Based in London, Sunni D aka Daniel spends most of his time on the radio airwaves, backpacking around his hometown armed and ready with the finest feel-good selections for his respective monthly shows on @loose.fm, @voices_radio and @brixtonradiolive. In the past, he has also done shows for @threadsradio, performed at Spiritland, and supported the likes of John Morales and Kirollus. His reverence for uplifting dance music encompasses retro disco, funk and soul from all corners of the globe, persistently delving into genres such as zouk, soca, brazilian and rare disco, as well as the more hard-hitting sounds of Brazilian house and UK breakbeat.
Outside of DJing, he is a co-producer at @brixtonradiolive and member of Discothèque Tropicale, an events collective and creative platform composed of mates and fellow selectors, JOSHFB and Matty S & Sultani that centres on all kinds of eclectic, soulful and euphoric dance music from across the globe.
Show some love, follow 👉 @sunni.d__
Each week we will be taking a dip into the crates and minds of some of the digging scenes most prolific collectors.
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First record purchase and where you bought it?
“I was on holiday with my family in Lancaster, and stumbled across a small, discreetly hidden record stall tucked away within this bustling market. I remember feeling this sense of exhilaration and nervousness sifting through and selecting records, worried if I was handling them wrong whilst also fumbling on my phone to get a preview of the ones I had picked out, which were Freda Payne’s 1979 LP, “Hot”, and a 12” by Combo Moderna titled, “Mambossa 72” from 2004. Since that point onwards, it sparked both my love of disco and house as well as crate digging.”
What is it about vinyl that makes you dig it?
“It’s the specialness of owning a physical copy of the music I cherish that makes me dig. I like the idea that my records are like individual time capsules into my life and the kind of music I was into at a certain point. Not only that, but it’s the excitement and possibility of what’s tucked away within them. I love the adrenaline of discovering a gorgeous sax or piano solo at the tail-end of a track that I never usually gave the time of day, or accidentally leaving the record to play and discovering an entirely new track I had never heard before and then proceeding to fall in love with it. Those unpredictable moments keep me digging for sure!”
Name a song to soundtrack the sunshine…
“I’d have to pick “Slow Motion Love” by Leigh Summers. It’s this fantastic bubblegum pop
track from South Africa, with beautiful synths and gorgeous vocals, a perfect fit for a sunny day.”
What’s one thing people don’t know about you?
“Back when I first started DJing, I played for 10 hours straight and live-streamed it from my university bedroom in Manchester to raise money for the charity, Mind. At that point, the longest I had ever played for was an hour and was barely able to put a recorded mix together, so it was an incredibly daunting prospect to DJ for so long and on camera, but I knew I wanted to push myself and do something for a good cause. I am so grateful for how many people tuned in and donated, and so proud to have raised just over £1000. It’s one of my proudest achievements :)”
What is one of your favourite pieces of sleeve art and why?
“Pat and Pats – ‘Tobago’.
I love the colour palette and how intricate the details of the rainforest are. It really matches
the warmth of the track and its tropical vibe!”
