ROBERTO ESPINOSA

Roberto Espinosa was born in Honduras and grew up in a culturally rich background which exposed him to a great diversity of rhythms from a very young age.

This cultivated his own feel for music, a fascination with drums and congas and began mixing records when he was only 12-years old. In that time he was heavily influenced by underground Hip-Hop. He got himself vinyl turntables and a dual channel scratch mixer and began mixing on his own. By 2007 he was well established as a DJ in the Honduran electronic music scene and since then has been collaborating with well-known locals Balto, Rafa verdial and Lu Maya. He is inspired by the integration of music into daily life. A process, that has caused great impact on him from his contact with Capoeira and devotional and ceremonial music of different traditions. His varied musical palate reflects his diverse cultural influences, ranging from Caribbean rhythms such as reggae, passing through raw noncommercial hiphop, and the drive and soul of techno, and even Classical music. The merging of these and more seemingly disparate elements (all indispensable to him) is the defining factor of Roberto's craft.

Favorite DJs?

Some of the artists I admire as far as electronic music are Danny Tenaglia, Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Luciano... all the way back to Jean Michelle Jiarre. Also, Ricardo Villalobos I feel I can relate to where he is coming from and his style of mixing. Jeff Mills and the Detroit techno movement also inspire me. In essence it is an expression to uplift people from hardship and problems in society. This relates to Reggae music as well. His sci-fi techno is an unbelievable experience just to listen to, and the theme of his music in general has a unique reflection and important social message.

Best Music Events?

As for favorite music events in the world, WMC I enjoyed so much this year and the variety of music is great. Sonar would be among my top choices as well as Love Parade in Berlin and Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Still haven’t been but am aiming to go within the next few years.

Favorite Websites?

Resident Advisor

In what direction is electronic music going?

In my opinion, it’s really hard to say where electronic music is going exactly. It incorporates so many elements that it can shift back and forth. Tribal had a huge impact and a few years later came the minimal movement. Technology is surely an advantage and there is really no limit to what can be created. It certainly just keeps growing and growing. Maybe Tribal will be back and hit even harder.

Dream Collaboration?

Dream collaboration would be with Jeff Mills and Richie Hawtin. Maybe I am aiming a little too high.

Favorite Cultural Hotspot?

Definitely The Bay Islands of Honduras. I love my country. Besides there, Brazil is somewhere I have always been interested in. It is a culture with such a rich heritage and tradition it simply amazes me. I could go on and on about places I would like to visit. Ibiza is on my list as well.

Challenges of what you do?

The most important thing is to always be yourself and let the music you create speak from your soul. This idea could apply to daily life since it is easy to get caught up in the hype of things. You always have to be real to yourself.

One challenge we face in my country is to try and reach to a broader audience and educate people on advanced music, but it only takes time since the scene is rapidly growing more and more. Besides that, there aren’t really any major challenges when you dedicate yourself to something that you love. The greatest challenge is sticking to your ideals and on how far you are willing to go to accomplish your goals.