SATORI
Its all about balance
Satori's got the world in his hand. Literally, the Nijmegen based producer doesn't only deliver the most contagious dance gems, but knows how to incorporate musical influences from all over the world. Next to his collaboration with techno producer El Mundo he's now also showcasing this as a solo artist, a path the self-educated purebred musician simply was destined to follow.
The love for organic music was always in his blood. Long before he made it big as half of techhouse duo El Mundo & Satori the young Djordje Petrovic already explored the jazz, afrobeat, balkan and world music. Influences that regularly emerged in productions by the pair, with the releases they presented since 2009 the Dutch techno scene definitely gained an innovative new sound.
For Petrovic it was never a matter of experiment. Raised by a Serbian father and South African mother it was only logical the balkan- and afrobeats would forever nest themselves in his musical dna. As soon as he started producing music himself they appeared naturally.
First there was the jazz, again a sound that got played a lot in the Petrovic household. It resulted in the young Djordje to teach himself how to play guitar at the tender age of 12. He started experimenting with melodies, when he was 18 he also taught himself how to play piano. An autodidact par excellence, without any experience with bands or any musical training he made his first songs on his own. Still as a hobby, though, but definitely a harbinger of something bigger.
That next stap came round 2007 when Petrovic plunged into club music. Now a 24 year old techno and (deep)house were his guide, meanwhile still fed by the musical experiments since his youth. To perfect his sound he started taking lessons with a jazz pianist, the melodies got better shaped, hobby became craftsmanship.
The cooperation with producer Pim van der Burgt aka El Mundo resulted in a series of successfull clubhits. As said, their sound literally broke borders, worldly influences found their way to the dancefloor through a couple of stunning tracks. There were gigs in clubs like Doornroosje, Studio 80 and AIR as well as renowned events like Awakenings, Emporium, Rockit Open Air and Welcome to the Future.
"Together with El Mundo it's always about one thing: will this work on the dancefloor?", says Petrovic about the collab. "However I noticed I also liked to produce the more organic, downtempo stuff. Just music outside that dance framework, with the same influences as the songs I made in the early days. I don't know how to label it exactly, but it fits me, completes me as a producer."
And turns out to be an excellent balance with the music by El Mundo & Satori, Petrovic stresses. The work with Pim van der Burgt still plays a vital role in his musical life, even if it was only for the pure satisfaction a dancefloor in ecstasy can provide.
But as a counterweight for that energy there's now the more personal side of Satori. Hypnotic rhythms and melodies reflect his deeper side, while jazz, oriental, balkan and African music, which gave him his first eyeopeners a long time ago, all contribute their part. Meanwhile the music remains minimal and electronic, the phrase 'listening techno' gets a new twist.
With debut album In To Void Satori underlines his talent. Released on Bla Bla Records, the constantly growing imprint by Daniel Sanchez that also brought El Mundo & Satori their biggest successes, both producer and label show themselves from a completely different side.
Groundbreaking in the most literal sense, but just as well a cleansing experience for Djordje Petrovic himself. Because both club music as well as organic sounds fit this talented producer. Place present and past next to each other and Satori seems to be more in balance than ever before.