Artist Spotlight
Dosem is one of the leading Spanish acts shifting the conversation in dance music towards the uplifting late 90s tinged sounds of melodic techno and house. Quickly after his first releases in 2006, he found his footing in melodic house and techno. A quickly-evolving space that seeks to meld the driving pace of techno, the swaying funk of house, and the transcendent melodics of early progressive house into a sound that’s just at home on the beach or poolside as it is on the massive stacks of festivals and in the darkest of clubs. Growing up in the Spanish city of Girona, Dosem had an early opportunity to learn the crucial skill of warming up, a necessary skill (and lost art) for any DJ who hopes to one day rock the headlining slot. He showed early promise for his ability to control a room and secured a residency at one of the bigger local clubs. As his star rose, he effortlessly flowed into his current role as a world-class selector while also producing music back at home. He truly broke out in 2014 with the release of his first album, Origin. Since then, he has become an international DJ, regularly releasing with Anjunadeep and playing on the biggest stages worldwide. You released your first official track back in 2006, many years before you came into the international consciousness as a must-see artist. Although this was your first official track, you surely started DJing and producing before this. Can you tell us about those early years, what you remember of the gigs you were playing back then and how different it was versus now? At that time, I remember my focus was on learning as much as possible and improving on the technical side. I also had the opportunity to be a resident of several clubs, playing many hours in a row. That was a turning point in developing my skills as a DJ and producer. Growing up in Girona, I would guess you didn’t have regular access to touring DJs coming through your hometown to play shows. So how did you first discover electronic music, and what pushed you to dive into the world of becoming an artist? Luckily it was the opposite. In my city, there were two renowned clubs named La Sala del Cel and Blau Club, with weekly programming of international DJs. I was a resident of the second one doing the warm-up for several national and international artists. It was a great meeting point for networking. This is how my professional career began. Being close to Barcelona also made it easy to attend amazing festivals like Sónar, a great music discovery hub. Spain has a rich history of electronic music, from elrow and Florida 135 to the vibrant scene in Barcelona. And of course Ibiza. How do you feel the electronic music scene has changed in Spain throughout your life? Do other cities get overlooked with so much focus on Ibiza? The Spanish electronic music scene has always been very powerful and dynamic. There are fantastic clubs and festivals in different cities with a great trajectory: Ibiza, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Alicante, Granada, Seville, Coruña, Bilbao, and Mallorca. Your output over the years has been tremendous, including multiple albums that have consistently raised your profile. You put out two full-length albums in two years, Origin in 2013 and City Cuts in 2014. What prompted you to put out these lengthy projects back to back? Can you give us some insight into the creative process behind crafting an album versus releasing a single or a short EP? The inspiration for my music always comes from the same essence. I like it to sound futuristic, passionate, and intense. Sometimes more cheerful and other times more melancholy. EPs tend to be more dancefloor-oriented, and in a way, they are like the tip of the iceberg. My albums are the longer story—a way to express my personal and professional turning points translated into music. Do you have any favorite pieces of hardware in the studio or software plugins that you find yourself going to often when producing music? I do everything on my Mac. My setup is quite simple. It stimulates my creativity and makes my workflow much easier on the road. My main tools are Ableton, Native Instruments, UAD, Spire, and Omnisphere. Although the [tools] I trust the most are my ears, experience, and enough humility to continue learning. After releasing City Cuts in 2014, Beatport named you one of their top five techno artists. As mentioned previously, you started releasing music in 2006. What does it feel like to grind for eight years and finally get such high-profile recognition? How did things change for you after this point? What makes me most excited after all these years is having connected thru music with so many people around the world, from such different cultures and countries. Being able to travel and meet them in person has given me a more global perspective. I feel grateful and humbled every time I think about it. You had a massive Boiler Room show in 2017. What was that experience like? It’s become such a sign of making it and carries a unique atmosphere because of the locations and crowd. Yes, the atmosphere was truly special. Playing for the Boiler Room in my hometown was magical. The location and the entire production were amazing. We all had a great time. You had your first Anjunadeep release, "Not a Coincidence," in 2018. The label has since become a home for you, hosting many of your releases since 2018 and your full-length album in 2020, Dream Decoder. How did you first connect with the Anjuna family? They were in contact with my manager, and the idea of releasing an EP came up, so I decided to send them both tracks. They were signed instantly, and since then, my involvement with the label has only grown. Anjunadeep is the premier melodic house and techno label and a high-level event promoter. What does it mean to you to be a part of this collective, and how do you feel it’s impacted your career? They are an amazing team, extremely professional, and passionate in everything they do. The community behind it is wonderful, a musical family where everyone feels welcomed. The label has undoubtedly become one of the most important pillars in my career. I love working with them. Your sound is distinct, yet you produce a variety of music, firmly planting yourself in both techno and melodic house. Are you finding that there is one sound you’re aiming to explore going forward, or is it simply about what inspires you week to week? Yes, a crossover between techno and melodic house is probably a good definition of my musical approach. Although, in the studio, I don’t overthink it too much. I just make the music that I'd like to dance to in a club. Recently, you’ve been on a tear with the Digital Futures EP receiving critical acclaim and your upcoming EP with Black Circle and Simon Doty. Tell us about connecting and working with those guys and what we can expect from the EP? Simon Doty and his manager, Drew, told us about their new project, Recess, and proposed to do a remix for his first label release. Simon and Black Circle are two amazing producers. I'm very happy with the result of this EP.
