There is a tendency within modern electronica to pigeonhole and categorise, to package music into easily digestible formulae. In direct revolt comes Dutch artist Satori and his new album Dreamin’ Colours, released globally April 22nd, 2022, on renowned imprint Crosstown Rebels.
Recorded at the esteemed Sonic Vista Studios in Ibiza, the nine-track LP has been greatly anticipated off the back of its proceedings singles: Yellow Blue Bus ft. Laska, Lalai ft. Ariana Vafadari and most recently Gin Song.
An ethereal, swirling body of work, Dreamin’ Colours is rich in texture, colour and imagination. Satori stretches himself out through languorous, mystical explorations of both the digital and the analogue elements of music, the result of a beautifully conspired collection of world music, steeped in electronic and Balkan roots, and straddling a multitude of genres from blues and indie electronic to opera, folk and beyond.
Time for a chat with the master himself.
Connect with Satori on Soundcloud | Facebook | Beatport
Hey hey, first of all, welcome and congrats on your fantastic album “Dreamin’ Colours”.
How are things going these days?
I’m great! I’m happy that the album is coming out and that the world is becoming normal again.
Summer is coming up. If there is a summer for touring artists that go around the world. How is your schedule nowadays? Anything particular show you are looking forward to?
I’m based in Europe mostly so for me it really feels like the summer is coming and I can’t wait! I’m super excited to have a residency again at Ibiza it will be every Thursday from June till October at Club Chinois (formerly known as Heart). Besides this, I am really looking forward to playing the legendary Dance Arena at Exit Festival this year. This is such a dream come true.
Last year we enjoyed your set at Voodoo Village a lot. Such a great atmosphere in that forest. Will you be back this year?
I LOVED that show, it was such an amazing vibe, the people were amazing, and it was one of my highlights of last year.
Unfortunately, I’m not able to make it back to the festival but something special might be coming up.
Unbelievable, but I am sure there are readers who haven’t heard your music How would you describe your style and the key elements that define it?
To be honest, I always struggle with this, there is no classic genre that it falls under as I’m inspired by so many genres. But the closest it would come I think is Electronic World Music.
Let’s talk a bit about your release. Nine tracks in total. Did you have an idea in mind or do you somehow experiment and saw what’s coming? Or was it all planned out?
It wasn’t planned at all actually, but covid happened and I was hitting a creative sweet spot which resulted in a lot of output.
Once I decided to pour this all into one project I choose to record it all in the same style at Sonic Vista Studios and to have all the sounds inspired by the 70s rock album. So the challenge was to make everything that sounds electronic into analog sounds.
How did you break it down to come to these 9 tracks?
I was spending a lot of time in Ibiza and that’s also where this album is recorded. During this period I loved to go on long hikes and I would always listen to all the tracks and try to make the perfect composition. So I had to scrap a few and add a few but now it feels like a balanced body of art that I’m really proud of.
Tell us about the collaborations on the album. The vocals are fantastic. How did that work out? All together in the studio or did you record first and have the vocalist sing it in?
I’m so lucky to be joined by these amazing vocalists and the process really differs per track. For instance, Moj Dilbre is a classic Balkan song and I really wanted to record my version of it. So, I was in Belgrade to head into the studio for some recordings and whilst I’m out for dinner in the evening I hear this incredible street musician performing Moj Dilbre, I was a fan right away. So, he ended up coming to the studio and we recorded this version.
But other vocalists like Ariana Vafadari and Hugo Oak have been long time favourites of mine and we are constantly exchanging music. Then my favourite surprise was that my girlfriend Karina joined me on Yellow Blue Bus and it became a duet, this one is really special for me.
Satori’s Dreamin’ Colours is available on Beatport.
Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity. You must have your idea about it seeing all the collaborations on the album.
For me, it’s a great way to get inspiration and I love to get other points of view on my music. Sometimes it works the other way around where I hear something and immediately know what I would do with this song.
Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?
This is such a hard question because I have so many and it also change day by day or by the mood I’m in. But today I would say my heroes are Tinariwen, Peter Gabriel and Mercedes Sossa.
And when it comes to your field, producing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?
I get inspiration from all genres. I love the in-depth interviews that Rick Rubin does, and I really liked the latest Kanye documentary. Also, I was watching a documentary about the process of writing and producing an opera last night and that also fully inspired me, so I’m really open to getting inspiration.
One last question. About travelling! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do – I’d love to know what are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels.
Travel is the catalyst for my inspiration, but not always because I’m experiencing music from around the world but mainly because of art. One of my biggest inspirations comes from paintings, so when in Paris I always go to the amazing museums to enjoy and get new ideas.
Thank you.
Credits for the hero image: © Bastiaan Woudt – www.bastiaanwoudt.com
