Mental Destination

ERMANNO MAINARDI aka DJ PANDA
DJ Panda’s career began over 30 years ago as a DJ and record producer. His music appeals to every generation, from 16 to 50-year-olds, and he has become a true evergreen artist.

During the 1990s, he kept people dancing both across Italy and internationally. Not only was he a DJ in some of the most renowned clubs along the Riviera Romagnola, such as Cellophane, Gheodrome, Ecu, Embassy, Altromondo, Cocorico, Baia Imperiale, and others, but he also made a name for himself as a producer with hit records like It’s a Dream, Dreaming of Fantasy, and the globally best-known My Dimension. This track reached 63rd place in the Billboard Top 100 European chart and was also featured in Music & Media. Was born a collaboration in 1996 with ITALIA NETWORK, a national radio station where MasterQuick went on air daily.

He has performed at many European events, including the Street Parade in Zurich and the Love Parade in Berlin.

In the early 2000s, he played throughout the Emilia-Romagna hinterland in clubs such as Cap Creus, FedExx (formerly Teatriz), J & J, Hobby One, Ruvido, and Villa delle Rose, supporting a musical genre that, during those years, revolved around progressive house. Although he took a brief break from techno/trance, those genres have always been a part of his musical journey.

From 2010 onwards, DJ Panda returned to the forefront, just as he had in the 90s, making a significant impact. He participated in numerous parties and festivals both in Italy and abroad, from Hamburg’s TUNNEL Club to Zurich’s Street Parade, from Brescia’s NUMBER ONE to a fantastic collaboration with RADIO COMPANY at Energia '90 and the 90 Festivals.

In 2013, the well-established duo DJ Panda & Ricci was formed. They performed both together and individually at major events, including the Memorabilia tour at Cocoricò and several events organised by Radio Company, where they achieved great success.

DJ Panda has consistently appeared at Italy’s most important festivals and events, such as Genesis, Holi Dance Festival, and Memorabilia Cocoricò. In 2017, he returned to production with the single Look at the World, and together with Dogz & Pigz, he released a remix of the famous My Dimension in 2019. At the end of that year, he launched a new version of his most iconic hit, It’s a Dream 2k19, signed by Dr. Peacock & DJ Panda — a true uptempo track!

He has also been working on many new productions within the Progressive Trance scene, signed under DJ Panda & AxelPolo.

In recent times, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, he has launched numerous virtual initiatives, the most notable being “All in Raving,” broadcast live on Radio Sunshine Live across all social platforms.

In recent years, when everything came to a standstill, DJ Panda and his music continued to fill the space by creating a programme called Mental Destination.
Mental Destination was born out of the need to bring together the best techno and trance music from the international scene, regardless of genre distinctions, thus creating a perfect harmony that exudes great energy. Melodic Techno, Uplifting Trance, Tech Trance, and Vocal Trance tracks, alongside Hard Trance, are expertly selected and mixed by DJ Panda. Each week, the latest releases are showcased, along with unreleased promotional articles on the musical genres covered. Today, Mental Destination has reached and surpassed 200 episodes.
The moment of infusion arrives... that is, when the music of Mental Destination meets the poetry and verses of Countess Pinina Garavaglia, giving life to Infusion Power.
Thanks to this collaboration, the Live Book titled Per Sempre Giovani has been published, in which the Countess shares anecdotes, encounters, and poems. Included within the book are the musical productions mentioned, accessible via QR code to accompany the reading.
In this context, we must also remember the new productions signed by DJ Panda, released between 2020 and 2022, such as Texture on Redux138 Records, Tensing and Back To the Future on State Control Records, among others—all available on the main digital platforms.
Finally, the time has come to return to live performances—no more streaming! Exciting dates are on the horizon, starting with the eagerly awaited Retro Active Rave 90 Festival, organised by Radio Sunshine Live in Mannheim, Germany, which drew over 7,000 attendees. Then, it's back to Ibiza for the HYBRID evenings at Es Paradis in Sant Antonio.
In Italy, the Gatto and La Volpe Reunion events are making a comeback, along with Duplè in Aulla (SP), the historic all-black disco. And not to forget Italy’s premier festival: MONSTERLAND, a Halloween event expecting around 30,000 revellers.
New productions signed by DJ Panda are also on the way, promising a 2024 full of exciting novelties.
Among the most recent releases is the first of the year, MYSLF, by DJ Panda & AxelPolo, released on Dim3nsion’s new label. AxelPolo is a Spanish artist and producer from Armin Van Buuren’s team. In February, on the Canadian techno label Red Channel, DJ Panda teamed up with Roy Navas for Wake Me Up, a solid techno club track.
In April, there’s a double release: Xolution on Future Techno and Milleluci on Repliate, both by DJ Panda.
There are plenty of events lined up, from Techno 90 at Madam in Ferrara to Technolab611 at Galleria n8 in Imola. After the season wraps up at Duplè in Aulla, it’s off to Ibiza for the Mental Destination night at Dunes in Playa d’en Bossa.
And finally, back in Riccione with the We Are Techno evening at the historic Byblos disco.
In the meantime, two new super productions by DJ Panda have been released, and they quickly begin to enjoy success on both digital platforms and dancefloors... DJ Panda - Xtill on Autektone, which is an energetic trance mainfloor track, while We'll Go Back can be described as a true trance anthem... It’s off again to Ibiza for the Mental Destination night at the Dunes in Playa d’en Bossa... and the Mental Destination Radio Show airs every Saturday night at midnight on RADIO STUDIO PIU IBIZA FM 102.
August sees the release of the new single GOOD LOOKING on the Nonostate label, while Reunion returns to Riccione with the one-night event Riccione ’90. Ready to celebrate in Rome the 30th anniversary of one of the most iconic clubs in the capital, Club06.
Here comes the new remix of It’s A Dream on the Autektone label, this time signed by T78 & Don Paolo RMX 2024... a real hit! Presented and played by everyone in Amsterdam at ADE 2024, from Maddix to Ottaviani to T78 himself, to name but a few.
It’s back to Italy for a Halloween festival signed Monsterland, which this time exceeds the 35,000 attendance mark. The surprises for 2025 are ready. The radio show Mental Destination goes into weekly rotation on the new RIN Italia Network, while DJ Panda shares the console in the Spirit of Trance evening with ViniVici — a true success.