music

Populous is Andrea Mangia, an artist and producer born and still based in the heel of the Italian boot: Salento, Apulia. The influence of that magical environment of olive and citrus groves, palm trees and dreamy coastal nistas fused with a love for the output of classic electronic labels such as Warp, Mille Plateaux and Basic Channel in shaping the sound that Mangia first laid out with 2003's debut album Quipo, and has been honing and reshaping ever since.

By the mid-2010s, Mangia’s sound had shifted decisively toward rhythm-driven club forms. Records like Night Safari (2014) and Azulejos (2016) drew from Latin American styles including cumbia, reggaeton and tropical bass, reflecting extended stays in cities such as Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, and on more recent releases he has continued this global, collaborative approach, featuring vocalists and producers from across the Americas and Europe.