A-Trak Interviews Dukwa: Finding His Sound and Feeling ‘So Good’ [Q&A]

Dukwa got bored making music on a laptop, so he turned to synths, samplers, tape machines and a friend’s dad’s record collection. His new So Good EP brings him to A-Trak & Friends with gospel-inspired vocals, a guitar sample that rescued a stubborn track and a melody born from an evening at the keys. A-Trak takes over the questions below, digging into the clubs that shaped Dukwa and why he’s happy to keep changing how he works.

A-Trak: It seems like each of your releases has it own sound. Is that something that is important to you? 

Dukwa: Yes, absolutely, because my music reflects who I am and where I come from, blending past influences with a forward-thinking vision. I started back in 2008 with just a laptop and a lot of drive. Over time, I completely shifted my approach toward analog gear, synths, samplers, and tape recording, mostly because working strictly on a computer felt really boring to me.

I started sampling from a 1960s, 70s, and 80s record collection belonging to my friend's dad (which I actually ended up buying myself this year!). That whole process allowed me to experiment across various genres, gradually refining them according to my personal taste.

All these different production workflows helped me forge a distinct sonic identity one that remains instantly recognizable regardless of the genre. That’s something I’m genuinely proud of, especially in an era where so much music sounds identical. Because of this, I’ve been able to land an Acid Techno record on Seth Troxler’s Slacker 85, a Deep House/Disco track on Toy Tonics, and a Techno cut for Laurent Garnier’s Code 3QR.

I take this same eclectic approach into my DJ sets too, whether it’s a more curated, deep dive for Panorama Bar in Berlin or a high-energy party set for Circoloco in Ibiza. Bottom line: I just make and play what I love without overthinking it.

A-Trak: You use a lot of gear – drum machines, synths, keyboards… Do you know how to play instruments? Do you prefer a live approach to house music?

Dukwa: I play keys, but I wouldn’t call myself a formal keyboardist. I just love playing what I produce and programming my own drum tracks. For a long time, I relied heavily on outboard synths and hardware samplers, though lately I’ve streamlined things. My setup now is quite simple: I tweak external synths, record them straight into Ableton, and that’s it!

A few years ago, I used to do everything fully live in one single continuous take which was super fun. But I’m always eager to evolve. Today, my workflow is much more "in-the-box," but who knows? A year from now, I might go right back to tape machines. I do miss my Revox a bit!

A-Trak: You grew up in Florence; are you still based there now? Can you describe the music scene that influenced you when you were shaping your sound? (record stores, parties etc) 

Dukwa: Yes, I’m still based in Florence, though I’m actively thinking about relocating soon there’s very little left to do or dance to here. While there are a few interesting underground projects popping up, they are quite sporadic and hard for me to attend regularly given my schedule.

My sound was heavily shaped by my early days going out. Venues like Viper, Tenax, and the early seasons of Lattex Plus really sparked my passion for club culture. Beyond Florence, defining trips to Berghain, Link in Bologna, and Cocoricòmade it effortless to solidify that passion and evolve my sound.

On a production level, what helped me most in the early years was my choice not to listen to other people's music. I only listened to what I was making, which gave my sound room to develop organically. People used to tell me my music sounded very "90s," even though I hadn't lived through that era nor listened to it while producing. Kind of funny, right?

A-Trak: You’ve dropped releases with a lot of legendary labels like Toy Tonics, Gudu, Slacker85. What attracted you to releasing a project with A-Trak & Friends / Fool’s Gold?

Dukwa: Well... because you are a LEGEND, first and foremost. You've been supporting my recent work, so choosing to release on A-Trak & Friends felt like a natural move. Your projects have always inspired me, so it was an easy choice to make.

A-Trak: Tell us more about how the music on your So Good EP came about. 

Dukwa: The project came together after several months of studio work. Because I produce across so many different styles, curating three tracks that felt cohesive as a single release took some time, but we got there in the end.

"So Good" was born out of my deep love for Gospel and House music. Once I found that vocal sample, I built the entire track around it. The writing process was pure fun.

"Feel Free To Connect" didn't have a clear direction at first it went through multiple revisions until I stumbled upon a guitar sample that made me fall in love with the track.

"Heartbeat" came together on a cold autumn evening. As I mentioned, I’m not a trained pianist, but I love to play. I wasn’t even intending to produce that night I just wanted to play the keys and that melody came out naturally. Simple, but effective.

If I can leave one piece of advice: don't follow trends, follow yourself. If the music is real, it will eventually connect and stand the test of time and that's always my ultimate goal.

Thanks for having me!

Get it on Beatport.