NICTAGENA: The Cosmic Journey of a Musical Visionary Through “LUNATICA”

NICTAGENA: The Cosmic Journey of a Musical Visionary Through “LUNATICA”

Walter Tocco, known artistically as Nictagena, has been making music for over twenty years. His journey began when he picked up a guitar and started singing, leading to the birth of Nictagena. The name is inspired by the “Bella di Notte” plant from the Nyctaginaceae family, a flower that blooms at dusk and closes at dawn, a symbol of exploration and the desire to discover new worlds beyond the familiar.

Throughout his career, Walter has collaborated with numerous musicians. This journey culminated in the release of the EP Serial Killer sotto stress in 2011 under Rahati Nover Records, followed by the 2014 album Radio Disordine, released by Tippin the Velvet. This album also featured the music video for the single “Serial Killer,” marking a significant chapter in Nictagena’s musical path.

Today, Nictagena is not confined to the traditional band setup. Instead, it has evolved into an open creative space, with musicians joining Walter as needed. While the core setup is a power trio/guitar and vocals, bass and drums, the collaboration is flexible and ever changing.

 

The Creation of Lunatica

After several years away from music, Walter experienced a deep sense of dissatisfaction. The missing piece was clear and he hadn’t played music in three years. Rediscovering his passion for music was like resurfacing from deep waters. It was time to revisit an idea that had been in his mind for almost a decade: a concept album that links human emotions to the planets of the solar system.

Walter Tocco NictagenaThe global pandemic provided the perfect opportunity to begin writing Lunatica. Each track was carefully crafted to reflect the unique emotional traits associated with each planet. The writing process was almost rational, designed to maintain both textual and musical coherence. After completing the songs, Walter sought a producer to help bring his vision to life. That’s when he connected with Francesco Tedesco of Imakerecords, a producer and musician with two decades of experience. Together, they entered the studio, where Francesco recorded the drums and bass, while Walter handled the guitars and vocals. In just two months, the album was complete, thanks to the seamless artistic connection they established.

The Vision Behind the Music Video

The next phase was to create a visual representation of Lunatica. Francesco introduced Walter to Marco Marec, a video director based in Naples. Despite never having met in person Walter in Ravenna and Marco in Naples and they developed a deep connection over a phone call. Walter shared his vision for the music video, particularly his ideas about Pluto, and Marco immediately understood. He organized everything from actors to locations, perfectly translating Walter’s ideas into a visual journey.

In the video, the astronaut represents Walter, flying far from Earth, symbolizing his journey through life. It captures how the cosmic exploration in Lunatica is a metaphor for escaping the mundane and delving deep into oneself.

Fun Fact: Marco and Walter have still never met face-to-face, and sometimes Walter wonders if Marco really exists, perhaps the feeling is mutual. But that’s the beauty of music: it creates connections that transcend space and time.

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