Italian duo Hiver are building a reputation for their melodic tech house sound, with releases on labels such as Curle Recordings, Luke Hess’s Deeplabs, and Peggy Gou’s Gudu Records, as well as performances at Panorama Bar, Tresor, CircoLoco, Printworks, Dimensions Festival, and ADE, to name but a few.
Following on from last year’s Dream Universe EP, the Milanese pair maintained the somnambulant theme for their most recent single, Dreamachine, released on CircoLoco Records in February. You can check that out here.
909originals caught up with Hiver to learn more about the new EP, the inspiration behind their sound, and what the coming year has in store.
Hi Hiver, thanks for talking to us. It looks like 2024 was quite a busy year for you, what were your personal highlights?
Thanks for having us! Yes, 2024 was a whirlwind year for us. We had the chance to play some unforgettable shows, including gigs in Ibiza, Polifonic Festival, and a huge event at Gunnersbury Park hosted by Peggy Gou—definitely a special moment.
On the music side, we contributed to different V.A. releases on Gudu and Polifonic Records.
How would you describe the new single, Dreammachine?
The single explores themes of dreams and the ephemeral, delivering a unique auditory experience that blends rhythmic precision with atmospheric depth.
In our vision, Dreamachine offers a distinctive addition to the Circoloco catalog, presenting listeners with a new perspective on contemporary electro music.
On a more personal level, this single is also a testament to our growth as producers. We’ve invested countless hours honing our studio skills, experimenting with sound design, and perfecting the production process to craft something that feels authentic and unique
You’ve built a reputation for drifting between house, techno, and electro in your productions – I guess it’s fair to say that you don’t want to be pigeonholed into one genre?
Absolutely. We’ve never wanted to be confined to one particular sound. Our influences come from so many different directions—Detroit techno, leftfield, deep house, electro—so it feels natural for us to explore different textures and moods. We love the freedom of moving between styles while maintaining a sound that still feels like us.
Your previous EP, Dream Universe, was described as ‘a tribute to the golden era of ’90s house and trance’. How important is it for you to blend elements of nostalgia with a future-focused sound?
That balance is really important to us. We both grew up with ’90s/’00s electronic music—it shaped our taste and approach to production.
But we never want to just replicate the past; it’s more about channeling that spirit and emotion into something forward-thinking. We love using warm, analog textures and classic synths but placing them in a modern context.
We read recently that you see a strong connection between images and sound, and that there’s a ‘visual’ inspiration behind your music. How does that manifest itself in the studio?
We take a lot of inspiration from sci-fi movies—their atmospheres often influence our sound. We’ve also experimented with scoring short films and creating our own video content.
Lately, we’ve been getting really into video and photography, geeking out over different lenses, stabilisers, and shooting techniques—it’s become another creative outlet for us.
You’ve been active for more than a decade – what are you doing differently now to when you started?
When we first started, we were very focused on hardware and jamming out ideas in a raw, intuitive way. Over the years, we’ve refined our process, incorporating more structured composition and sound design techniques.
We’re also more selective with what we release—quality over quantity. At the same time, there’s a bit of nostalgia for those early days when everything was more random but had a certain purity to it.
In what ways have you seen Milan‘s electronic/underground scene evolve in that time?
Milan is constantly changing, and so is its club scene. As we get older, it feels different seeing a new generation step into the scene with a different approach to nightlife. There’s a sense that some of the culture and deeper roots have been lost, making the scene feel more fragmented and less connected to its past.
Of course, every generation says ‘before was better’—but sometimes, it really does feel like something got lost along the way.
What pieces of equipment or VSTs are essential to the Hiver sound?
Definitely the SH101, Juno 106, and OB6 are a must in our creative process.
The intersection of AI and electronic music is a hot topic at the moment. Are you experimenting with AI-driven tools in your workflow, or do you see them as a potential disruption?
AI is definitely an interesting tool. We’re curious about its potential for sound design—using AI to generate unexpected ideas or process sounds in new ways.
But at the same time, electronic music is about human expression and intuition, so we see AI as more of a creative assistant than a replacement. It’s all about how you use it.
What’s next for Hiver in 2025?
We’ve just released Dreamachine on Circoloco Records, which we are very proud of. We’re heading to Japan for a tour with gigs in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hakuba, plus a Dommune appearance.
We’ve got shows lined up in Italy, Ibiza, and the UK, and we’re also working on exciting collaborations with various brands. It’s going to be an action-packed year!
Thanks to Hiver for talking to us. You can check out Dreammachine here.
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