Podcast
Tsuruta
Episode 09For the 9th episode of Abracadaba Radio, I'm super happy to host Ramy Tsuruta.
Ramy Tsuruta, a DJ and producer of Japanese and Lebanese descent, crafts an enigmatic sonic odyssey that transcends earthly borders. Influenced by the pulsating energies of Beirut, Budapest, Tokyo, and Berlin, his music is a seamless alchemy of diverse elements, merging with a fluidity that feels otherworldly yet deeply grounded.
From a young age, Tsuruta was captivated by the hum of his father’s analog machinery, a hidden realm where he found resonance with the warm, tactile sounds of the past. This connection forged his distinct style, where echoes of 80s/90s electro, techno, new beat, and house drift effortlessly through his sets, like ghostly transmissions from distant musical landscapes.
In 2019, Tsuruta conjured DeepEndOfThePool, a collective and record label that acts as a portal for fellow sonic explorers. This mystic gathering point, for artists and listeners alike, is fueled by a shared obsession with unraveling the hidden depths of electronic music, where boundaries blur and new worlds emerge.
Hey Ramy, thanks for doing this! How’s life treating you these days? Been a busy year so far?
I’m doing well. It’s been a really big year for me—I was super busy with the upcoming label, doing/listening/digging to a lot of music, I moved to a new city... but also a lot of personal changes that shaped my year.
I learned to set boundaries with some people around me and did my best to avoid as much toxicity as possible. Overall, I’m really grateful for life and looking forward to what’s next.
I’ve heard you grew up around your dad’s old analog gear—what’s a memory from back then that really stuck with you?
Piano was probably the instrument I heard most at home — it’s something he inherited from his parents. My dad had a band when he was young and worked as a producer, often playing live with his friends. He also curated and created music for Buddha Bar, so I grew up surrounded by stacks of CDs and lounge records.
His SH-101 was probably my favourite gear that he owned 🙂
Do you remember the first record you ever bought for yourself? And do you still get that same feeling when you find a record that you absolutely love?
When I was young, I collected a lot of CDs—everything from 50 Cent and Eminem to Depeche Mode, jazz records, and Japanese music. To sum it up, a wide range of sounds that still speak to me today. I don’t remember every single one I bought, but there are two I clearly remember picking up a drum and bass record that i played at the wrong speed and another one that is a hip hop ish/ breakbeat record. Both of those are Precious records that I really, really liked.
Later on, when I was living in Budapest, I had a Sunday routine at Hintalo Bar (https://www.hintalobar.com/), playing from 7 to midnight. It was a very interesting period for me where I learned and play a lot. It was more about listening vibes than dancing—so that’s where I started collecting a lot of downtempo, future jazz, and leftfield records.
I’m lucky to travel, so I’m mostly digging physically. That’s what I love—the feeling is real. You get to flip through the records, hold them, see the covers in person, and even learn about the music while chatting with the record shop owners. That’s what keeps me going every day: the endless quest to discover more records.
Being half Japanese and half Lebanese, do you feel your background shows up in the way you pick or listen to music?
I’d say the Lebanese side makes me drawn to tribal or percussive elements in a track—the kind of rhythms that feel grounded and physical. From the Japanese side, I’m drawn to ambient and experimental sounds, textures, and atmospheres. Both sides influence the way I pick and listen to music.
Berlin’s such a crazy place for DJs—how has living here changed your approach to your music?
So much is happening in the scene here, but for me, Libertine really stands out—they’re stepping things up. I feel like more people are coming together, collaborating, and it’s amazing to see such a high level of creativity and collaboration. It’s really inspiring in a lot of ways
Sometimes you throw vocals into your sets—what’s the vibe you’re going for when you do that?
FDG was doing this a lot in his previous sets, and that really inspired me—it showed me it’s possible to play tracks with strong vocals, which add a lot of meaning. In podcasts or slower sets, vocals bring an especially powerful layer. On my own sets, I try to do the same: sometimes I add a poem, or I play a record with vocals at the end. It’s such an amazing way to close a set, and I never get tired of it.
On the podcast, one track in particular is very special to me. It comes from a Lebanese band—proudly from Lebanon. They unfortunately separated, but their music is incredible, and I’m hoping to release one of their two tracks on my upcoming label.
The song is about love, and part of the lyrics goes: “Enta fen?” — “Where are you?” and “W el hob fen?” — “And where is the love?” The singer uses not only Lebanese Arabic but also Egyptian Arabic, which adds a really sexy dimension to it.
One of the things that makes this podcast so meaningful to me is the chord instrument you hear around 43 minutes—it’s called an Oud Linden. It’s a beautiful instrument, tied closely to my Lebanese influences, and it’s one of the highest and hardest instruments to learn.
You’ve got DeepEndOfThePool going too—what made you start it, and where do you see it going next?
I started in Budapest, when I moved there for my animation studies. At first, I was really focused on the animation program, and I enjoyed it a lot. But gradually, I became more and more inspired by the music scene, which is amazing btw. At the time, there were a lot of illegal raves, and that’s where I got started, organizing and playing at some of them myself.
This project is my baby, and I’ve always aimed to bring it everywhere with me.
Since this mix is for Abracadabra, I’ve gotta ask—what’s your take on “magic” in music? Ever had a moment behind the decks that felt like that?
There are a lot of moments where I’m feeling magic is in the air. But when I’m playing, I’m usually pretty shy, but when I’m looking at the crowd, I feel all those little creatures are beautiful, and this is magic for me.
And to finish on a lighter note—what’s the last thing that really made you smile, or the last time you had a proper dance yourself?
The DJ Tree set I saw two years ago during the Slow Life anniversary at Hoppetosse was a huge slap for me. He’s a very good friend and an incredible DJ. It was both a proper dance and one of those moments that put a huge smile on my face.
Beautiful Freaks is an amazing party series too. They really do proper parties—great sound, thoughtful curation, attention to every detail. It always makes me smile, and I have to admit that so many personally meaningful moments have happened there so…
