Had fun recording this B2B mix with my good friend, https://soundcloud.com/i_vann_essa!

Hailing from Ukraine, Vann Essa is an exceptionally talented DJ who's been making her mark across San Francisco. We played our first live B2B set together at Madarae on 3/29/25, opening for https://soundcloud.com/whoishoax & https://soundcloud.com/autografmusic. I always enjoy B2Bing with Vann Essa, as I often pick up new tricks while watching her transitions and the creative ways she uses effects during buildups. She also always surprises me with tracks I’ve never heard before and I end up discovering tons of new music through her.

While recording this mix, we ran into a technical issue—the cue buttons that let us preview the next track in our headphones weren’t working, and we could not for the life of us figure out how to fix it. We powered through though, picking tracks on the fly without knowing exactly how they’d blend with what was playing. It's moments like these that make DJing feel like you're playing a video game: the challenge of problem-solving in real time while needing to seamlessly keep the vibes going against a ticking clock (i.e. before the current track ends).

Midnight Mix - HAPKI b2b Vann Essa (Afro House)

UPDATE: I TRANSFERRED MY SOUNDCLOUD TO www.soundcloud.com/hapkialex

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HAPKI is a San Francisco-based DJ and producer specializing in afro, progressive, and melodic house. Channeling his past as a US Air Force parachutist and professional skydiver/BASE jumper into his adventurous sound, HAPKI features a curated selection of cutting-edge house music, inspired by his frequent trips to Amsterdam and Albania where his extended family resides.

He has been making his mark across both the local music scene and abroad, from sharing the stage for top artists like The Chainsmokers, Alan Dixon, Maxi Meraki, Estiva (Anjunabeats), Nitefreak, Joezi, Pablo Fierro, Kasango, Eran Hersh, Tim Engelhardt, Nico Morano, Paige, HOAX (BE), and Autograf at legendary San Francisco venues, to spinning sets in Los Angeles, New York City, The Netherlands, Mexico, and Italy.

In addition to DJing, Alex is the cofounder of 2080 Society, a house x techno community for the San Francisco Bay Area.