№ 132 - Esposito

Originally from Hamburg now in Berlin, Esposito has loved the breakbeats since his early club days and is until today “almost exclusively plays Drum & Bass”. His mix features crisp stuff from the contemporary break spheres, dropping tunes by legendary UK producer Skeptical and dark Ambient UK artist Kid Drama. There are steppers by Swedish one-of-a-kind Drum & Bass producer Seba, Belgian trio Bredren, or Manchester-based Dub Phizix, who all roll vibrant whilst seducing with subtle bass works and hypnotizing soundscapes. As ever we spoke with our host, to deep dive into his mix. Read below what DJ Esposito told us about his early days in Hamburg, his pal DJ Darwin, early and contemporary influences, his aspirations as a producer and what makes Drum & Bass so special to him. 

Q. Hey Ricardo, can you introduce yourself a bit to our readers? Where do you come from, and how did you become a DJ and producer?

A. I'm from Hamburg, Germany. I started DJing around 2001, experimenting with Drum & Bass, Jungle, and Trip-Hop in my bedroom. Berlin was a natural move for me in 2005. The city had the kind of energy and underground scene I wanted to be part of—a place where people were invested in sound and creativity.
My path to DJing wasn’t really about clubs or parties at first. I was more focused on crafting mixes, recording them, and sharing them with friends. LTJ Bukem & MC Conrad's “Progression Sessions” series was a huge influence - those mixes were about more than momentum. It was about building a narrative, letting the music take you somewhere. I saw it as a form of art! That resonated more with me than the idea of just creating hype on the dance floor.
Producing came a bit later, around 2006. I started making beats and exploring sound design, mixing, and mastering - just to dig deeper into how music is built from the ground up. It's something that still keeps me hooked today.

Q. Do you have some early musical memories that are still resonating within you today?

A. I started breakdancing around 1993 at a local youth centre, and that time shaped a lot of my musical identity. The older B-Boys would bring all kinds of mixtapes and albums to our sessions - Hip Hop, Rap, Funk, Breaks, Electro - it was a raw mix of sounds, and I soaked it all up. Looking back, that period was foundational for me. It exposed me to different styles and taught me early on how rhythm and vibes could inspire both spirituality and creativity. That influence still echoes in what I do today.

Q. Did you have musical training of any kind?

A. I learned to play piano on a Yamaha keyboard at a small music school in our local community. Our apartment was too small to accommodate a full-sized piano, and honestly, it would've been too loud for the neighbours anyway. 

Q. How and why did you start DJing? What were the first records you learned to mix with?

A. Back in the day, before streaming and downloading made everything a click away, official mixes were only available on CD or cassette. The idea of putting together my own mixes was incredibly appealing - especially since I could burn them to CDs and share them with friends (and hopefully get them into some local stores). That was my thing! So, I spent years investing my time and the little cash I had in record stores, hunting for those shadowy tunes. I had a friend I met while partying in Hamburg who was already a DJ and a wizard at beatmatching. My first real mix was with him, and if memory serves me right, I blended a John Tejada record with a LoSoul track. But honestly, after all this time, I’m not 100% sure - my memory might be as foggy as a nightclub!

What I do remember vividly is the obsession I had with nailing that beat sync at home. I would keep those pitch faders untouched for days, trying that same transition over and over until I could hear it in my sleep. When friends came over, I’d turn those transitions into a sort of performance art and force everyone to listen to it over and over again.

Q. Any role models when it comes to spinning music?

A. That's a tough question to answer definitively, as I've been inspired by countless DJs in various ways over the years. Each one brought something unique to the table. However, a few stand out as having a significant and lasting influence on my journey. In alphabetical order: 
Acid Maria, Cassy, DJ Highfish, DJ Pete, Kemistry & Storm, LTJ Bukem, Marc Schneider, Steve Bug, Pelle Buys. 

Q. What's one club or party that had a major impact on you as an artist?

A. The Click in Hamburg was like a kind of utopia for me. I missed out on the Drum & Bass scene there, either because I was too young or just too late to catch it. But when Click opened its doors in 2002, it filled a musical gap for me - especially with the rise of the minimal era. That’s how I saw it, at least. It was at Click that I first really connected with minimal, house, and techno as a DJ. That experience led to a project I started in 2009, which lasted for 15 years.

Q. What projects or plans do you currently have in the pipeline?

A. I studied Audio Engineering, focusing on recording, mixing, and music production. By the end of the course, I had specialized in mastering. I took additional classes in Audio Mastering and completed an internship at a Mastering Studio. Since then, I've been mastering Electronic music and preparing tracks for digital distribution and vinyl production.

On top of that, I'm committed to my DJ residency at Darwin's REEF event at Berghain. It's an ongoing thing for me, and I take it very seriously. 
In addition to my academic pursuits, I'm also writing and producing a lot of music right now. I'm going to find my niche and release it when the time is right. The market is saturated, but I'm going to make my mark when the time is right. 

Q. How and where was your EDWIN MUSICH CHANNEL edition recorded? And can you tell us about the idea behind it?

A. Ah, the question of all questions - what was the idea behind this mix? Even though I’ve been recording mixes for twenty years, I’m never completely unbiased in my approach. But I don’t want to overcomplicate things. Right now, I’m almost exclusively playing Drum & Bass, so I created a framework to narrow down my selection. It was important to me that the mix builds slowly, creating tension and a vibe as it progresses. Ultimately, it’s a balancing act between storytelling and the kind of energy you can expect from me in the club, especially at REEF. I recorded the mix on my home setup, which includes two CDJs, two MK2s, and an XONE92.

Q. What melody did you wake up with today?

A. Leftfield - Chant of a Poor Man

Q. Which records shaped your life?

A. This is a tough question to pin down, but there are a few musical works that have been undeniable constants in my life. In alphabetical order:

dBridge - Dead Peak
DBX - Live Wire
Marschmellows - 2834 (Richard Wolfsdorf RMX)
Melchior Productions Ltd. - The Later The Evening...
Photek - Ni Ten Ichi Ryu
Seba - Planetary Funk Alert
Source Direct - Call & Response

Q. What inspires you?

A. If I had to name one person who continually inspires me, it’s DJ Darwin. I’ve never met anyone who can turn dreams into reality the way she does. Darwin was the one who pushed me to start playing Drum & Bass and Dubstep again in 2012, and she believed in me even more than I believed in myself. I honestly don’t know where I’d be today without her. We’ve had our ups and downs, but she always stood by me and supported me in every way she could. Thanks to her, I’ve found my place in the world, and what she’s achieved is a constant source of inspiration for me!

Q. Which artists are you listening to these days?

A. The following:
The Black Dog
Flying Lotus
Global Communication
Khruangbin
Mad Professor
Roots Manuva
The Scientist
Slum Village

Q. What kind of thinking is missing these days?

A.  The electronic music scene is a spiritual entity in my view, and I distinguish it from the industry. I have always strived to be a part of something bigger than myself and to make a vital contribution without seeking personal gain. I think that this attitude is not as prevalent as it used to be. There are a lot of jobs in the industry that need to be preserved, so decisions that affect culture need to be made with a long-term perspective.  

Q. A lot of clubs are closing in Berlin. What is your opinion on this and are you positive about the future?

A. There are notable similarities between the real estate market and the electronic music industry. Both sectors have a stated objective of maximizing profits, and this pursuit often entails compromising ethical standards. Consequently, the future outlook in Berlin appears somewhat disheartening. However, real artists will persist in creating opportunities for themselves. 

N° 132 - DJ Esposito track list:

01. Overlook - Travelling Without Moving
02. Pugilist & Tamen - Extract
03. Pessimist & Holsten - The Riot Tune (Clarity's Type 3 Remix)
04. Skeptical, Loxy - Krakoa
05. Mako - By Firelight
06. Dub Phizix - Tipping Point
07. Ben Soundscape - You're Finished
08. Cern - Oceania
09. Mako & Andy Skopes - The Mercenary
10. Dub Phizix - Like a Rope (ft. Fox)
11. Bredren - Pressure Plate
12. Ben Soundscape - Shapeshift
13. Kid Drama - Identify
14. Silence Groove - No Service
15. Breakage - Spread Out
16. Leo Cap, Black Barrel - Late (ft. Black Barrel)
17. Seba - Progression (Madcap remix)
18. Mako - We Could Help Each Other (ft. Villem)
19. Seba - Are we dreaming
20. Nookie & Ruth Royall - Hero