Episode 034 & Pisa, Italy based Roberto Bartolini (@roberto-bartolini), interview below:

BSV: Hi Roberto! As listeners, we can assume that you are a very experienced DJ. Is that true?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: Hi, thanks for hosting me in the BSV series, I am very happy! I don't know if I can say I have a great experience, for sure I have a solid base. I started mixing when I was sixteen, seventeen years old with Technics sl-1200 turntables and after a short time I started working as a DJ in clubs in the middle of the Adriatic coast having been born in San Benedetto del Tronto. I followed this path until I started my university studies (quite late). Two years ago during the lockdown period due to the Covid pandemia I bought a professional console, headphones, two speakers and USB sticks. And here I am!

BSV: Your transitions are just perfect. Tell us more about M series on SoundCloud.
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: Thanks so much for your appreciation on my transitions. The "M" in my series on Soundcloud stands for Master. When I was working in discos in the 80s/early 90s, it was common - and I did too - to duplicate a master magnetic tape with a Teac double cassette recorder for those who requested it. I used to call the matrix tapes "Master", as I do now keeping the initial... I have just passed 50 sets of my series, normally I release every two weeks on Thursday nights. I use the decks, mixer, equalizer and synchro (when it works) to mix without any other effect. I must say that technology today helps for many things. Seeing the track allows me to design an hour-long set in a very short time, I can pin down in some sort of language how the mixes should be done, this allows me to have myself an experience as a listener: the vinyl record is a black object, the possible attachment points are not actually visible, you have to know where they are and you have to count the beats of the musical turn which, depending on the genre, may not be too easy to remember; and finally also to know so much about the mixes to perform that once the master tape is produced I can no longer listen to it... and then the possibility of making some mistakes is always around the corner.

BSV: Lyrics come through your tapes. You are a VOX superfan?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: Well yes, I like the voice as an instrument, not all, but for example the penultimate track in this session is sung by Lauren L'aimant, who has a very nice voice, I am amazed how such an emotional track can be produced with just a few notes and a single voice.

BSV: It’s not hard to notice that your covers are quite interesting. Are you a graphic designer?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: No, I am not a graphic designer. Initially I was looking for the cover images simply by association, starting from the favorite track of the set, I searched images using google by continuing to follow links in a sort of situationist drift until I found the right image for me at that moment. From a certain point onwards, in order to give a stylistic continuity to the images, I started to choose the covers from an modern art site, choosing emerging authors in general but also some established ones.

BSV: Have you ever thought about going into music production?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: No, I do not think I have the ability. In my opinion to make music, although electronic music, you must have a minimal musical background.

BSV: In situation where you have to choose, would you rather pick progressive or deep house sound?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: I prefer [Melodic] Deep House, especially with very low sounds and slightly disturbing low frequencies, the third to last track (@bakkalive) is an example of this type of sound.

BSV: Where can we hear your mixes in live. Are you a resident of a club?
ROBERTO BARTOLINI: No, I am not. Hopefully one day, I am only 56, it's never too late.... <3

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