The three main facts that are circling the blogosphere about Dracula Lewis are his name, that he is from Transylvania and that he makes horror-esque electronic music. Wonderland get beyond his dark, dramatic persona and meet up with the 30 year-old Simone Trabucchi in Berlin and find out more.

The blogs know nothing about you, right? They know your sound, your name and that you are from Transylvania so they just put you into this horror category.

Of course and that is part of the game. Of course if I give you three pieces of information that all have to do with horror it is really easy for you to say it is horror. I remember the vision I had when I decided to start with Dracula Lewis and it was not to make horror music – it was just to make my music. The idea was not to be creepy it was to be just me.

Four years ago you released your first official tape on your own label Hundebiss. It was Called Vernasca, Valhalla. What does the title mean? Valhalla has a lot of different meanings…

Vernasca is my hometown in Italy. My headquarters are there. It’s in the countryside between Milan and Bolonia. There is nothing there.

So you’re not actually from Transylvania?

It’s a joke that I am from Transylvania. You can decide to say that I am not from there or not. It’s a tool you can use. I tried to explain it to the Vice guy who interviewed me but he was confused. He was anxious to say that I am not from Transylvania. All the people I know know that I am not from Transylvania but they still like the idea because you can play with it. If you are a journalist or a label you can play with it. It’s easy.

You live in Milan now?

I don’t live anywhere. I have my bed in Vernasca. I think I will move to Milan in February but I don’t like it. I lived there for two years.

It’s weird that you lived in Milan – we just associate it with fashion…

It’s not. Of course because of the fashion system it is an event city. Nothing is real. Nothing is constant. There is an opening with drinks. You show up. You have to find a way to turn the boring system into a fun experience. When I lived there I was in a squat with friends. It was like a parallel city. We lived in the east end, it’s a small village with a lot of Latino gangs but nothing dangerous. We got evacuated and I found it really difficult to find another place in Milan so I moved to LA for a bit.

Do you intentionally hide your lyrics?

Permafrost – yes. Marble Eyez not really, it’s just messy. Permafrost is basically two voices, two tracks together. In some songs I just like the sounds you can make with words. They don’t need lyrics – just sounds. In other songs I have more real lyrics. I’m working on more lyrical stuff because I’m getting more confident.

The new Permafrost 12″ from Dracula Lewis it out on Souterrain Transmissions. soundcloud.com/draculalewis

Words: Grashina Gabelmann
Images: Malte Seidel