Hey Orik, can you give us a brief introduction of yourself?
Hey, I’m 41 year old music enthusiast (and nerd, to be honest) that goes to great extents to give discover new music and play unforgettable DJ sets. I do my best to bring people to an elevated and happy state and give them some escapism from the crazy reality of this world.
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into music and DJing?
As a child in the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s I was obsessed with radio. I loved music like my life depended on it. As I grew older I realized how much time I dedicated to music specifically around the time my parents got divorced, when I was 13.
I remember recording all the newest songs on tapes, then spending all my allowance on CDs. I played them during breaks on the massive speakers my school had, blasting everything from club trance and progressive house to 90’s mainstream.
I went clubbing with older kids at high school, and later organized parties with good friends of mine during and after my university years – that’s where I started DJing myself. Birthdays, house parties, bars, clubs, big parties, no opportunity to put myself out there was to be missed.
Who are your biggest musical influences? How have these influences shaped your sound and approach to music selection and set build up?
I have had many musical influences at different life stages. Being very curious and open, I go down a rabbit hole looking for new music that would suite my needs at every stage. This journey led me to the discovery of some of my biggest influences.
Names that come to my mind are Alice in Chains, Astral Projection, Kerri Chandler, Chic, Air, Larry heard and King Crimson. Just a few out of so many.
I intentionally chose artists that are different from one another. The way I see it, what connects all these influences, at least for me, is the emotional aspect. A melody, a vibe, a feeling, sensitivity… They struck that chord in me that makes music such an essential part of who I am, despite not being a musician myself.
All of this is strongly reflected in the music I play nowadays, how I construct my sets or even in how I behave and appear behind the DJ booth.
I have been through a lot in the last decade, having moved from Israel to Berlin in 2014. I have 2 children, the younger of which has Down Syndrome. Through a lot of self work, books and positive content I built self confidence and developed a hopeful and optimistic character.
All those emotions and beauty of my influences come together to construct an uplifting and positive message in my DJ persona. I may be playing mostly House and Disco music, but these influences are constantly there at the back of my mind all the time, regardless of genre.
What has been a highlight of your career so far? And what was the worst job you ever had?
It might be somewhat surprising, but my highlights are not related to crowd size or to the venue I’m playing. I like small and intimate events, and one of my fondest moments was at Repeat Bar in Kreuzberg. Late at night I played an Edit by the legend that is Karizma of a song called “All This Love” by DeBarge. I always think of my wife when I hear it as it is such a good description of what she is to me.
The first lyrics: “I had some problems and no one could seem to solve them. But you found the answer, you told me to take this chance and learn the ways of love”.
I got so emotional as it was playing… I danced with my eyes closed, feeling deeply blissful. It’s moments like this that make DJing so special for me. I opened my eyes and saw the way people looked at me, and I knew that they know :) This is the kind of connection I seek, it is simply magical.
One of the most frustrating DJ experiences was in Israel back in 2013. It was the last party my friends and I organized, in a beautiful location by the river. We were keen on changing our musical direction and make the whole thing more underground at once, a sudden change from our previous party – obviously a mistake. I ended up playing to a crowd that was there for something completely different. Meeting the gazes of many people that turned impatient despite me doing my best to satisfy them. Not a pleasant experience.
That event was a colossal failure, and at the same time a very educational experience. I regret nothing.
What is the biggest challenge you face as a DJ? What do you do to overcome it?
I am confident in my craft and love the feedback I get when I DJ. I keep getting asked where I play and how come I do not get booked more often.
The thing I struggle with the most is all the work that needs to be done to promote myself, to put myself out there and get myself noticed. To get booked, one needs to go out often, attend the venues you wish to DJ at, create connections and a network. Every weekend, week in and week out. Along comes social media, where you need a strong presence and an ongoing stream of content to make yourself a name and increase awareness, just like any other business. I can not get these things higher on my priority list, as much as I would love getting booked more often and spread my message to a lager crowd.
Self employment, family and tending to a child with special needs is a lot to handle. I give it all I have, and the same goes for every DJ gig I am privileged to play. All the rest comes lower on my priorities for obvious reasons.
My way of overcoming the frustration this causes (and it does, not gonna lie….) is reminding myself as often as I need – these are the choices I made and I accept them wholeheartedly. My Life’s situation is one of the main reasons my DJ sets are what they are, I believe it makes me unique. I can not think of another way to better present myself and everything I am about. Every time I get to play music for people it is a privilege that I embrace. Sometimes it happens more often, sometimes less. Either way I give it all I have and know that it is always a step forward. Nothing is bigger than the music.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music? And what would you be doing if you weren’t a DJ?
My sound is generally happy and is biased towards old school sounds. I love the electronic and high energy disco era from the beginning of the 80’s with all its extravagance and combine it with a lot of 90’s house music, predominantly (but not only) American. I play mostly vocal music and know many of the lyrics by heart.
With time I realized that these lyrics carry a common message that is always hopeful, inspirational and romantic. I love seeing couples getting closer and am happy it happens so often when I DJ.
If I were not DJing I would have dedicated more time to arrange meetings of parents of kids with special needs. Very quickly after becoming one myself had I realized what a strong an essential need us parents have. One day this too will happen.
Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re working on?
I am compiling tracks to record a set that would be very nostalgic for me, progressive house a minimal from the end of the 2000’s or so. I was very much into that music back then, especially the borderline between progressive house and progressive trance. Artists like Ticon and Vibrasphere are a good example.
What do you do when your equipment fails?
The situation is only as bad as you project it to be. Shit happens and when it does, especially in a club setting, it is not because of the DJ – if you’ve been DJing long enough, you’ve been in this situation. Keeping cool and composed is the right strategy. Take the time to fix the problem and get the required help, but smile and talk to people at the same time. That’s always a good idea.
What do you think is the most important music equipment invention of all time – and why?
The most important music invention must be the sound recorder. First it was some weird instrument made for learning musical patterns, later came the gramophone.
Before that, consuming and listening to music was not nearly as an everyday obvious thing as it is now. Given I am so used to listening and experiencing music, without being able to listen to it on demand, everything would have looked totally different for all of us music lovers. Recorded audio literally changed the world.
What advice would you give to someone trying to make it as a DJ?
The first advice I would give anyone in any industry is, and especially DJs – be patient. Consistency and practice go a very long way and it’s not the peaks of your career that make up most of your time, but the path you walk on to get there. Make sure you enjoy that time because the peaks are just momentarily.
Practice as much as you can (it is always more than you think), get yourself out there and don’t try to please others. Most importantly – keep shaping your sound and discovering new music. That’s the most fun aspect for me.
