interview by MAREK BARTEK

Founding father of Slovenian electronic scene UMEK went from organizing illegal raves to being a global techno legend. Performing everywhere from Berlin’s underground to the biggest techno stages worldwide, UMEK is also a producer dominating Beatport’s charts, mainly through his imprint 1605. He co-founded Viberate, a music-tech startup, and tirelessly continues to produce and make new music for three decades. 

You are considered to be the person who kickstarted the electronic music scene in Slovenia. Can you tell us more about this whole journey? 
It’s been an amazing journey because when I started, there were not many enthusiasts like me. It was just a small group of people that I hung out with, and we decided to become DJs and producers. It was so special in the beginning because we felt like we were starting something new and we really did. I’m super proud of us making this decision so many years ago, and that I’m still going on after thirty years.

What attracted you about electronic music so much that it became your passion and full-time job?
Coming from Slovenia, which is an ex-Yugoslavian, communist country, there was barely any foreign music and even less electronic music. So when we finally got the satellite TV, I managed to hear some house and rave stuff on the party zone on MTV, and this is when I had that wow moment. I knew this was something that was fresh and unique and just different. That’s what attracted me and it still does to this day.

On December 22nd, you played at one of Slovenia’s most famous clubs KURZSCHLUSS celebrating its 10th anniversary. Can you tell us about this event, how it all came together and what was the celebration like for you?
The thing is, I’ve worked with KURZSCHLUSS since the beginning, so it’s kind of my home base in Slovenia. I love to work with them they’re always super professional. Definitely the best organization in Slovenia. We started many years ago, and so for the anniversary I thought of doing something special, since it truly was a special night. First of all, we were sold out. There was a huge crowd, a huge venue, I was surrounded by amazing DJs who have supported me for a really long time, and I prepared a set that I had never played before. It was a combination of old and new. More than half of the tracks were my biggest hits from 2006 to this day. I added some a-capellas on top of it and I also played some old stuff in the new version. I think it was one of a kind. I’ll probably never play a set like that, but then again it was made specially for that night.

You are one of the most in-demand performers out there, traveling a lot and playing in many different places. What are some standout moments or unique experiences you’ve experienced while performing?
It would be super unfair to mention just a few because I play in great venue settings on a weekly basis. I do enjoy big events like KURZSCHLUSS but I also enjoy small, intimate clubs. If I’m being honest, I usually don’t care where I play. As long as there’s a lot of people cheering for me and having a great time, that’s what truly matters. That’s why I do what I do. It’s that energy I get from people, the energy from the club and experience, the togetherness. That’s what I’m looking for. 

Besides being a DJ, you are also a celebrated producer. Could you walk us through your creative process? How do you balance your time between DJing and producing music?
I usually DJ during the weekends and during the weekdays I am in the studio almost every day. My process is slightly different now because before I was always doing the beats and then putting melodies on top of it, which was quite hard. These days, I’m searching for the hook. It can be a vocal hook or just something super unique as a rhythm section and stuff like that. Once I’ve found a good idea, I build around it. It is a fresher approach to what I used to do.

Tracks from your label 1605 often top Beatport’s charts. How do you perceive the role of your label in shaping the electronic music landscape, and what do you think sets your productions apart?
I mean, I think that I have good ideas around my tracks, and that’s exactly what I aim to bring to my label. I look for functional tracks. So mostly I check the track and then ask myself: “Would I play this track?” If the answer is yes then I go on ticking other boxes of “does it have a good sound” or “does it have a good idea,” and if the answer is still yes, then I sign it. I don’t care who made the track.

I’ve got demos from really big artists, which business-wise would’ve been smart for me to sign, but I’ve declined because it’s just not something that I play. And this is how I’ve been doing it my whole career. I would rather sign a track by an unknown artist that I really love and sell less than to sign a big artist with not as good a track as I would hope so.

I make it sound really simple but I listen to the track a lot of times in the studio, check the functionality, check the ideas and all this stuff. But in a nutshell, this is how I do it.

After 25 years of your music experience, you’ve decided to co-found a music-tech startup Viberate. Can you tell us more about this platform? 
Vibrate is a music data company. The idea started when me and my management realized there is not proper data about music in our business, because back in the day, you could just say: “This DJ is good.” It was only mouth to mouth with no real data to back up the success. So, if you wanted to be successful back then, it was a lot of field work. You had to have a management, which would go to all the parties, talk to people, do hangouts, duties and you had to travel a lot for these things. My crew didn’t like traveling and so, we tried gathering data to actually get the proper results. This is how we started, and in a big part what we still do to this day. 

Your career in music spans over 3 decades. How have you seen the electronic music scene evolve, and what trends or changes do you find most notable?
The scene definitely changed, especially after COVID and it’s crazy. I think that the new generation doesn’t see us, OGs  or the guys who have been here from the beginning, anymore. We’re getting old, and it’s kind of hard for young people to relate to us.

It doesn’t surprise me, but I just had a thought about it a few weeks ago. When I started, there were five DJs who were kind of gatekeepers, but not in a bad way. They were: Carl Cox, Sven Väth, Richie Hawtin, Dave Clark and Jeff Mills; and basically they were keeping standards of what DJing and techno is all about. I thought it was a little bit unfair back then but there was one good consequence of all this. These guys really knew their business, and they didn’t want to be associated with hype or something that was popular and not high quality, and so the quality was always there.

Right now because there is no quality control per se, I think our business is flooded with fakers and stuff that doesn’t belong to our scene. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I miss those guys. I really do. And I know I sound like a jaded raver or DJ but it breaks my heart. At the same time, I do understand that whining about it will not change anything. The only thing I can do is make better music and hopefully inspire those who still look for the quality and not just the not just the looks.

As mentioned before, you have quite a busy schedule DJing, producing and building Viberate. Are there any exciting projects in the making you can share with us that we can be looking forward to?
Just to clarify, I am co-founder of Vibrate, but I don’t have a specific role there anymore. I don’t go to the office or anything like that. I do enjoy the company of founders and friends of mine, and we talk about visions and future plans but I mostly listen to their great ideas, without being physically involved. 

I’m completely, completely focused on production and DJing. So what you can expect is releasing a lot of good music and hopefully playing at some really cool festivals this year. That has always been the plan that hasn’t changed, even after thirty years.

photography by:
ŽIGA INTIHAR
ŽIGA KALAN