Interview with Sera J

We spoke with Dimitris, also known as Sera J, a 28-year-old Greek who currently resides in Thessaloniki (Greece). He has had the opportunity to share the booth with artists such as Stef Mendesidis, Ben Klock and Dax J. And he has even published on labels such as Planet Rhythm and Mutual Rytm.

He will perform for the first time in Spain with Beat Club and the collective OX Techne the next Saturday, September 23 in Madrid.

At what point in your life did electronic music come into your life?

At a very young age, I was listening to different styles of music, especially House, and around 2006 I started exploring electronic music in different forms, such as House, Ambient, Electronic, Tech House and then Techno.

From your first work to your latest, how would you describe your evolution? On a musical level, what factors have influenced you and what have you had to eliminate to get to where you are now?

It's a big evolution and improvement. Every day that passes is a new day and a new opportunity to discover something new. I improve myself every day in terms of production, but not only that! I improve in everything. I explore new influences, new sounds and new ideas. A big influence for me is the people around me. People who love me and support me give me strength to keep going. The only thing you have to get rid of to find yourself is the fear of not doing something good. Everyone has their own path!

Who have been your references in terms of labels, DJs and producers?

My basic musical influences come from the sounds of Detroit and all the artists who have left a great legacy in electronic music, such as Jeff Mills, Mad Mike – Undeground Resistance, Derrick May, to name a few. I love Gaetano Parisio, Dj Bone, Ben Sims, Robert Hood & Floorplan and also The Advent, Stef Mendesidis and many others.

«I think an artist should be open to listening to different styles of music, be open-minded. Everyone influences you differently and without limits!»

How would you describe your sound?

Powerful basslines with Detroit nuances and sometimes with tribal elements and Hardgroove style. Definitely with a 90s and 00s spirit.

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What is your latest published work and under which label?

My latest published work is my topic «Funk» published in Burned At Both Ends, a label run by Habgud. It's actually one of my favorites and a very old track of mine and I'm really happy that it's finally coming out.

In your opinion, which of all your works are the most notable? Could you review some of your songs and which labels have they been published under?

It's hard to single out one as the best… you know… because they're all my babies! I was definitely really happy when I released my first record on Planet Rhythm's Unknown series and I was really excited when I was part of Federation of Rytm II on Mutual Rytm. But overall I'm super proud of all my tracks and all the labels I've collaborated with.

This is the first time you're going to perform in Spain in collaboration with BEAT Club and OX Techne, a collective specialising in vinyl sound. How do you feel about this? What are you preparing for this moment?

I'm super happy to be able to perform in Spain. I love this country in general! I'm looking forward to sharing my passion with the Spanish audience. I'm preparing a super energetic set with a lot of my new music!

Do you think music can influence a person's values, way of living and how they see life?

«Music is an essential aspect of all human civilizations and has the power to affect society emotionally, morally and culturally. Music, as a cultural right, can help promote and protect other human rights. It can help in the healing process, the dismantling of walls and borders, reconciliation and education.»

«We all know that exposure to the beauty, rhythm and harmony of music significantly influences how we feel. We also know that music impacts us emotionally, reaching forgotten memories and connecting us with ourselves»

In our everyday experience with music, we use it to relax, express ourselves, accept our emotions and generally improve our well-being.

“It has evolved into a tool for healing and self-expression, often dictating how we, as individuals, take action to influence society.”

That is why I firmly believe that music, in any of its forms, has great importance in our lives.

So far, what do you think has been your most remarkable performance? Who did you share the booth with?

I went resident in many projects that were carried out in my city for more than 12 years, so I had the opportunity to share a booth with some of the most talented international artists such as Stef Mendesidis, Ben Klock, Jonas Kopp, Dax J, Paal (Voitax), Keith Carnal, Setaoc Mass, Paula Temple, Axel Karakasis, JudaƩ, SNTS, to name a few.

I think all my performances They are remarkable to me because each time I have had something to learn and I have had a great time in all of them.

https://soundcloud.com/mutual-rytm/sets/various-artists-federation-1?si=e6c7c33d2d524fccacfee1ef9d187886&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

At Basspirit Magazine we love to ask our interviewees about their musical tastes. What music do you listen to when you're not into electronic music?

I listen to many different types of music! I love hip hop, disco, 80s and 90s songs, and also ambient and classical music!

Where in the world do you think the scene is starting to gain momentum? Where do you think the trend is heading?

I think the scene is a bit split up now. On one hand, I'm really happy that hardgroove is coming back with so many good artists producing and playing sounds from the past. Also real techno and all-time classic sounds are here, deeply rooted in many artists trying to keep this legacy alive and improve the scene. Labels like Hardgroove, Mutual Rytm, Symbolism, Blueprint, Klockworks, Token, Projects, Clergy, etc. try to maintain a classic sound of yesteryear in techno that I personally love.

On the other hand, trance, psytrance, BPM higher and 90's baggy neon style seem to be making inroads more and more. Even progressive is no longer a dirty word with DJs playing progressive house style tracks.

I think that during Covid everyone was under a lot of pressure and that is reflected in club music today. Also, after the horror of the last few years, everyone wants to party and maybe isn't so carried away by the nihilistic vibes of EBM punk. So, after Covid, I see that the Hard style and higher BPMs are getting more and more attention nowadays.

There have been many changes after the pandemic. I would say that these changes have been good in some aspects and bad in others.

During this period, new scenes developed and it also feels like many teenagers, who are now old enough to date, did not live their adolescence the way it should have been. The situation is very similar to that of the 90s: very specific subgenres such as jungle, techno, he tech, trance or the hard acid are back. While these are old sounds, some newer producers have given them a new twist with improved production.

Social media, including platforms like YouTube, Tik Tok or Instagram, have also made it easier for music fans, artists and record labels to immediately access music. I think this is the main reason why we are in a period where electronic music, and techno in particular, has become part of mainstream culture.

So the new generations that came to clubs after the pandemic had heard about techno through social media, but they had never been to a club and they were listening to that genre at home, maybe coming from hard dance, or hardcore or ravey happy hardcore. So, they burst into a club and they want to listen to stuff that's 100 miles an hour because they haven't heard anything different. That's why I think the Hard style has gained more attention in the last few years.

Of course, everything is accepted and today the scene is more open-minded than ever. Music has no limits. And that's how it should be. No limits, all together, no racism and more respect for each other, musically and personally.