For Italian-born, Los Angeles-based producer and DJ DOMI, excess isn’t something to contain. It is part of the language.
His debut album, BELLA CIAO, arriving October 2, is a sprawling 33-track collision of hyperpop, hip-hop, phonk, Brazilian funk, techno and pop that attempts to translate the speed and volatility of his inner world into sound. Rather than introducing himself through a tightly edited collection designed to fit neatly into a genre or playlist, DOMI has built something closer to a manifesto: loud, contradictory, theatrical and intentionally difficult to reduce to a single category.
“This is how my brain can sound like sometimes,” he says.
That may be the simplest explanation for an album capable of moving from distorted hyperpop to confrontational hip-hop and underground techno within the same hour. Yet underneath its stylistic chaos, BELLA CIAO follows a deliberate emotional trajectory. The 33 songs appear in the order they were written, documenting a progression through anger, confrontation and, eventually, forgiveness.
DOMI imagines the record in three acts. It opens with a spoken introduction framing everything that follows as simply “My Opinion,” before plunging into darker hyperpop and hip-hop territory. Songs including “SUCK MY 8==D” and “GNAM GNAM” amplify the record’s confrontational streak before “ADDERALL,” featuring DELARAY!, closes its first chapter.
The second act moves into phonk and Brazilian funk, introducing the recurring “BELLA CIAO” motif while revisiting earlier material in altered forms. By the time “ADDERALL 2” arrives, repetition has become evolution: songs return, but they no longer occupy quite the same emotional or sonic space.
Then comes the underground party. Techno-pop drives the album’s final act, where “BELLA CIAO 2” and “BELLA CIAO 3” sit alongside newer material including “They’re Not Me” and “ART IS WAR.” Strange advertisement-style interludes divide the chapters, adding another layer of irreverence to a record that constantly shifts between sincerity and provocation.
That independence is reinforced by DOMI’s role as CEO of X RECORDZ, the company through which he maintains control of his productions and royalties. For an artist whose work depends on abrupt turns and refusing obvious categories, ownership becomes part of the creative architecture.
And while BELLA CIAO may seem deliberately oversized in an era built around individual tracks, DOMI argues that its contradictions are exactly what allow it to function both as an album and as a collection of standalone moments. It can soundtrack solitude, a packed club or a chaotic drive with friends. More importantly, it asks the listener to inhabit its emotional mess rather than escape it.
The anger is not hidden. Neither is the absurdity. But underneath both is an invitation to accept yourself, move through what hurts and eventually find some form of release.
How did you approach the sequencing across 33 tracks of hyperpop, hip-hop, techno and phonk so it feels like a cohesive debut album?
The whole album is an emotional journey. Every track is listed in the order it was written, so it’s a real journey through anger and forgiveness.
It starts with a spoken intro where I tell listeners what they’re about to hear is only “My Opinion.” Then it dips into darker hyperpop territory—very distorted vocals, fast, like me. Hip-hop brings the attitude with tracks like “SUCK MY 8==D” and “GNAM GNAM,” and the first chapter closes with “ADDERALL,” featuring DELARAY!
Act two starts with the popular phonk, kicking off the phonk and Brazilian funk-influenced section of the album, where we hear “BELLA CIAO” for the first time. Some songs from the first part come back here in different versions, like they were updated.
“ADDERALL 2” closes the second act, then techno-pop arrives and brings listeners to the real underground party. I think of the whole album as three chapters divided by some funny ad-style tracks. “BELLA CIAO 2” and “BELLA CIAO 3” are in this act, along with the long-awaited and newest tracks “They’re Not Me” and “ART IS WAR.”
As CEO of X RECORDZ and producer, did handling the business side influence your creative freedom or push your artistic vision?
It gives me the freedom to choose what I ultimately want to say or do. X RECORDZ is my little protective shell, and it handles my productions and royalties too.
How has LA’s energy shaped your approach to these genres compared to your roots in Italy?
If my Italian side is responsible for the attitude, LA is what balances it out with a chill, untouchable approach. In the album, that creates a perfect middle ground.
What about this blend of high-energy sounds best captures your identity as an artist right now?
There’s a very dramatic side of me, clearly reflected in the blend of this album. I can say the opposite of what I said a second earlier and switch from sarcasm to being extremely serious in a matter of seconds.
I’m very fast and quickly adaptable, so I made all these different genres mine. This is how my brain can sound like sometimes. What’s really constant is the passion.
Was it hard to narrow down 33 tracks, or was an expansive manifesto always the goal?
It wasn’t hard at all. I noticed all the singles I was releasing made so much sense together and were already a perfect cohesive manifesto. So, as usual, I started first and thought about dropping an album later, only to realize I was already halfway through finishing one.
It’s still one hour long, the tracks change pretty fast, and that’s how I was able to have some tracks come back without being repetitive.
What do you hope listeners take away from BELLA CIAO in a singles-driven landscape?
They should listen to the full album and really live inside of it. It helps release the anger by just living it. Embrace who you are just as you are and forgive who said otherwise—just after punching them in the face.
It’s perfect for listening alone, huge crowds at the club or car drives with friends. There’s a moment for everybody.
But every track can also stand on its own. Drop one in your playlist and it gives you the extra push. That’s how this album holds its own in a singles-driven world: it works both ways.
