Summer’s here — the season for rooftop parties, festival fun and, if your bank account is looking particularly healthy, perhaps even a sojourn to Ibiza. And if you do find yourself on the White Island, you’ll probably want to reserve a Friday night for Joseph Capriati’s Metamorfosi party. But be ready for more than the techno that the Italian spinner has become known for: “I don’t like to play only techno, and I don’t like to play only house — I like to play both,” he says. “And this is wat keeps me alive.” It’s not exactly an evolution for Capriati, as it’s house that got the veteran into dance music in
the first place, but opening up his sets and productions to a broader scope of sounds — something which began with his 2020 album, also called ‘Metamorfosi’ — is part of a burst of creative energy which marks a new stage of progression in his work. As he gears up for a busy summer season, he sat down with DJ Mag to fill us in on his past, present and future.
Another artist looking forward to a loaded summer is Afro house DJ and Deep Root honcho Francis Mercier — the Haiti-born artist has become something of a spokesperson for his chosen music, which has become one of clubdom’s leading sounds over the past several years. “To continue expanding, you have to be innovative,” he says, and he sat down with Megan Venzin to explain how he plans on keeping the momentum going. You’ll also find an Ibiza party roundup (Capriati’s just one of many big-name DJs spending time on the island this summer), a look at the Defected brand as it celebrates 25 years of house-heavy fun, a visit to the Kilele technology summit in Nairobi, a chat with the NYC synth savant and all-around polymath Gavilán Rayna Russom, a full complement of reviews and tech news...and lots more, too.
Bruce Tantum
Editor