea already present in one of our projects. Once the general feel of the track is defined, we add elements as we go, adapting to the situation. We don’t follow a preset schedule: it’s a natural, creative process guided by instinct and the ideas that emerge in the studio.

Which synths or pieces of vintage hardware do you keep coming back to, and why do they still inspire you?

In our upcoming productions, there are sounds derived from hardware machines. Relledocs uses several Moog modular synthesizers, and some samples were recorded directly from bass and drums. In other cases, we’ve used VST versions that emulate classic iconic machines, like the Juno 60, Juno 106, and Roland SH-101. Hardware can give to you the freedom of playing with the machine in real time in the same time you’re working on the track. It’s more like playing an instrument, giving to the sound a realtime-touch based on your instinct and musical taste.

The influence of rominimal is often mentioned in relation to your sound. How consciously does that style feed into what you do today?

As we mentioned, we both incorporate our musical influences into the productions and DJ sets we create together. Our passion for rominimal is shared: we are drawn to hypnotic rhythms, complex textures, and rhythmic glitch sounds, elements that allow us to create immersive and engaging atmospheres. This shared approach has helped us develop a coherent musical language, where every element has its place and contributes to the project’s identity. It didn’t take long for these influences to emerge naturally in da:re’s productions and DJ sets, becoming an integral part of our sonic vision.

What are you still trying to improve or understand better, both musically and technically?

There’s always something new to learn and improve. Perhaps this curiosity is the key to creating continuously without limits or barriers. More concretely, we both focus mainly on sound design and harmony. Understanding music theory and applying it while experimenting with different timbres allows for a more active and direct production process, leaving ample space for creativity and personal expression.

Looking ahead, what are your main aspirations for the da:re project over the next few years, creatively and personally?

The main aspirations for the project are to bring our sound to clubs and let it travel wherever music can reach. Our goal is to explore the world with our music, fully living with what we love to do. Looking ahead, there’s also the desire to create a new record label — a space open to new music and collaborations, where ideas, creativity, and experimentation can meet and grow together.

Thanks for taking the time to share with us. We hope this story of our journey, our approach to music, and the da:re project can give you a glimpse of the emotions and passion we put into the studio and our DJ sets. We will continue to work, experiment, and share our music, aiming to always bring you new sonic experiences. Stay tuned: the best is yet to come!

Keep up with da:re on Instagram and Soundcloud

Listen to the mix the guys did for us below