The best songs are the ones that catch you off guard, landing precisely when you need them. From that first play, they slip into your daily rhythm and somehow make you feel a little more connected to the world. That is exactly how Re:Noir found its way to us.
Re:Noir is the solo project of Enrico Antinori, a talented artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Turin. Growing up between his Italian and German roots and in a family where music was always present, Enrico developed his own musical language early on — one that now comes together in a sound he describes as “trip pop.”
His new EP BARBAROUX 13, released today, moves between alternative pop, atmospheric textures, intimate songwriting and more experimental moments, without ever feeling forced into one specific genre. It’s feels personal, cinematic, melodic and refreshingly its own. Don’t let the darker first impression fool you. There is melancholy here, yes, but it comes with such warmth and depth that the darkness never feels heavy—it just gives the beauty room to breathe.
One song in particular instantly stayed with us: Nichts getan. There is something about it that feels incredibly honest and beautifully restrained, and for us it became one of those songs you want to return to again and again. A little masterpiece, if you ask us. “I think I was trying to process two very different kinds of goodbyes at the same time.”
In our interview, we talk with Enrico about growing up between different cultures, music as a third language, writing in German and English, working with his sister Estella, the images and colours he sees when making music, and what home means to him today.
photography by Rebecca Lopes
Enrico, congratulations on your new EP — it’s truly beautiful! How are you celebrating the release? (smiles)
Thank you so much!! That means a lot! With a big concert, inviting all my friends and family here in Turin! And afterwards, I think I’ll just find myself a nice spot in a park and enjoy some time alone in nature.
You grew up between Italian and German roots and in a family where music was already part of everyday life. What are some of your earliest memories of music — and when did it become something that felt like your own?
My earliest memories of music are either my father’s songs, which he would record in our basement, him playing the guitar, listening to Pink Floyd, or my mother cooking dinner while listening to Otis Redding.
Music has always felt like a part of my life, especially since I started playing instruments at a very young age (around four years old). I think it was always a third language to me. I never really had to put any effort into studying it, but it always helped me express myself and my emotions.
Re:Noir is a very personal project, and you write, produce, arrange and perform most of the music yourself. Do you find freedom in having so much creative control, or can it sometimes become difficult to know when to let a song go?
Since I really love being free, I don’t find it difficult. But I have to say that expressing myself publicly in the way I did with this project was a first for me.
Of course, there were many moments when I felt like certain things needed a little more polishing. But at some point I thought, “This is what comes to my mind right now. Maybe I’ll wake up tomorrow and want something completely different.” And that’s okay.
It’s a bit like a tattoo to me… it’s something I did, and it represents who I was at that particular moment in my life. And I’m okay with that.
I love the song “Nichts getan” — it really gave me goosebumps. It’s so beautiful. Can you tell me the story behind it?
It actually talks about a really important breakup that I went through about two months after my father passed away. I think the timing is important, because I was already dealing with a huge loss, and then I experienced another kind of loss so soon afterwards.
I think that’s also why the song carries this feeling of confusion and silence. It’s about a relationship that had come to an end, but where there was still so much between us. The other person is asking me why I’ve become distant, why I’m silent, and where my love has gone, while I’m trying to understand those things myself.
At the same time, I knew that this person had given me a lot without ever having to say it. They had been genuine with me, and I never felt like they had pretended to be something they weren’t.
Looking back, I think I was trying to process two very different kinds of goodbyes at the same time. My father’s passing made me look at loss, love and attachment in a completely different way, and I think some of that inevitably found its way into the song.
So for me, “Nichts getan” is not really about blaming anyone. It’s more about being in that strange place where you know something is over, but emotionally you’re still trying to understand what happened and how to let go.
“I think that’s one of the things life is about… learning to live with the things you don’t have answers to.”
BARBAROUX 13 was created during a period of personal change, and it deals with love, separation, self-doubt and identity without trying to resolve everything neatly. Have you become more comfortable with unanswered questions as you’ve grown older?
A lot! I think that’s one of the things life is about… learning to live with the things you don’t have answers to.
You write in both English and German on the EP, which I really like. Do you feel like a different side of your personality comes out depending on which language you’re writing in?
Strangely, yeah! (laughs) Even in my personal life, I feel like languages are different cultures, and every culture has its own ways of thinking, expressing emotions, and seeing the world. So I definitely see that coming out when I make music as well.
And is there a language that feels more vulnerable to you?
Actually, not specifically one. I’d say German has a really vast vocabulary, which makes it easier to express certain things very precisely. Italian has so many beautiful words, both in their meaning and in the way they sound. And with English, it feels to me like even the simplest thing can somehow become emotional.
There is something almost cinematic about your music. Could you imagine writing for cinema one day? And more generally, when you create music, do you see images or scenes in your mind?
I would love that. I actually made a short film with a really good friend of mine this summer, where I also appeared as an “actor” and composed the music. I loved the whole experience.
When I write new songs, I usually have a feeling and a colour in my mind first. From there, it often becomes a whole picture that slowly evolves into different scenes. So I think writing for cinema would feel very natural to me.
“When I write new songs, I usually have a feeling and a colour in my mind first.”
Your sister Estella appears on the EP as well. What is it like to create with someone who knows a version of you that existed long before Re:Noir?
Beautiful.
My little sister is a part of my soul, just like all my other siblings (there are six of us). But I feel like she especially knows and understands me very well. She’s also always the first person I send my music to. She’s basically my quality control. Ahahaha.
You are based in Turin, but your identity seems connected to more than one place and culture. Where do you feel most at home — and what does “home” mean to you?
Since I grew up in Germany but we always had a strong Italian way of living at home, I never really felt like I belonged to just one place. So I eventually started saying that I’m a child of the world, and I believe everyone is, in their own way. For me, home is simply wherever I feel safe and comfortable.
And finally, what is something small that makes life feel beautiful to you right now? (smiles)
Having quit my job to enjoy life, make music for myself, and share it with everyone who cares.
