Pepvert is something of an enigma. Don't believe me? Look him up. You won't find that much on him (trust me, I looked). A pair of MySpaces, a website that affirms Pepvert is an "alter ego," a link to his management, a pair to iTunes to download his music. And a healthy bit of buzz about his very cool, very unique event going down tomorrow at Soho Studios.
Italian Girls is his third album in about as many years performing under the Pepvert monicker, and it's a five-track EP featuring bright, sleek and carefully layered ambient electronica.
But the longtime SoFla resident and musician explains, "This time I wanted to do something a bit different than just making music." Thus was born the concept for Italian Girls, and the driving force behind tomorrow's presentation. It's not just five tracks of tasty audible space candy. It's a visual experience as well.
"I wrote the music of Italian Girls based on 'visuals,'" he explains. "Each song is inspired by an event or an image, so I asked some friends to 'interpret' the songs as their own visualization. I was curious to see what each song would develop from a visual POV."
"I love the collaborative process that technology provides," he admits, which is evidenced by his collaborative effort in 2002 with Marthin Chan of Volumen Cero, Popvert.
But on Italian Girls, he takes colabo to a whole new level. Each track has gotten a visual makeover, and all five videos will be presented as a visual experience. Trevor Lafarque chipped in "Umbria," Jose De Las Casas "Again F****d Up" and Stephanie Fonticiella "Back to Point One." Meanwhile, Christopher Diaz tackled "Lies to London" and Michaels Dagnery and Anderez co-directed "Stretch Armstrong."
"The videos are their own personal interpretation of how they 'felt' the music," says Pepvert. "They each have a unique personality and POV. Some of them are more literal than others with regards to how they play to the title of the songs."
To make things even more interesting, they'll also have video mixers on hand to play with the images and "remix" the videos.
"I love to see it come to life," Pepvert says, "and how music, as its own unique art form, can inspire in a pure way another unique art form: video."
MTV Artwalk After Hours -- Pepvert & Friends: Italian Girls -- A Visual Experience takes place at Soho Studios -- SAPAL in the Wynwood Convention Center (2136 NW 1st Ave) on Saturday, December 11 beginning at 10pm. Check out a trailer here.
