Alessandro “Asso” Stefana

BY ROBERTO CAVALLI, GEOFF STANFIELD

We get a lot of email at Tape Op. It is typically from public relations firms, record labels, and gear manufacturers. I do my best to keep up with all of the interview pitches and requests for reviews. Earlier this year, I received an email from an artist directly. His name was Alessandro "Asso" Stefana, and he was sending along his new release, Alessandro "Asso" Stefana, for consideration. Being a fan of Mike Patton [Tape Op #53] and his label Ipecac Recordings, Alessandro's name was a familiar one I had seen on the label's website but had not yet checked out. With this gentle reminder of an email, detailing the album's origins, people involved, and Alessandro's history with his band Guano Padano, Patton's Mondo Cane project, and collaborations with Bill Frisell, Calexico, PJ Harvey, and more, I hit play and didn't move from the couch until I had listened top to bottom. I caught up with Alessandro to chat about his latest release, collaborations, and his love for creating the sound of a Western landscape.

Finneas O’Connell: The Song Comes First

BY IAN BRENNAN, DUNCAN MCLEOD AND MURIEL MARGARET

Finneas O'Connell is the youngest person to ever win a Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. Rising to fame as the producer for, and collaborator with, his sister, Billie Eilish, he has also gone on to work with such artists as Nicki Minaj, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Kid Cudi, John Legend, and Ringo Starr. Only 27 years old, he's already won ten Grammys and been nominated 17 other times, while also winning two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Having started out recording hits in his suburban bedroom, Finneas has proved that records can be made anywhere. His solo album, For Cryin' Out Loud!, came out in 2024.

Betty Bennett, Founder of Apogee Electronics: <i>Whenever you find your passion, it's not really work anymore.</i>

BY JOHN BACCIGALUPPI

I've been using Apogee converters in my studio since I bought my first AD 500 analog to digital converter in the early '90s. I've found all their gear to sound fantastic, work reliably, and inspire confidence in demanding studio clients. Via Tape Op I've come to know Betty Bennett, Apogee's founder; something I never expected to happen back when I bought that first AD 500. Betty is an incredibly smart and nice person, and I always enjoying chatting with her. As Apogee approaches a 40th anniversary in 2025, I thought it was a good time to learn more about Betty's journey into the audio industry, and how Apogee Electronics got started and evolved into the present day

A Practical Guide to Integrating Modular Synthesis in the Control Room

BY JOHN BACCIGALUPPI