Continuing our spotlight series called Favourite Finds, we ask some of our favourite DJs, collectors and selectors to tell us the story behind how they came across one of their most cherished records.

For the next instalment, we’ve asked Venice-based DJ and producer Zaffa to give us an insight into a special record from his collection.

Sparked by a love of listening to live mixtapes and radio shows as a child, and with an aunt who owned two important Italian nightclubs located in the province of Venice from the '70s to the '90s, Zaffa has always had a keen interest in musical exploration. It’s a passion that has stayed with him ever since through his DJing and producing, sharing his discoveries and creations with dancefloors across Italy, Europe and beyond. 

"My story is really about how, when you truly desire something, certain records somehow find their way to you in almost magical ways. It’s a story about passion, digging, and stubborn perseverance!

It all started several years ago, when one of my childhood best friends — also a dedicated selector and digger — and I stumbled upon an Italian track that completely blew us away: “Notturnno Italiano”, a song overflowing with soul and emotion.
That single moment kicked off the hunt, and soon we discovered the rare gem behind it: a Mario Acquaviva record, already expensive at the time, by an artist we didn’t even know back then.

I’ve never been the type who loves dropping big money on rare records… especially not in those years, when we were young and our pockets were always pretty light. I prefer finding things in the wild, waiting for the records to come to me! Whether it takes a month or a few years, they eventually show up! And here’s where the magic happens...

A few months later, we drove about a hundred kilometres from home to look through a batch of inherited records piled up in some guy’s garage. He was asking way too much for the entire lot — not worth it — but he let us pick out a handful of pieces. Off to the side was a small crate, and when my friend asked about it, the guy said: “Just some Italian stuff, nothing special”.

My friend flipped through it quickly and didn’t say a word. We walked out, reached the car… and suddenly he burst out laughing, pulling out the Acquaviva record! That lucky bastard! ahaha

Luck like that is rare.. especially with a record as elusive as this one! It had happened to him… and I thought it would never happen to me.

But a few months later, almost unbelievably, a similar scene unfolded. Another garage, this time the records of two brothers’ late father, who used to sell at flea markets.
As soon as we arrived, they told us: “We put the famous artists at €5, and the unknown ones at €1”. Perfect, we thought.. heart eyes and all.

There were thousands of records, and after hours of digging — tired, dusty, and almost ready to give up as the sun was going down — suddenly, there it was: an Acquaviva, right in my trembling hands! We just froze. Neither of us could quite believe it.. destiny had evened things out! For us, it became one of those once-in-a-lifetime digging stories.

And the message is simple: never stop diggin’!
Don’t get discouraged. The world has a funny way of giving back what you put into it.
If you put out positivity, it finds its way back.
If you move through the world with doubt and negativity, it won’t give anything in return.
Believe in the process.. always!"

Big thanks to Zaffa for taking the time out to tell us this story. Be sure to give him a follow on Instagram to keep uptodate with all his goings on.