Roberto Capuano | True Techno 52
Born in 1987 and raised in the Neapolitan underground, Roberto Capuano has become one of the more recent generation’s brightest stars and a fine ambassador of the Naples techno sound worldwide.
Coming from a city with such a rich history in electronic dance music, Capuano has always worked with the highest standards in mind. Since his early days training as a sound engineer or as A&R for a prominent local label Unrilis, he has fully immersed himself in the scene around him, learning from the greats who have gone before and shaping these influences into something of his own.
Capuano’s story as a recording artist begins in 2009, with an EP on Markantonio’s label MKT. From his very first release he showed a special ability for expressing personality through his tracks and a knack for ear-worm melodies – the infectious ‘Never Stop’ on Truesoul being a fine example.
Having appeared on one of Adam Beyer’s label Drumcode’s compilations, Capuano released his first full EP on the widely influential imprint in 2013. The Inner City-referencing track ‘Vertigo’ was a hit with many of the world’s biggest DJs and a fixture in the year’s Beatport charts. As was the dub techno-inspired groove of ‘Obsessed’, which followed as part of his ‘Wilford EP’ in 2015, Drumcode’s milestone 150th release.
Capuano has always the relished the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded artists and this has made for some spectacular results. In 2014 he formed a live duo with his buddy Luigi Madonna called Black Division. They combined parts of their studios on-stage to explore their ideas of improvised, avant-garde techno to mesmerizing effect. More recently he has worked together with (and remixed) Jay Lumen for Footwork Audio and with Pleasurekraft on Kraftek, with each release showing an impressive range to his style.
Capuano’s fascination for the art of DJing began on the dancefloor, where he learnt what it takes to control and manoeuvre a crowd’s energy – something he now does with great skill. Spending days and nights at the region’s legendary venues like Old River Park, he embarked on a journey that would soon take him to play in the very same booths.
Now Capuano is an in-demand act worldwide. Regular back-to-back sets with Luigi Madonna or Markantonio have helped make him the DJ he is today, as well as playing high profile events like Monegros, Sonar OFF Week and the Drumcode showcases. Embracing technology with a hybrid DJ setup, Capuano thrives on the creative possibilities of modern equipment and has become an expert at creating unforgettable moments on the dancefloor through looping and layering tracks. He ought to be seen live to be fully appreciated, as the atmosphere in the club and connection with the dancers is what inspires Capuano, from his formative experience right up until today.
