Francisco

Francisco is the solo project of Francesco De Bellis, also known as Frank Lupica and Mr. Cisco. He is based in Italy and releases on Edizioni Mondo. His work sits in electronic dance music, drawing on italo disco, funk, old school Chicago house, psychedelic disco and electroacoustic soul, with a sound that also connects to world music, psychedelic fusion and darker electronic passages.

Career

His professional career begins in 1996, when he meets Marco Passarani of Nature Records and they start a series of projects involving releases, a radio show and party organisation. One of those early projects is MAT101, formed with Mario Pierro, known as Raider of The Lost ARP, and Emiliano Tortora, who later leaves the group. MAT101 releases an album and several singles, and also appears on compilations and remixes, helping the project gain a place in the electronic underground scene.

After three years, MAT101 evolves into Jolly Music, a project that moves further towards psychedelic disco and electroacoustic soul. The first track appears on a Final Frontier 12-inch sampler alongside other Nature Records artists. Singles follow and lead towards the album Jolly Bar, which receives a strong response in specialist music press across England, Italy, Japan and Germany. Nature Records later licenses the album to Sony UK, although the album is not issued by the major label.

Collaborations and performances

Jolly Music works with a number of guest musicians and producers, including Erlend Oye of Kings of Convenience, Sonya Madden of Echobelly, Steve Dub of Chemical Brothers and New Order, and remixes linked to Jamiroquai and Garbage. The project also tours clubs in the UK, including The End and Heaven in London, and Bugged Out nights in Manchester and Glasgow.

Solo releases and recognition

As Francisco, De Bellis releases early solo records including Salvation / Pigna 002 and Fregna / Pigna 005, which bring his music to the attention of DJs in Italy and Europe. His tracks also appear on compilations such as those mixed by Dr. Electroluv and editions issued by the British dance magazines Jockey Slut and DJ Magazine.

Earlier mention

An earlier Francisco release, Cosmic Beam Experience, appears in 1976 and is described as mixing new-age touches, electronic passages and psychedelic world music. This Francisco is also described as a member of Shanti, a San Francisco-based world music and psychedelic fusion group that includes a young Zakir Hussain.

Style

His performances are described as combining humour and groove with a strong emphasis on mixing technique, shaped by experience from MAT101 and Jolly Music.