Congorockin' Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur

From underground phenomenon to emerging star of the world’s biggest dance floors: the hottest fresh face of international dance music hails from Italy: Congorock aka Rocco Rampino.

Rocco Rampino, also known as Congorock, was born in the Italian province of Lecce in 1983. He passed through Forli and Milan before settling permanently in Los Angeles, where he lives and produces music. This rising star possesses a rare combination of instinct and technique – he’ll play any instrument you give him, generally very well.

In only two years, with the single Babylon, the remix of “Somebody to Love” (Boy George/Mark Ronson), and “One” (Swedish House Mafia), Rocco Rampino has earned the respect of the most famous names in the game, like David Guetta at the legendary Cocoricò of Riccione where he recently shared the console:

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But first thing’s first. The story begins with the hardcore punk scene of the late 90s. It was mysterious, not even well known amongst followers of underground rock. But it was rich with talented, creative minds that exploded onto the scene with diverse bands. One was La Quiete (The Quiet), which, thanks to Rocco’s melodic, rock guitar riffs, became known around the world as screamo.

But Rocco’s passion for dance music led him to leave the handful of bands in which he was playing. He threw himself into it, first mixing vinyl records – he took to it quickly, effortlessly – and then he started producing tracks. This was when Italian electro house blew up, with the Crookers and the Bloody Beetroots leading the way. Rocco worked with both, as well as with Blatta & Inesha. After that, Congorock went out on his own.

What cemented his reputation were the dance parties. Rocco spun with a unique energy around the world, pumping 130 bpm electro, fidget and ghetto house. He ventured into frontiers like Latin America and Africa, always on the lookout for the new hottest place.

Then, LA.

No longer the young Italian newcomer on the electro scene, Congorock has come into his own as a producer with an unmistakable flair and a deejay that handles large clubs and festivals. On his music, he said, “Over the past two years I have been playing in larger contexts, like outdoor festivals and raves. I’ve realized that my music has a lot of potential outside the club. So I’m trying to combine my underground soul with my “big room” heart, which inevitably leads to epic and intense tracks.”