Driving to Nowhere, Arriving Everywhere / D-Leria

In conversation with Italian sound researcher, DJ and producer.

D-Leria, the sonic incarnation of Giuseppe Scaccia, has built his path through constant reinvention, from the darkness of Driving to Nowhere to the expansive vision of Multiverso, and the instinctive freedom of his brand new alias Kongas. His recent debut at Berghain’s Klubnacht stands as both a milestone and a mirror: the point where years of experimentation, loss, and rebirth converge. For D-Leria, sound is not just expression but transformation, a way to get lost, and in doing so, to finally find himself.

Your stage name is D-Leria, but your birth name is Giuseppe Scaccia. Your surname, likely from a nickname or medieval term tied to “chasing away evil,” seems almost in tune with the work you do. Do you use music as a means, or even as a weapon, to chase away the evils in your life? And if so, which ones? 

 You’re absolutely right. For me, making music is without a doubt the most powerful remedy to drive away fears, inner conflicts, or moments of emptiness. It’s my way of releasing, transforming emotions, and turning them into something positive.

You started your DJ journey in 2001 and moved into studio production in 2003. You didn’t follow a conventional path, but instead dove into hardcore, specifically gabber. Sharing this experience with your twin brother: what was it like to play together, almost like playing with a reflection of yourself? 

You know, I had never really thought about it… but back then we were so in sync that whatever I was thinking, he was thinking the exact same thing. When we played back-to-back, the only thing on our minds was to mix quickly because we couldn’t wait to drop the next record haha! But jokes aside, what I remember most is how much we pushed and supported each other. One would fix the other’s mistakes, and vice versa. We had so much fun. Honestly, those were incredible times.

What attracted you both to such an extreme genre? 

I honestly still can’t find a real answer to that question. Where I came from, at that time, it wasn’t something obvious at all. If I remember correctly, we first heard Hardcore Gabber on a cassette tape, and from there we started to create these imaginary worlds in our minds with that music… it made us fantasize, and at the same time, it scared us a little too. At the beginning we even listened to it in secret, afraid that our parents would think badly of it, because it sounded too much like “drug music”.

And how was the gabber scene in Italy compared to the wider European electronic landscape?  

I can’t really compare it, simply because in the early 2000s I was fully devoted to Gabber and I hadn’t experienced any other scene before 2005 or 2006. What I could compare is the Gabber events abroad during those years. In 2004 I started going to my first hardcore events outside of Italy, and I immediately noticed some differences. To be completely honest, I don’t want to speak badly about the Italian hardcore scene at that time, which was, if I remember well, second only to the Netherlands, together with Switzerland. But for sure, outside of Italy the crowd was much more open-minded and there was more respect.

In 2017, you founded the label Delirio, attempting to anagram the word to capture the feeling of your performances. A project with a unique musical and visual concept: focusing on live recordings regardless of genre, and a nod to your love of comics. Over the years, the label has hosted artists like Simone Giudice, Retina.it, Stanislav Tolkachev, Key Clef, CONCEPTUAL and many others. In a market growing and changing so quickly, how important is it to stand out, and how can you really achieve that? 

In my view, standing out is essential. I believe true uniqueness comes when you stop looking at what others are doing and follow your instincts. The artists who inspired me, in terms of attitude, were not trying to please anyone. They were experimenting, and precisely because of that, they created something that stood the test of time. But achieving that is not a formula. Every artist waits for their moment, but those who create something new do not do it to succeed quickly. They do it out of necessity, curiosity, and a desire to push beyond. The search for sound is the most genuine and important part of the journey. It is the audience, sometimes years later, who eventually decides when that moment arrives.

Why choose comics as your visual signature, and who are the faces that appear on your record covers?  

Regarding the visual identity, from the very beginning I wanted to create something that stood out and did not follow predictable aesthetics. Comics were a natural choice: I have been reading noir and mystery comics since I was eight, after my uncle gave me his collection from the 60s to the 80s. The faces on the covers come exactly from that world, inspired by Diabolik, where on the back of each issue you would find the face of the antagonist or a key character.

After your commitments as a label manager, you released Driving To Nowhere, your debut album of ten tracks produced between 2014 and 2018. A time of deep transition: leaving gabber for techno, years of illness and recovery, and an obsessive search for a new sound. Did you ever consider giving up music entirely? Do you think getting lost can actually help someone rediscover themselves or even improve?  

It was really happening. I would not have quit music entirely, but I was considering continuing only as a hobby. In 2013 I was dealing with many inner conflicts: at 26, I started questioning what I truly wanted to do with my life. Being a DJ and producer was affecting my “real job”, and I kept telling myself that maybe it was time to grow up and choose one path. Shortly after, I got ill (osteomyelitis in my knee and other complications), and during that year of recovery, I thought it was a sign that I was making the wrong decision. That is when I started again from zero, and that was the moment D-Leria was born. So yes, I do believe that getting lost can sometimes be exactly what helps you find yourself again, and maybe even become better.

In recent years, many DJs historically linked to techno have started exploring house: Fadi Mohem with Four Lovers, Alarico with Kenji Hina, Steve Bicknell with backtotheparty. In August 2024, you launched your  new house alias, Kongas, debuting it at Globus (Tresor). How did this project come about? And having lived it firsthand, why do you think this shift toward house music has been happening so strongly, and continues today? 

Kongas was born in my living room, playing house and its variations for hours in back to back sessions with my partner, simply for fun and to relax. I think that for an artist, creating a parallel project is a way to breathe, to avoid being swallowed by the genre you work with every day. The same thing happened years ago, when I was producing hardcore but playing techno at home. Kongas represents exactly that: a light, instinctive escape, full of freedom.

Your album Multiverso (2024, Monument Records) intertwines distorted reverberations, warped sounds, and percussive interludes, creating a continuous flow that pulls the listener into almost physical sound dimensions. Were you aiming to transport listeners into another reality? 

Actually, my intention was almost the opposite. From the very beginning of my journey as D-Leria, I struggled with defining my sound. I did not know whether to lean towards a more groovy and tribal techno, a more experimental and avant-garde approach, or more classic sonorities. Over time, I realised I did not need to choose. With Multiverso, I reached the awareness that I could do whatever I wanted without tying myself to one genre, and that this freedom would become my sound. This is where the idea of the Multiverse came from: imagining different versions of myself scattered across other universes, each with its own musical identity, and creating a bridge to bring them all here. Since it was also my first work entirely created with modular synths, patching the cables felt like building bridges between parallel worlds, allowing the different parts of me to finally meet in the same space.

What part of yourself did you pour into this sonic universe to make it feel so powerful and tangible? 

In Multiverso, I poured my fragmentation, all the parts of me that I had kept separate for years. Here, tension, freedom, instinct and introspection coexist. Every sound represents a part of me finally finding its own space.

And looking at the nine tracks, how did you envision their sequence and role in building this journey?  

I conceived it as a circular, non-linear journey. Each track is a portal opening onto a different version of myself: futuristic, drone, tribal… and together they build a constant balance between chaos and calm.

In 2024, you returned to Non Series with the percussive, avant-garde, and hypnotic EP Alta Tensione, later remixed by Polygonia, Anthony Linell, and Shoal. Beyond the critical and public success, one track stands out as its emotional core: Goccia, dedicated to your partner — a piece that DJ Maria even chose to close her set at Berghain, as she shared in an Instagram post while you were both there. How did this latest work come about, and what is the story behind Goccia? 

Goccia is perhaps the most magical track I have ever created. Many of my titles hide meanings that I prefer to keep to myself, but in this case, especially after the Instagram post that DJ Maria shared about that moment at Berghain, I feel it is the right moment to tell the story. It all began in June 2021, a few months after I returned to Italy from Berlin, in the post-Covid period. I had just come out of a very dark moment, and once I rebuilt my studio, I began producing again. At that time, I was working on many drone and ambient patches that I often shared on Instagram, including the one that would later become Goccia.I usually write down title ideas that come to mind and choose the right one when the moment arrives, and Goccia was among them. Years later, I met her.
Our relationship immediately became something important, and I decided to dedicate a track to her: the very same one I had recorded two years before meeting her, already titled Goccia. When I showed her the old post, we discovered together that the recording was made on the day of her birthday. From that moment, I understood that this connection was not a coincidence, and it was not the only magical synchronicity linked to the track. Then came that moment at Berghain, when DJ Maria closed her set with Goccia while we were both there. It was so magical that I cried.

In recent years, Delirio Recordings has represented a unique and deeply personal space within your artistic vision. The last release dates back to 2022, and since then the label has been on pause. What led you to stop it, and is this break definitive or can we expect Delirio to return in the future?

Running a label seriously requires a lot of energy and a significant financial investment. When Covid hit, I found myself with nothing, especially because I had just invested everything I had into my first modular system. It was a risk, but looking back, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. The financial aspect was the first reason for the pause, but not the only one. As soon as Covid was over, I started performing more again, especially after introducing my live show. It required an enormous amount of time and energy, and at a certain point I realized I no longer had the capacity to run the label the way I wanted to. Even though I was sad to pause it, it was a necessary choice. The break was useful. Delirio’s return is near, and it will mark a new phase for the project.

You are a multidisciplinary artist: many machines orbit around you, and your sets take different forms vinyl set, live set, modular set, hybrid set. Alessandro Cortini once said: “It took me a while to realize that it’s not the instrument that defines what I do… the instrument is just a color.” What’s your take on this? 

First of all, thank you for mentioning this quote by Alessandro Cortini… my absolute favourite producer. His music made me fall in love with modular sound and pushed me to experiment in that world. And yes, I completely agree with what he says: in the end, it is never the instrument that defines what you do, but the way you live it.

What’s your relationship with each of your machines, and which are you most attached to? 

For me, modular is the highest expression of freedom, but I have to say that I reached complex synthesis thanks to one very special machine: the Elektron Analog Four. I could describe it as a modular wall packed into a small box, and if you use it at one hundred percent, you can create incredibly interesting results and shape them through its performance mode. Even if today I use it only in my live set as a master clock, FX box, 4 sequencers and 2 audio tracks for hi-hats or glitch effects, that machine truly taught me synthesis and helped me understand many things that I could not grasp at the beginning.

Do you follow a different process for each type of set? And which of these performances are the most challenging to prepare? 

Absolutely. When it comes to DJ sets, preparation now comes naturally. I have been doing it for 25 years and it is, out of all of them, the least demanding performance. With live sets, it is a completely different story.
Every time they take ten years off my life. I am a perfectionist, and all those complex elements I prepare, such as sequences, loops and sounds, have to be built in a way that they already sound good on their own, so that I can manipulate and perform them freely. The hybrid performance, which I have been doing rarely lately but was my first “special” formula as D-Leria (I invite you to take a look at D-Leria Under Studio ), will return soon, especially as Kongas. In that case, I will use only the Analog Four and the Octatrack, together with turntables and CDJs. There is still a minimum amount of preparation involved, between sequences and loops, but it is definitely a lighter performance compared to a fully live show, at least in terms of stress.

The machines of your modular sets have become an essential part of your artistic identity: an imposing column of gear in front of the dancefloor, and often you perform with your back to the crowd. How did this choice come about? 

Looking at the dancefloor is certainly essential, but only once you actually have the time to do it. Let me explain: during a live set my eyes are glued to the setup because I literally do not have the time to look at the crowd. In recent times, though, I manage to do it occasionally, probably because I am now more comfortable performing compared to when I first started playing live in front of an audience, about three years ago.

Do you think eye contact with dancers is truly essential to create a deep connection, or not? 

I decided to play with my back to the crowd in the Tower Live (the performance with the tower of modules) because if I stood facing the audience, they would only see the back of the tower with me hidden behind it. I also think it is interesting for the crowd to actually see where the sound comes from, to witness what is really happening.

And personally, how do you perceive the vibes of the dancefloor when you can’t see them directly, but only feel them?

Even if I cannot see the crowd, I can still sense how it is going. Sometimes I understand it from the shouts that rise from the dancefloor, or I only realise it at the end, when I come out of my world and turn around.

So you have two different types of live set?  

Yes, there are two different versions of the live set. The one I mentioned before, the Tower Live, where I play with my back to the crowd, can last two hours or more and is more of a journey, a story. Then there is a more compact version, around one hour, more direct, more for “bringing the whole place down”. In this case, I bring half of the tower with me, meaning two rows of modules mounted into a wine crate, an Analog Four, another mini case (made from a drawer) for building synth lines, effect pedals and sometimes other unbuffered modules adapted in a slightly “hardcore” way because of the limited space in the case.

In a past interview, you said: “I like thinking back to when, as a teenager, I listened to DJ sets recorded during major events, which would start and end in fade-outs… What happened before or after the fade-out remained a mystery, as if the DJ set could last forever, without knowing what would happen either before or after.” Is there a particular moment or feeling that you always hope to convey to your listeners, one that lingers even after the music ends?

Yes, I believe that is ultimately the meaning of it all. When I went to my first parties, if I went back home with a strong memory, a precise moment, a feeling that stayed with me afterwards, I felt that something inside me had shifted, as if it had filled my soul. And now that you mention it, some incredible moments come to mind, moments that never left me. Every time, I feel the urge to thank those who made them possible: the artist, the place, the atmosphere, because in some way they left something within me, perhaps even changed me. If I knew I could create the same effect for someone, even just once, I think it would be the greatest compliment.

Ten years ago, you walked through the doors of the infamous Berghain for the first time as a guest. And on October 25th, you walked through them again, this time for your debut as a DJ at the legendary Klubnacht. How did it feel to finally see your name on that line-up and step into that booth? 

When I first saw my name on that line-up, it was truly emotional. It also hit me to read the flyer description, where there was a special focus on my performance. That meant a lot to me, because it was not just about “being on the line-up”, but about being recognised for what I bring artistically. Arriving in the booth before my performance was even more intense. Entering that space, the side booth dedicated to live sets, and seeing my setup already there made everything sink in within a second: “This is really happening.”

What emotions did you experience before and during your set? 

I must admit that my biggest fear was not the live set itself. I was prepared, I had worked so much and I felt calm. My real fear was getting too emotional, because I am the kind of person who cries easily, especially in moments that mean so much. During the soundcheck I let myself go for a moment, especially when I walked alone to the centre of the dancefloor to hear my sound on that system… it was a magical moment, just me and my music in that space.. Even now, telling you this, I feel emotional again. I tried to control my feelings because it had already happened to me at the Freedom Festival in Medellín: I burst into tears after the live set and I could not even thank the crowd. This time I wanted to avoid that and stay more present. Every time I felt the emotion rising, I tried to breathe and stay focused. I want to add that what helped me the most was having my friends right in front of me. Their energy embraced me and made me feel protected.
It was, most probably, the most beautiful moment of my life.

Looking back now, after this milestone, what would you say today to the Giuseppe of ten years ago? 

If I think of the Giuseppe from ten years ago, I would tell him not to give up and to trust his path, especially in moments where it feels like you are “driving to nowhere”. I would tell him that detours, changes, and especially the difficult moments, are necessary. Even when you do not understand where they are taking you, they are still building something.
At some point, everything falls into place, and you understand the meaning of every step.

Deep down, did you always believe this moment would eventually come and how does the reality compare to the dream?

Deep down, yes, a part of me always hoped I would get there, but I did not know if it would really happen. Experiencing it in reality felt different from how I imagined it. Less like a “movie” and more human, more real. And that is exactly what made it even more special.

Is there anything you can share with us about your future? A project, an idea, or a direction you’re working on that you can’t wait to reveal?

I can say that there are some exciting things on the way. I am working on a project with an artist who has always been a great source of inspiration for me, and I really cannot wait to share it. If everything goes as I hope, in 2026 I will finally complete my first album as Giuseppe Di Leria, a synth-drone/ambient project I have been working on for several years and that feels very personal to me. And as I mentioned earlier, Delirio Recordings will be back soon… and that is all I can say for now.

Driving to Nowhere, Arriving Everywhere / D-Leria

Credits:

Artist: D-Leria / @giuseppe_di_leria
Interview: Gianmaria Garofalo / @gianmaria.garofalo
Editor: Anca Macavei / @ancamacavei

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