VIASONDE 
In this Second issue of the Viasonde zine we are honored to bring you an interview with Naples Darkwave trio Ash Code. Ash Code are carrying the contemporary darkwave torch, their music is firmly rooted in 80s post-punk with nods to modern electro. Their distinctive blend of retro homage and futurism, combined with an expressive stage presence, has carved out a unique niche within the gothic and synth-driven music scenes. Their evolution from Oblivion through to the recently released Synthome showcases their creative depth and ambition.
The Synthome press release suggests that significant, even earth-shattering events in your collective lives inspired this album—and that the band was on the brink of simply surviving. Without getting too personal, could you share what led Ash Code to break its creative silence and what became the catalyst for Synthome?
Alessandro: The last couple of years have been pretty turbulent personally, professionally, and within our families, to the point where the band’s very existence felt at risk. But out of that chaos came the spark to create again, and that’s what gave birth to Synthome, our first full-length in eight years. Ideas rarely come from order; they come from disorder. Without going too personal, what really reignited our energy and shaped the album’s concept was the arrival of new life within our families.
How did your collaborations with Ellen Allien come about, and what has working with her brought to Ash Code's music?
Alessandro: We’ve always been interested in expanding our sound with elements that don’t necessarily belong to our scene, without locking ourselves into a box people might call Darkwave or Coldwave. Our connection with Ellen started when she added one of our tracks to her official Spotify playlist, and that turned into an online friendship. Later we met up in Berlin and Naples, and from there the idea of collaborating just felt natural. Working with her has been incredible. Ellen is a true legend in techno, and we’ve always admired her vision and artistry. It is one of the most important and meaningful collaborations we have ever done.
You have dates planned across Europe from September through November. Are there any plan, or hope for, an Ash Code U.S. tour in the near future?
Adriano: The shows we’ve planned through December are a bit of a test run to see how doable it is to tour while traveling with our 'expanded familiy'. The U.S. is definitely a priority for us since that is where a huge part of our fanbase is. The challenge right now is that it has become much harder for European bands to make it over legally. Visa costs have gone up, and you now need to apply almost a year in advance, whereas before it only took a few months. It is tricky, but we are aiming to be back by late 2026, hopefully even summer 2026. The U.S. has always been a highlight for us, and some of our best memories are tied to shows and nights spent in New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles.
I’ve always loved that I can tell an Ash Code album, versus an EP, by the white border and the female figure on the cover. While it’s hard to tell on Oblivion and Posthuman, is it the same model featured across all four albums?
Claudia: Yes, all of our album covers feature the work of a Polish artist based in Berlin named Sandra Roczeñ. The first one, for Oblivion, actually happened by chance. We were Facebook friends, and she had posted that image as part of a school project. I loved it so much that I asked if we could use it for our single 'Dry Your Eyes', but it ended up becoming the album cover instead. From there we kept collaborating, because we really liked the idea of a recurring her figure as part of our visual identity.
Here’s a more open-ended one: Is there a particular mood or emotion you’ve been trying to capture in your music that you haven’t quite nailed yet?
Claudia: Our approach to making music has always been rooted in a certain melancholy and reflective mood. A realm we have
never fully captured, purely and clearly, is happiness. The latest album hints at it, since it is very much about parenthood and new life entering the world. There are moments of joy in there, but at our core we are still a bit of a melancholic bunch who enjoy lingering in the sadness of autumn afternoons and sleepless summer nights.
Your sound nods to post-punk, synth-pop, and darkwave pioneers while feeling distinctly your own. Which artist, or even non-musical influences, that might not be as obvious have most shaped Ash Code’s evolution, and how do they continue to inspire your creative direction?
Alessandro: We have talked a lot about our musical influences over the years, and of course the dark music and shadowy sounds of the 1980s remain our foundation. But we also carry grunge, stoner, and heavier sounds in our DNA. Beyond music, cinema and literature have always been huge inspirations for us. Directors like David Lynch or Paolo Sorrentino have shaped our imagination as much as any band has. Often it is a film or a book that sparks an idea or atmosphere that later turns into a song.