7 Come 11 is the creation of Berklee College of Music alumni and Hammond B3 player Gianni Staiano. Staiano’s musical heroes and influences were all very forward thinking, which has been the driving force for Staiano to push the limits and boundaries of his sonic creativity— and more specifically, how he can merge his classically trained musical mind with new technology. This process has been a slow burn for Staiano, who attended the Berklee College of Music before studying jazz at San Diego State. The five tracks on Light it Up shake with power, fury and blaze with the energy and unrestrained emotion that has come to define 7 Come 11’s raucous live show. Innovation smacks you in the face on Light It Up: that whiplash mélange of futuristic funk is rushing head-on with fire in its eyes on “Come Get Some,” a track that calls to mind Herbie Hancock by way of Daft Punk. Shotgun drums and vocoders whir in unison with Moog synths on “Higher.” The title track bounces with a hip-hop swagger, Staiano’s sexy Hammond harmonies prancing above. Although Staiano grew up removed from the world of dance, 7 Come 11’s music has developed into a sonic dance party. Staiano’s version of dance music comes from his intense study of West African music. Staiano fell hard for dance music, while traveling the region to study with its most dedicated disciples, and now feels it as an essential part of his musical being. “It awakened this whole new person inside me,” Staiano explains. “The music is so much more intense, if you feel it in your body and you move your body with the music. If I’m going out what do I want to do? I want to go out and dance to some good music. Not something where the drop happens every 60 seconds and everybody takes a selfie. I want to get down. I want to get into it.”