Roberto Capuano – When The Lights Go Down [Drumcode]

A trio of tracks inspired by ‘90s rave mark Roberto Capuano’s first Drumcode offering in two years. The Napoli-born DJ, producer and sound designer has been a semi-regular contributor to Adam Beyer’s labels stretching back almost a decade. From the Inner City-referencing ‘Vertigo’, to the elegant techno on ‘Wilford’, part of DC150th release, and the 2020 collab ‘Mad World’ with good friend Luigi Madonna, his tracks have always been characterised by impeccable quality and a timeless sonic palette. Reinforcing his breadth, he’s also responsible for one of Truesoul’s greatest tracks to date, thanks to the 2015 classic ‘Never Stop’.

‘When The Lights Go Down’ EP continues the brain scrambling techno approach he displayed on ‘Mad World’, with all cuts featuring throughout the summer, including supports at Tomorrowland, Awakenings ADE, EDC Vegas and Movement Detroit. ‘Dish Ya Now’, is a rattling warehouse-ready weapon that pops with loads of retro stabs, while a tearing Reese bassline propels the energy throughout. The title track is a kaleidoscopic dancefloor trip that shows of Capuano’s impressive skills as a sound designer, as he ties together elements from rave, techno, acid and trance. ‘The Beginning’ has been bubbling since early 2020, first heard on the Italian’s Drumcode Indoors stream. Driven by a famous sample, but with Capuano’s own stealth spin on it, it’s beautifully effective and head-spinning.