It was a real pleasure to interview one of the Italian DJs who has made the biggest impact on the trance scene over the past year: Francesco Fava, better known as Frankyeffe
Francesco gave us some truly thoughtful, detailed and extensive answers, sharing his “connection” with the world of trance, his feelings, his journey so far and his plans for the future. We are truly grateful to him for taking the time to share so much of his experience with us. Grazie, Francesco, and enjoy the interview: here is Frankyeffe on Trance History!
Dear Francesco, welcome to the pages of Trance History! We are truly happy to be talking to you and about you, because you have entered the Trance scene with such a rare spirit and energy, and this is exactly where we would like to start: last year, on social media, you anticipated that 2026 would be a more “emotional” year musically, and that has indeed been the case, with a gradual opening towards the Trance universe. How did this transition happen? Was it mainly the result of an evolution in your artistic sensitivity, or was there something specific that pushed you to explore this side of your music more deeply?
Thank you very much for inviting me to this feature of yours dedicated to Trance.
I’m really happy to be here.Rather than a real transition, I would define my journey as an evolution that had already started in 2022, when I produced “Save Me”, and then continued with “Touch Me” and all the tracks that were part of that series.
At that time, those productions were something quite new for me and, above all, they were not yet really classified as Trance. And the interesting thing is that even I didn’t realise that this would be the beginning of such an important change in my artistic journey. Looking back today, I realise that I was already starting to move towards that world, without fully understanding it yet.
So it was quite a slow and natural evolution. From 2022 to 2026, I had the opportunity to experiment, release music and, above all, understand more and more clearly which direction truly felt like mine.
Then, in 2025, something important happened. I started exploring Trance again on a much deeper level, both from a production and technical point of view, and simply by going back to listening to it through the eyes – and ears – of a fan, like all of us.
And at a certain point, what I would define as a real calling came. In particular, after watching Tiësto’s live set at Dreamstate again, in November, I felt something very strong. I said to myself: “There’s something here that is really calling me.”
From that moment on, I decided to approach this journey in a much more conscious way and completely immerse myself in the world of Trance.
And, almost as if all the pieces were moving in the same direction, in the summer of 2025 I also received a request from Black Hole to make a remix for Ferry Corsten. It was another important sign.
At that point, I really had the feeling that all the ingredients were there: the music I was producing, what I was listening to, the opportunities that were coming my way and also what was happening in my everyday life. Everything seemed to be telling me the same thing: go, do it and finally take this world for yourself.
After so many years spent in the Techno and Minimal scene, you have experienced several generations of club culture. Today, when you play a Trance set compared to a Techno one, do you perceive a difference in the way the audience experiences the music? Are there particular reactions, moments or forms of connection with the dancefloor that you feel emerge more strongly when you play Trance?
There are definitely some differences between the two worlds, but I have to say that my way of mixing and, above all, my approach as a DJ hasn’t changed compared to when I was mainly playing Techno.
In fact, I believe that background is still part of me and that it is something I naturally carry with me even when I play Trance. The way I build a set, create tension, manage energy and read what is happening on the dancefloor has remained very similar.
Obviously, today, in my Trance sets, I don’t necessarily include what I would define as pure Techno, such as some productions that were more connected to the darker scene or to that more groove-driven and underground dimension. But that mentality, that search for groove and that way of thinking about a DJ set are still present.
In the end, I believe that the most obvious difference is the audience and, naturally, the musical language. But the thing that really matters to me – the feeling I have when I’m behind the decks, the connection with the dancefloor and, above all, the emotion I want to convey – has remained the same.
And that’s exactly what I like about my journey: I don’t feel that I have erased my Techno side to become a Trance artist. I feel that I have brought everything I learned during those years into my current vision of Trance.
As you anticipated, 2026 is seeing you among the most active artists on the Trance scene, with numerous releases and collaborations, including your most recent ones with RAM (“Raven’s Delight”), Nemke (“Highway”), Sarah de Warren (“One More Night”), as well as the many productions you have released as a solo producer, such as “MOVEYOURBODY” and the “Out Of This Word” EP, just to mention a few of the many, with each of these releases characterised by its own sonic identity: in this particularly creative and exploratory phase, is there a particular shade, era or subgenre of Trance that you currently feel closest to your artistic identity when you are in the studio?
Let’s say that my roots in Trance go much further back than it might seem. When I was around 18, and then until I was 21-22, I used to buy vinyl records from labels such as Black Hole and Magik Muzik, so that is definitely one of the points from which my Trance background originates.
I was completely immersed in that scene and in that musical period, and I believe that many of those influences remained within me even in the following years, perhaps unconsciously.
For example, the sound of “Love Is A Shadow” is strongly connected to the kind of Trance that influenced me so much. I’m thinking especially of Tiësto’s productions from that period, such as SILENCE: a colder, more stripped-back, drier form of Trance, with a strong focus on atmosphere and tension.
But one of the projects that certainly had the greatest impact on my background was Gouryella. That project, and more generally that entire late-’90s and early-2000s scene, had an enormous impact on the way I perceive Trance.
So, when I produce Trance today, I’m not simply trying to recreate a sound from the past. I’m going back to something that, in reality, was already part of me many years ago. And that is probably also why this direction feels so natural to me today.
Among your many collaborations, “Moonfire” with Dim3nsion particularly caught our attention, strongly recalling the sound and atmosphere of late-’90s Trance. How did the idea for the track come about, and what led you to choose such a strong connection to that era, while still managing to reinterpret it in a contemporary way?
“Moonfire” is a track I’m particularly attached to, and it will be released on October 16 on A State of Trance.
The first version of “Bonfire” was actually very close, in terms of the idea and structure, to “I Want You”, which was released on Black Hole last spring. At a certain point, however, we realised that that idea needed a completely different outfit, something that would enhance the original idea even more.
That was exactly where the work with Dim3nsion began. We decided to revise the arrangement and bring the track back towards those sounds that, for us, represent a fundamental part of the history of Trance: the world of Gouryella and System F, with that kind of energy, melody and atmosphere that influenced me so much.
The result really convinced us. It was great to see how, starting from an idea that already had its own identity, we managed to completely transform it by giving it a new character, while maintaining those roots at the same time.
So we are really happy to present “Moonfire” this autumn and release it on A State of Trance. For me, it is a track that represents the journey I’m taking at this moment very well.
In this new journey of yours into Trance, are there any DJs or producers who have particularly inspired you, or whose work you currently feel especially close to your own sensibility? And, looking ahead, is there still an artist you dream of sharing the studio with?
The artists who have influenced me the most are definitely the ones I mentioned before: Tiësto, Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz, and naturally the projects connected to Ferry such as System F and Gouryella. I would also add Paul van Dyk and New Energy, who had a huge impact on me during those years.
We are talking about the period when I was between 18 and 22, so these are artists and projects that accompanied a very important stage of my musical development. I still have many of their vinyl records and I remember how much I enjoyed looking for those productions and listening to them, so they are not simply musical influences: they are part of my history as a DJ.
As for the artists I would like to share a studio with, there is definitely Giuseppe Ottaviani, also because of his Italian roots and everything he has represented in the history of Trance, and naturally Ferry Corsten.
Among more recent artists, I really like DJ Heartsrings and I also follow Ilan Bluestone with great interest. They are producers who can still move me today and, for me, that is the most important thing.
In the end, more than the name itself, I would like to share a studio with an artist from whom something real could emerge: an idea, an emotion and perhaps a track that neither of us would have made on our own.
Trance is currently experiencing a period of great success, and you are certainly among the artists who have helped give the genre even greater visibility in 2026. At the same time, there seems to be renewed attention towards the genre in Italy as well. Do you think this growth can continue and that Trance can once again play a leading role in our country, as happened, albeit for a relatively short period, in the Italian scene of the mid-’90s?
Yes, I notice that today the word Trance has become much more present and, in some cases, it is also used to describe genres or productions that are not necessarily Trance in the strict sense. But I also believe that this is a natural evolution.
Today, everything that is melodic, emotional or characterised by certain sounds is often associated with Trance, and this has certainly contributed to broadening the boundaries of the scene. Personally, I think that is a positive thing, because I believe it is important not to remain closed within an overly rigid definition, but to continue opening up and being influenced by other genres.
As for Italy, however, I think it is still quite a difficult country for Trance, especially compared to other European markets. However, I believe there is great potential. Perhaps in recent years there hasn’t been enough continuity in presenting this sound to the public, especially through clubs, parties and festivals.
In my opinion, if it were possible to build an intelligent and engaging offering, especially with younger generations in mind, there would certainly be a possibility of creating renewed interest around Trance.
And I believe there is also a need for this today. Not necessarily to always go faster, at 160 or 180 BPM, but to rediscover the pleasure of being in a club, really listening to the music, dancing and, above all, feeling emotions.
In the end, for me, the quality of a dancefloor is not measured only by speed or intensity, but by what it manages to make you feel.
Over the past few months, we have increasingly seen you featured in major international contexts and events, and your upcoming appearance at Dreamstate SoCal in November certainly represents another important step in this journey. What are your expectations for this particular event, and what does it mean to you to connect with such a large and international audience at this stage of your career?
I was absolutely delighted when I received the invitation from the Dreamstate promoters. It is a festival that I have followed for years through social media, videos and artists’ performances, and honestly, I have always thought that I would really love to play there one day.
That is why being part of this year’s edition has a special meaning for me. I am really excited about the idea of stepping onto that stage and, above all, connecting with an audience that experiences Trance with incredible passion.
There will also be a special moment, because I will be performing live together with Brittany. We have just made a new single together, which will be released on November 20, the same day as Dreamstate, on Black Hole Recordings.
So it will be a really important day for me: playing at Dreamstate, sharing the stage with Britney and presenting live for the first time a new track that represents the direction I am taking at this moment very well. I really can’t wait.
We have talked a lot about Frankyeffe, but who is Francesco Fava when the music stops? What is the person behind the artist like, and what are your passions, interests or activities when you are not in the studio or on stage?
Well, first of all, I am a family man. I have a six-year-old daughter and a ten-month-old son, so obviously my family occupies a very important part of my time. It is demanding, especially with two young children, but at the same time it is probably my greatest joy.
I also have a great passion for animals. We have four cats and around twenty tortoises at home, so let’s just say we don’t lack anything! I really enjoy taking care of my garden and growing whatever I can: tomatoes, chillies, strawberries… It is a very simple thing, but it relaxes me a lot and allows me to completely switch off from music and the computer.
I also like travelling, going around, discovering new places and spending time with friends. I am a very curious person and I am very interested in what is happening in the world: I like being informed, observing, learning and discovering new things.
And then there is one of my great passions that perhaps not everyone knows about: space. I am incredibly fascinated by planets, galaxies, the universe and, above all, all the new discoveries that are constantly being made. I could spend hours watching documentaries or reading about new missions and new planets.
Perhaps that is also why the theme of space has become such a big part of my music in recent years. I am fascinated by the idea of the unknown, of something you don’t know yet and that you want to explore. And I believe that, deep down, it is very similar to what I also try to do with music.
Your 2026 has been characterised by a real wave of releases and collaborations, as mentioned, together with this new, more emotional dimension connected to Trance. Do you feel that this represents the beginning of a chapter that will continue into 2027, with Trance becoming increasingly present in your music, or could Frankyeffe surprise us once again with a new evolution?
Absolutely not. 2027 will be the natural continuation of what I started in 2026, and it will probably be even more Trance.
At the moment, I absolutely do not feel the need to change direction. I feel good, I feel comfortable with this music, it moves me and, above all, I feel that things are going in the right direction. I want to continue playing at Trance parties and festivals and experience this community more and more, because it is a family that is giving me so much.
And naturally, it will not only be about DJ sets. I already have several projects planned for next year: there will be new Trance productions, both vocal and instrumental, new collaborations and several tracks that are already in progress.
So yes, the journey has just begun and I am really curious to see where it will take me.
2026 was the year in which I started to truly understand where I wanted to go. 2027 will be the year in which I want to push even harder in that direction.
And finally, thanking you for the time you have dedicated to us, here is our usual Trance History question: name one or more Trance or Progressive tracks that, throughout the history of the genre, have left a particular mark on your heart
The tracks that have had the greatest impact on me are definitely “Gouryella” by Gouryella, “Let U Go” by ATB and “Out There and Back” by Paul van Dyk, Tiësto “Flight 643”, NU NRG – Dreamland, Blank & Jones “After Love”, Mauro Picotto “Like This Like That”
These are productions that belong to a fundamental period for Trance and that, when I discovered them as a young DJ, affected me deeply. They had something special: very recognisable melodies, great energy, but at the same time an atmosphere and an emotion that managed to stay with you.
Those are exactly the feelings that, even today, I look for when I produce music: a melody that stays in your head, dancefloor energy and, above all, genuine emotion.