Photo: Mathias Øland Ribe

Antonio Gram is Esben Valløe. After more than 200 concerts in 25 countries as a founding member of Reptile Youth, Valløe returns to his electronic roots, pursuing a solo career as Antonio Gram. Antonio Gram pushes boundaries and defies typical classification, an energetic bouquet of techno, rap, and oriental influences. The songs, which feature a broad palette of collaborators hailing from San Diego to South Africa, take you on a wild journey through the mixtapes and compilations that played on repeat in your teenage bedroom. On the first single “DEMONS”, Antonio Gram has joined forces with the legendary trap producer ELOQ and rising velvet vocalist Emma Sehested. It was released in April and god a warm reception in the world media: “techno and Middle Eastern sounds” – VICE “understated pop perfection” – JAJAJA “DEMONS” was accompanied by a video combining gorgeous 3D modelling with a psychedelic sensibility. In the words of VICE, the video “features Roman statues bending, breaking, melting and dancing—from stillness to movement, from rigidity to fluidity, from solo to couple. It’s a balance that’s recognizably human yet also uncomfortably robotic and alien.”

Antonio Gram played his first show at SPOT festival this year acclaimed by UNISON as “electronic music of international class”. This summer, Antonio Gram will be playing DJ sets and live concerts from Magnet Club in Berlin to Trailerpark Festival in CPH. Valløe’s previous effort, Reptile Youth, used to be one of the most respected indie bands out of DK. Founded in 2009 with Mads Kristiansen, they have been working with producers like Dave Allen (The Cure), and Marc Ralph (Hot Chip) and had tracks remixed by Kasper Bjørke and Trentemøller. Regulars at festivals like Melt, Fusion, and Roskilde and a frequent act in clubs from Mexico City to Tokyo, Reptile Youth were named a new band of the week by THE GUARDIAN, who described the duo’s compelling compositions, writing that the music “demands, to be heard. To be stolen or bought.” Reptile Youth was described as: “perfect pop clatter” – CLASH “raucous rock, the embodiment of your leather jacket-wearing friend” – NYLON “evokes the anger their name youthfully projects” – DAZED M antoniogram@hellbig.com F http://facebook.com/antoniogrammm W http://antoniogram.com S http://soundcloud.com/antoniogrammm